More rodeo could soon be coming to Boulder: The Jefferson County Rodeo Association last week announced plans to host a new, two-day competition on Independence Day weekend.
“We wanted to bring more events to Boulder,” said JCRA President Brady Nordahl. “We figured since the 4th of July [celebration] in Veterans Park was winding down, we’d bring this event to help the community recover from the shutdown.”
The July event would bring a second rodeo to the county’s Recreation Park, site of the annual four-day affair that coincides with the county fair in late August. Last year’s rodeo, like many across the state, was curtailed by health concerns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic; a Northern Rodeo Association-sanctioned professional competition was canceled, but barrel racing and in-county activities went on.
The JCRA plans to promote social distancing and make masks available, but it has not yet filed a plan for the event with the county Health Department. The Health Board is scheduled to vote May 18 on lifting attendance caps on events, which would clear the path the rodeo as well as other, larger happenings such as the Rockin’ the Rivers festival outside Three Forks and Headwaters Country Jam in Cardwell, both scheduled for August.
The JCRA’s two-day event would open July 3 with the Wyldman Rodeo, a circuit competition that launched last year and has 10 Montana events scheduled or pending for this summer, according to its Facebook page.
The Wyldman features ranch bronc riding, steer riding, sheep riding – and a new “Ironwoman Challenge” that combines breakaway calf roping, barrel racing, and a goat tie. “It’s absolute madness,” said Nordahl, who has competed in the Ironwoman. “It’s an adrenaline rush. It takes a lot of skill to do all three in a quick time.”
On July 4, the JCRA will host a barrel-racing competition. Exhibition runs will be 9:30 to 11:30 am, with the competition starting at noon. Entry fees are $5 for the Peewee division, $30 for youth, and $45 for open. The JCRA has added $1,000 prize money for the open division and $250 for youth; Nordahl says it’s looking for sponsors to fund those pots.
