Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame announces 2015 inductions

Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame announces 2015 inductions

Today the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame & Western Heritage Center (MCHF & WHC) announced the eighth class of inductions into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame. The inductees were chosen from a field of candidates nominated by the general public. Inductees are honored for their notable contributions to the history and culture of Montana.

“The board of trustees, our volunteer network from around the state, has reviewed this year’s nominations and completed the voting process,” said Bill Galt, White Sulphur Springs rancher and MCHF & WHC president. “This process gives local communities a strong voice in who will represent them in the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame exists to honor those—famous cowboy or not—who have made an impact in their community and serve as a symbol of Montana’s authentic heritage for future generations.”

The MCHF & WHC board of directors has designated 12 trustee districts across the state from which up to 20 trustees may be appointed. Nomination criteria established by the board for the Class of 2015 inductions allowed the election of up to one Living Inductee and two Legacy Inductees from each of the 12 districts. In the case of a tie, winning nominees are jointly inducted.

The 2015 inductees into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame are:

• District 1 (Daniels, Phillips, Roosevelt, Sheridan, & Valley Counties): Living Award – Miles “Bud” Geer, Nashua. Legacy Award – Circle C Ranch, Zortman and Montie Montana, Wolf Point.
• District 2 (Dawson, Garfield, McCone, Prairie, Richland, & Wibaux Counties): Living Award – Marvin K. Ley, Glendive. Legacy Award – C.A. “Bud” Kramer, Jordan and Chappel Brothers Corporation (CBC’s), Prairie Elk.
• District 3 (Carter, Custer, Fallon, Powder River, Rosebud, & Treasure Counties): Living Award – Jack L. “Slug” Mills, Boyes (tie) and Doug Wall, Miles City (tie). Legacy Award – Charles G. Patten, Broadus and Manly Anderson Moore, Sr., Broadus.
• District 4 (Blaine, Chouteau, Hill, & Liberty Counties): Living Award – Robert “Bud” Boyce, Big Sandy. Legacy Award – Larry Kane, Big Sandy and Harry Stuart Green, Big Sandy (tie) and Miller Brothers Land and Livestock, Chinook (tie).
• District 5 (Cascade, Glacier, Pondera, Teton, & Toole Counties): Living Award – Jay Joseph Contway, Great Falls. Legacy Award – Alfred Bertram “Bud” Guthrie, Jr., Choteau and Mary “Stagecoach Mary” Fields, Cascade (tie) and Doctor Ernest Bigalow Maynard, Choteau (tie).
• District 6 (Fergus, Golden Valley, Judith Basin, Musselshell, Petroleum, & Wheatland Counties): Living Award – Eldon H. Snyder, Lewistown. Legacy Award – Montana Cowboy Poetry Gathering and Western Music Rendezvous, Lewistown and Merle J. Boyce, Winifred.
• District 7 (Big Horn, Carbon, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, & Yellowstone Counties): Living Award – Henry Albert “Hank” Scobee, Hardin. Legacy Award – Malcolm S. Mackay, Roscoe and Charlotte “Rusty” Linderman Spaulding, Belfry.
• District 8 (Broadwater, Jefferson, & Lewis and Clark Counties): Living Award – Joseph W. “Joe” Enger, Helena. Legacy Award – Auchard Creek School, Augusta.
• District 9 (Gallatin, Meagher, & Park Counties): Legacy Award – Robert “Bob” Shiplet, Clyde Park and Thomas R. “Tom” Hunter, Clyde Park (tie) and Robert Anderson “Bob” Haugland, Belgrade (tie).
• District 10 (Flathead, Lake, Lincoln, & Sanders Counties): Living Award – Richard B. “Dick” & Patricia B. “Tricia” Vinson, Thompson Falls. Legacy Award – C.R. Williams, Kalispell.
• District 11 (Mineral, Missoula, & Ravalli Counties): Living Award – Frank R. Mason, Jr., Corvallis. Legacy Award – Vernon Woolsey, Stevensville and Clarence Barron “C.B.” Rich, Seeley Lake.
• District 12 (Deer Lodge, Beaverhead, Silver Bow, Granite, Madison, & Powell Counties): Living Award (three-way tie) Edward Francis “Butch” O’Connell, Butte, “Gunner” Gun Again, Dillon, and John W. “Jack” Briggs, Dell. Legacy Award – Melvin R. Icenoggle, Ennis and Scottish Chieftain, Hamilton.

Since the initial round of inductions to the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2008, including this year’s inductions, 240 inductees have been honored. Full biographies for past inductees are available on the MCHF & WHC’s website, http://www.montanacowboyfame.org.

In July, the MCHF & WHC commenced its first phase of construction in the central location of Big Timber, Mont., with modifications to the Hall of Fame headquarters and the creation of a world-class outdoor arena. The arena’s programming will allow the MCHF & WHC to highlight and celebrate the many traditions of our western heritage and cowboy way of life through quality western sporting events. 

For more information about the MCHF & WHC, or for more details on the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame inductees, please contact Christy Stensland by calling (406) 653-3800, emailing Christy@montanacowboyfame.org, or visiting http://www.montanacowboyfame.org.