Star-packed lineup for Fair PRCA Rodeo

By DAVID LESNICK

The Daily Inter Lake

All three nights of Northwest Montana Fair PRCA Rodeo action will feature some of the best circuit performers from all over the U.S. this weekend at the Flathead County Fairgrounds.

It all starts tonight at 7:30. Performances follow Friday and Saturday at the same time.

Tickets range in price from $20 for general admission to $24 for reserved seating.

Tonight is senior night at the rodeo for those 65-and- older. Those tickets are $10.

Tickets for ages 5-12 are $10. Children 5-and-under are admitted free.

The bareback entry list is loaded with eight of the top 20 money winners in Kalispell. Up tonight are Orin Larsen of Inglis, Manitoba, and Seth Lee Hardwick of Ranchester, Wyoming. Larsen is seventh in the Aug. 12 PRCA rankings while Hardwick is 18th.

Four bareback riders go Friday — fourth-ranked Clayton Biglow of Clements, California; fifth-ranked Jake Brown of Cleveland, Texas; 14th-ranked Wyatt Denny of Minden, Nevada; and 16th-ranked Clint Laye of Cadogan, Alberta.

Steven Dent, ranked sixth, of Mullen, Nebraska, and Ty Breuer, ranked 13th, of Mandan, North Dakota, are on Saturday in the bareback.

Steer wrestling has five ranked cowboys up, starting with third-ranked Curtis Cassidy of Donalda, Alberta, tonight. Scott Guenthner of Provost, Alberta, ranked No. 2; Bridger Chambers, ranked No. 4 from Stevensville; and Jacob Talley, ranked No. 9, of Keatchie, Louisiana, head the lineup for Friday.

Blake Knowles, ranked 11th from Heppner, Oregon, is listed for Saturday’s steer wrestling session.

Saddle bronc also has five ranked cowboys with four up tonight — Ryder Wright, ranked third, of Milford, Utah; Isaac Diaz, fourth, of Desdemona, Texas; Rusty Wright, sixth, of Milford; and Spencer Wright, 17th, of Milford.

Sterling Crawley, ranked ninth, of Stephenville, Texas, will be here Saturday.

Team ropers Erich Rogers of Round Rock, Arizona, and Clint Summers of Lake City, Florida, are on the Friday sheet. Rogers (header) is 14th and Summers (heeler) ninth.

Kellie Collier of Hereford, Texas, 16th in barrel racing, is up tonight.

Jake Pratt of Ellensburg, Washington, sixth in tie-down roping, will be in the arena for the final performance. Tyler Milligan, 18th, of Pawhuska, Oklahoma, is up Friday.

The only event with no ranked performers is bull riding. Six Montana cowboys go tonight, including Gerald Eash of Trego and Brett Fitzpatrick of Polson. Guy Nordahl of Huntley has drawn the bull Flight Plan (194), who was at the National Finals Rodeo last year.

Two familiar Treasure State names on Friday’s list are Luke Gee of Stanford and Cole Wagner of Valier. Gee will be on Gangster Code (014), a NFR bull.

Only two bull riders are listed for Saturday night.

Kesler Championship Rodeo is providing stock for the rodeo.