NW Montana Fair and Rodeo opens registration for Mutton Bustin'
Seven-year-old Autumn Kraus holds on to her sheep to win the mutton bustin' event at Montana's Toughest Cowboy at the Bigfork Rodeo on Saturday, July 31. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Registration is open for children for Mutton Bustin’ at this year’s Northwest Montana Fair and Rodeo.
The fair and rodeo is scheduled for Aug. 17-21 at the Flathead County Fairgrounds in Kalispell.
Mutton Bustin’ will take place at the opening of all three nights of the RAM PRCA Rodeo, Aug. 18-20. This crowd-pleaser features children riding sheep and trying to hang on as long as possible. Mutton Bustin’ is sponsored by Kalispell Electric Co-op and Justin Boot Company. Each night’s winner of the competition will receive a pair of Justin Junior boots.
To be eligible for Mutton Bustin’, children must be ages 5 to 7, weigh no more than 55 pounds and submit a parental consent form. Contestants can register for the drawing at CHS, Western Outdoor, Murdoch’s in Kalispell and Columbia Falls, and the fairgrounds office until 4 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 5. Only 24 children will be selected to compete, and priority will be given to children who have not previously participated. Drawing winners will be notified by phone.
Those wishing to enter 4-H/FFA or Open Class competitions may register online at www.nwmtfair.com/fairbook. All registrations must be received by 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 1 unless noted otherwise in the fair book.