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Broadwater Fair and Rodeo Celebrate Nation's 250th Birthday
Author: mt43news staff reporter

MT43 News Staff Reporter

Some things at the fair and rodeo are new, but meeting friends and celebrating our community as well as our nation’s birthday remains the same.

Cowboys and cowgirls, and those who love them, are a very patriotic bunch. At the rodeo Friday night, they quickly stood as the flag entered the arena. The announcer, Josh Linebaugh, acknowledged their patriotism, but asked the crowd to sit while he honored veterans, EMTs, and rural responders. And once again, the crowd stood, hats in hand, while Lexi Davies sang the Star-Spangled Banner.

The Fair organizers choose a theme each year to honor our county and country. Of course, they picked USA 250th Celebration as their theme. The exhibit building was decked out in red, white, and blue. A special contest exhibit for the 250th showed quilts, wall hangings, flower arrangements, a fancy hat, and a wreath - handmade to honor our country.

The first- place winner was a framed puzzle, entered by Creative Closet owner Shirley Wilson. She pointed out that she has always loved puzzles. She also loves the flag colors. She picked up this puzzle about a year ago. It features all things patriotic. The shop owner grew up on the hi-line in Galata, Montana, and graduated from Cut Bank High School. Her grandmother, who homesteaded at Galata, Montana, insisted Shirley enter her artwork in the fair. She began entering at age 9 and has entered her creative arts ever since. “People should enter the fair to showcase their handicrafts. Besides, it’s a fun time to get out and meet your neighbors,” she said.

In the Best of Show junior division category, Talia Garrard, age 10, won a purple ribbon for her flower arrangement, which included snapdragons, daisies, baby’s breath, and the herbs: cilantro, echinacea, and yarrow, which she picked from her grandmother Kelly Garrard’s garden. Not to be outdone, Gabriel Sanford, age 8, won a purple ribbon for his LEGO lion, for which he made up his own design. “It has moving parts,” he pointed out.

The Fine Arts Division includes photography, paintings, and creative handiwork. Bryleigh Erickson submitted an unusual piece called diamond art. The high school senior said the work came in a kit kind of like “paint-by-numbers.” The work took about ten hours to complete by placing each individual piece, which is pencil- lead size, separately, in small sections. “I bought one because I thought it just looked fun. Now it’s a hobby of mine. I’ve made a cow, a zebra and a jellyfish,” she explained.

Kids’ entertainment was everywhere on the grounds: a mechanical bull ride spun most boys around until they fell off. Girls tried their luck too. Groups played music at the Entertainment tent, and the stick horse races were worth your entrance ticket. A little quiet time saw the kids making drawings and paintings in the Commercial building.

The Commercial Building slots were at capacity this year with small businesses and nonprofits trying to touch base with the public. One candidate for County Commissioner also had a booth. Tim Ravndahl was reaching out to people to visit and to pass out his campaign material. Broadwater County Trails Committee representatives explained their Fairgrounds to Townsend Multi-use trail plan. Several other nonprofits were staged along the thoroughfare.

The 4-H Livestock sale culminates a long week for each animal project member. The week begins on Thursday when the 4-H and FFA animals arrive and weigh in. Then there are the shows and the judging, leading up to the grand finale- the sale. Corporations, businesses, and individuals vie for steers, pigs, goats, and sheep which brought in $364,638 this year, for members to put toward their college funds. Almost 100 animals sold, including 13 lambs,14 steers, 49 hogs, and 10 goats. Championship geese and chickens and a rabbit were up for auction as well. Some poultry pens sold for as high as $600.

The livestock bidder’s dinner was provided by Cooks by Rausers. Dean Folkvord was the auctioneer, as he has been for many years.

During those 4 days, including Sunday, the 4-Hers and FFA members must keep the animals fed and watered and try to keep them cool in the stock barn in this 90- degree weather.

Overall, the fair went pretty well, according to Fair Manager Jessica Erickson: “There were more activities for people. The most used was the mechanical bull. The kids loved it. I don’t think the heat kept people away.”

Article Images

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PhotoCredit: MT43 News Photographer, Nancy Marks
Image 1 Caption: Cece Watne with her black and white pig. MT43 News Photographer, Nancy Marks
Image 2 Caption: Zoe Dablin with her $600 chickens. MT43 News Photographer, Nancy Marks
Image 3 Caption: Lexi Davies and her red Angus steer. MT43 News Photographer, Nancy Marks
Image 4 Caption: Spotters for the Livestock Sale shout out bidders' numbers to auctioneer Dean Folkvord. Spotters were Robert Michael, Jason Moyes and Todd Kitto. MT43 News Photographer, Nancy Marks
Image 5 Caption: The hams and pork shoulders-to-be look amazing on this Berkshire pig, raised and shown by Everett Kirksey. MT43 News Photographer, Nancy Marks