Montana Rodeo History

Montana has a long rodeo history that dates back over 100 years back to the early days of statehood and before. The Native Americans have been living in the Montana territory since the 1700s.  Montana officially became a territory in 1864 and became the 41st state in 1889.  Following the Lewis and Clark expedition at the beginning of the 19th century, the territory saw the arrival of western settlers by the mid-1800s.  The first cattle operations arrived to the territory in the 1860s with a major expansion across the norther plains in the 1870s.

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Rodeos in the United States began forming in the 1800s with numerous “unofficial” rodeo events in Texas and Arizona.  The first officially recorded rodeo took place in 1864 in Colorado.  Cheyenne Wyoming saw its first rodeo in 1897, with the first Calgary Stampede taking place in 1912.  As of the early 1900s, rodeos were taking place all around Montana in Wyoming, South Dakota, Oregon, and Canada.

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Undoubtably with Native Americans settling the Montana Territory since the 1700s and cowboys arriving with the cattle migration in the 1860s, there were many “unofficial” rodeo events taking place for many years on ranches and on the plains.  Montana’s first advertised rodeo took place in 1915 in Wolf Point as an advertised exhibition to entertain crowds at the Wild Horse Stampede.  The Wild Horse Stampede of Wolf Point is still running every year in July giving it the nickname of the Grandaddy of all Montana rodeos.

   

The rest as some would say is history.  Rodeos in Montana have grown from ranch challenges, event exhibitions, to some great longstanding events.  Currently Montana is one of 3 states that solely make up a PRCA circuit.  The PRCA Montana Finals Rodeo is held every January in Great Falls bringing together the top cowboys and cowgirls across the Big Sky State.  Every year there are over 50 rodeos taking place across the Big Sky State so don’t miss an opportunity to take in one of these great events.