85 Years of Ropin’ and Ridin’, Singin’ and Swingin’
When the chutes open this July 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in Red Lodge, Montana, it will be to celebrate 85 years of Red Lodge Rodeo! This year promises to be an outstanding event with the world’s best cowboys and cowgirls competing. Cowboys will be competing on stock provided by Brookman Rodeo Company, our Rodeo Clown Bert Davis and bullfighter Al Sandvold will entertain the crowds and Doug Mathis from Texas will keep everyone informed from the announcer’s booth.
The Red Lodge Rodeo dates back to the late 1890’s with local cowboys getting together on a Sunday afternoon at the railroad stockyards to ride exhibition broncos. In 1929, a group of local cowboys built an arena, gathered up some wild horses, charged admission and contested the rides. In 1930, wth the success of the rodeo the year before, the Red Lodge Rodeo Association was formed. In 1932, the Association acquired 180 acres of land and they went to work building a new arena and grandstand at its present location. In 1954, after local cowboy Bill Linderman won his third World All Around Champion Title, the name”HOME OF CHAMPIONS” was adopted.
