Skill, passion and derring-do: the art of the rodeo in Montana
It might get a bad rap from animal lovers but in Montana, the rodeo is about showmanship, skills honed over years and well-cared-for beasts
It’s the evening before the rodeo and 18-year-old Kaydee Brinas is steeling her nerves, having just saddled up her horse, Frenchie, and roped him outside the barn.
Brinas works as a wrangler at Lone Mountain Ranch, a dude ranch with a history dating back to 1915, in Big Sky, Montana, in the United States, and since the age of 10, she has competed in rodeos as a barrel racer; running a cloverleaf pattern around barrels, aiming for the fastest time.
In 2023, Brinas was crowned barrel racing champion in her hometown of Coos County, Oregon. Rodeo is “so special, it’s like a family,” she says, showing me her belt buckle trophy proudly.
“Rodeo sometimes gets a bad rap because people are worried about the animals, but they’re all really well taken-care of,” she adds. “I know that, because I help take care of them here and I think the animals really enjoy their job,” she says, flashing a smile before she mounts her horse to practice the sharp twists and turns needed to knock split seconds off her time.
There are some 700 sanctioned rodeos across the US, according to the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, although sensitive to animal-rights concerns, some local and state governments have banned or restricted the competitions.