Lots going on for Hi-Line Rodeo Team

The Hi-Line Rodeo Team has several members who are already qualified for the 2021 National Little Britches Rodeo Association World Finals, but those achievements aren't the only important things the team has going for the team right now.

Hi-Line Rodeo Team members range in age from 5 to 18, and they compete primarily in Montana High School Rodeo and Little Britches Rodeo. The team also organizes youth rodeos in the area, as well as fundraise for and hold event-specific clinics for its members, with one scheduled each month February through April to start off the 2021 season.

Karen Gibson, parent and organizer for the team, said that the clinics are similar to training camps in other sports.

The Little Britches National Finals is scheduled for July 5-11 this year in Guthrie, Oklahoma. In order to qualify in an event for the national championship rodeo, competitors have to place in the top seven for that event five times.

In the Senior Girls Division, Mary Gibson, who is ranked No. 1 in the NLBRA Senior Girls All-Around standings, has already qualified in goat-tying (12th in the world standings), barrel racing (12th), pole bending (14th), team roping, trail course (28th) and ribbon roping (13th), partnered with Kassidy Pursley, who is also qualified in barrels, poles and goat-tying.

Also representing the Gibson family is Cassie Gibson, who is ranked No. 1 in the NLBRA Junior Girls All Around standings. This is her final year in the junior division and she has qualified for nationals in goat-tying (17th), barrels, breakaway roping (6th), poles (29th), team roping (12th, partnered with Cooper Fisher), trail (15th) and ribbon roping.

Junior girls division member Aarianna Henry has qualified for nationals in barrels, poles (15th), ribbon roping and breakaway.

Junior boys division competitor Cooper Fisher is starting the 2021 season ranked No. 12 in the NLBRA Jr. Boys all around standings, and he has qualified for the national finals in team roping (12th, partnered with Cassie Gibson), breakaway (30th), flag racing, goat-tying and ribbon roping.

While fellow junior division member Quinn Rodewald has qualified in saddle bronc steer (6th), bareback steer (tied 1st), goat-tying, flag and ribbon roping.

Additionally, Fisher and Mary Gibson qualified for the Vegas Tuffest Jr. World Championship rodeo held in December in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in December. Gibson didn't make the trip this year, but Fisher went and qualified for the short go in breakaway roping. Also, Aislinn Handy (poles and goat-tying) and Mary Gibson (poles, breakaway and goat-tying) have both qualified for the Jr. American Rodeo coming up Feb. 26-March 6 in Fort Worth, Texas.

The 2021 rodeo season will see big changes for the team, Karen Gibson said, because they applied for and have now met the requirements to start their own National Little Britches Rodeo Association franchise. Officially organized under the name Hi-Line Little Britches, the first rodeo weekend is set for March 20-21 at the fairgrounds, with three rodeos being held over the two days.

In late fall of 2018, Hi-Line Rodeo and Big Sky Little Britches in Laurel, then the only Little Britches franchise in the state, made a deal to hold nine NLBRA-sanctioned rodeos over three weekends in Havre. Big Sky brought their franchise-recognized officiants, staff and contractors to the Great Northern Fairgrounds for the rodeos each fall since then.

Having the Little Britches rodeos in Havre helped more team members earn points toward the finals, Karen Gibson said, adding that changes they made to help implement COVID-19 safety measures this year actually helped with the flow of the whole event.

"We appreciate what Big Sky did. That's kind of the only way we could've held the rodeos here," Gibson said, adding that it also helped the Hi-Line team with securing its own franchise.

The hope is to expand the entries in coming years, including having their regular rodeoers from Canada return to compete once the northern border opens again.

Little Britches events include age-group specific horseback speed events and roping and rough stock events. Entry for the March 20-21 Hi-Line Little Britches Rodeo closes March 9. Non-members can enter up to three rodeos. To get Hi-Line Little Britches Rodeo entry information, contact Michelle Burchard at 390-6570.

To get information about Hi-Line Rodeo Team or Little Britches Rodeo, people can go to the team's Facebook page or contact Gibson at 945-1328 or [email protected] .

Other Hi-Line Rodeo Team members currently qualified for national finals include:

Sr. Girls (14-18)

Allee Bartlett, barrels, goat-tying and trail

Talia Huston, goat-tying, barrels and poles

Jayden Herrig, poles, trail

Kyla Burchard, barrels, poles, trail, ribbon roping

Aislinn Handy, goat-tying, poles, trail

Kayla Rodewald, barrels, poles

Jr. Girls (9-13)

Hedy Spencer, barrels, trail, poles, goat-tying

Cassidy Leeds, poles

Kaia Spencer, goat-tying

Ashlyn Gibson, barrels, poles, goat-tying, trail, breakaway

Little Wrangler (5-8)

Cayden Chapman, barrels, poles, goat-tying, flag racing