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Head ‘em out… we’re heading to Conrad for Whoop-Up |
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Thursday, 05 June 2008 |
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Page 2 of 2
At 8:30 a.m., for you athletic, or not so athletic folks, the PMC is sponsoring their annual 5K Run/ 1-Mile Walk. It will start and finish in front of the courthouse. You can register in front of the courthouse up to 8 a.m. For more information, contact Charlene Bouma at the PMC, 271-3211.
In conjunction with Whoop-Up, the second annual Rhubarb Festival will be taking place all day Saturday along Main St.
This year to go along with the Rhubarb Festival there will be crafts people and vendors lining the streets, rhubarb cookbooks for sale and a number of rhubarb pie contests taking place. It’s time for a little R&R, Rodeo and Rhubarb. Contact Bonnie Poser at The N’ Thing, 278-5408 for more information on the second annual Rhubarb Festival.
The Children’s Parade will begin to assemble at 9 a.m. sharp for judging just west of Meadowlark School and then take off at 9:30 a.m. sharp. There are divisions for best costume, best pet, best entry on wheels (not bikes) and best bikes.
First through third places will be given in each division, sponsored by 1st Liberty Credit Union.
The parade will leave Meadowlark School and head south on Main St. and go to Seventh Ave. to turn west and disband at the Conrad Lions Club Swimming Pool Park.
For more information, contact the Chamber of Commerce office at 271-7791 or Joan Jensen at 278-8200.
All this gets everybody tuned up for the unsurpassed and best parade in all of the Golden Triangle.
Archie Bishop has been selected to be the Grand Marshall of the parade.
He was born and raised seven miles east of Conrad on a farm homesteaded by his parents. He graduated from CHS and helped run the family farm until he was drafted by the Army. While in the service, he guarded German and Italian POWs.
After his service he went to MSU-Bozeman and graduated in 1950. While in college, he helped start and run the first collegiate rodeo at Bozeman. He worked for the Soil Conservation Service in Great Falls, Chester and in Conrad for 22 years and then was the editor of the Prairie Star Ag and Traders Dispatch newspaper in Valier for 25 years.
The Grand Parade will begin to assemble on 9:30 a.m., on the dot and will get moving at 10:30 a.m.
There are four divisions. Division A are floats and groups and they will assemble on the east county road along side of the baseball fields. Division B, bands and marching groups, drill teams and clowns should be in line at the first parking lot on the north side of the baseball fields.
Division C, cars and autos, should assemble on the east side of Iowa St. (machinery on the west side) at the corner of 8th Ave. Division H, horses and driving rigs, need to contact the Parade Chairperson for parking and line-up locations and that would be Cynthia Johnson or Barbie Killion at the CofC office, 271-7791.
Just as planned, everything will come together and begin to roll at 10:30 a.m., proceeding east on Seventh Ave. S., then head north on Main St., turn west on to Second Ave. S. proceeding to Sunset Blvd. and go past the Pondera Medical Center to disband.
After the parade, the 400 block of Main St. will be closed to traffic and people will be asked to move their vehicles so vendors and Rhubarb Festivities can take place.
The parade route has been established to accommodate the residents of the Horizon Lodge and PMC Extended Care Unit.
At 11 a.m. there will be a cakewalk, coming into their second year of fun. It takes place at Legion Park. Also at 11, the Golden Triangle Flyers, just off the Frontage Road, north of Conrad on the way to the rodeo grounds, will be flying their radio-controlled planes. You can’t miss the big yellow airplane sign.
After the Big Parade. all the young cowboys and cowgirls will bunch together for the Stick Horse Rodeo in Legion Park. Come on down and watch the future rodeo stars hone their skills with stick horse and roping. Contact Robert Rohrer at 278-5756 for more information.
Sponsored by the CofC again, the Whoop-Up Motor show will take place in the Lions Club Swimming Pool Park, beginning at 12:30 p.m. There will be cash prizes and some of the hottest cars around to take a look at. You do not want to miss this attraction! Call Laurie Morris for more information at 278-5533.
All this brings us to the main attraction of the weekend, the Whoop-Up Tail Days Rodeo.
To get there, go one mile east of Conrad on the Sollid Road, then three miles north on the East Frontage Road.
Gates will open about noon with the action beginning at 1:30 p.m. with some of the most ferocious bulls and high jumping buckin’ broncs you’ve ever seen, provided by Jacob’s Livestock.
Dan Majerus noted that his year, the Northern Rodeo Association (NRA) designated the Whoop-Up rodeo a “Bonus Bucks Rodeo” meaning they will add $1,000 to the prize money.”
That, along with $75 entry fees from the cowboys and cowgirls, $800 for timed events and $1,125 per entry for rough stock and “Your fairly big league,” he says.
He’s been working this past winter with the Canadian Rodeo Association and the Chinook Rodeo Association.
They have designated the Whoop-Up rodeo as an “invite rodeo” and what that means is that any Canadian cowboy or cowgirl can enter our rodeo on their card (not purchasing an NRA card).
The Whoop-Up rodeo will be in their newsletter and with other publicity; there could be as many as 40 or 50 entrants from north of the border down over the weekend.
There is also a rodeo in Cut Bank, starting at 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and with an open weekend in Canada, expect to see a lot of new faces at the rodeo grounds, Majerus said.
An side note, this is kind of unique to the rodeo circuit. Judisch Spraying Service pays out $100 to the high scoring bareback rider for the day on Saturday and Sunday.
Rodeo day also has a number of other events packed into it as well with one of the most popular being the Mutton Bustin’. Contestants can still sign up at the Gustafson and Rohrer Law office at 400 S. Main St. or call them at 278-7521.
Sheep riders have to be less than 50 pounds and have a signed release. There will also be two days of youth steer riding for those aged 8-13. A signed release is needed for this event as well and can be obtained at the G/R law office.
A very popular event is the Pack Horse Race, which takes place at the rodeo grounds. For more information or to enter a team, contact Steve Hutton at 450-1955 or Dick Kinyon at 278-3236.
A one-day adult ticket is $8, youths 18 and under are $5, and a one-day family pass (two adults maximum) is $25. Those 10 and under still get a free admission.
Rodeo fans need to take note: Due to liability insurance, absolutely NO kegs or coolers will be allowed in. You may bring in an empty cooler with ice if you like.
The rodeo is accessible for handicap parking with shuttle service. Please inquire at the gate.
If this is not enough to fill your day, head out to the Pondera Golf Club for the KSEN/Colgate Country Showdown at 7 p.m. You just might catch the next big-time country star.
On Sunday rodeo slack starts at 8 a.m. and the cook shack is open for breakfast.
The gates for the rodeo will open at noon and the rodeo and second day events begin at 1:30 p.m.
Come out for a great time over the weekend. All proceeds form the 68th annual Conrad Lions Club Whoop-Up stay right here for local projects.
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