Folks Rodeo in Libby

Since we purchased out of state annual fishing license in Montana this year we decided to stop one more time in the state before we moved onto Idaho and Washington.  Libby, Montana was the small town where we found a quiet little RV park that we could fit into.  Libby turned out to be a fine stop.  We tried for another month but the park didn't have the availability, so we settled for 3 weeks.  There was excellent fishing around Libby and we went on the Kootenai River several times and on a couple lakes as well.

One big event was the professional rodeo that occurred while we were there.  We went out on opening night and enjoyed the show.  The opening flag ceremony riders line up in the chute ready to ride out at break neck speeds!

We walked around back where the contestants were camping and preparing their stock for the competition.  This fella was a catcher whose job was to get the wild stock out of the arena after each competitor's ride.  They caught the broncos, calves, steers and bucking bulls.  There is a tragic story associated with this horse and rider that I will share in a second...

 Competitors rigs of all shapes and sizes parked out back.

 Four Horses lined up waiting to go.

 Moo.

 Bucking bulls and horses out back behind the announcer's booth.

 Flag carriers all lined up.

 All the participants circle the ring to get things started.

 The American Flag enters the ring.

 First bronc out of the chute!  See the catcher to the right on his big Chestnut horse?

Next bronc in  the arena.  The catcher on the Chestnut moves in to assist with the dismount... That big Chestnut had a heart-attack right there in that arena after that ride.  It was shocking!  He went down and trapped the cowboys leg.  The Rodeo handled the tragedy very well.  The announcer explained that these things can happen.  The cowboys quickly stripped all the tack and gear from the horse.  A stock trailer quickly pulled in the arena.  Six or eight cowboys laid an 8' tube gate at the back of the horse.  They rolled the horse over his back and onto the gate.  That horse was already gone at this point, couldn't have been 5 minutes.  Those cowboys picked that gate up with the horse aboard and loaded him up into the stock trailer.  And just like that the horse ambulance left the arena.  That catcher cowboy-ed up and finished that rodeo on his back up horse.  We were so sad, but they sure did handle that very well.

 Steer Wrestling!

 Bull Riding!

End of the show, they let all the horse stock run around in the arena to music.  Very cool.

 This cowboy roper prepares for his event.

 Biggest fish Steve caught in Libby!  That is a Zebco close-faced reel with a Salmon on.

Libby has the nick-name, City of Eagles.

 

 The Eagles are everywhere.  Gari provides scale for this small eagle.

Standing on the bridge over the Kootenai River on the edge of town, looking back into Libby.  We walked here after dinner on night.

A larger Eagle looks like he may make a snack out of Steve!