Char-Koosta News
The Official Publication of the Flathead Nation online
Rodeo professionals teach kids to ride horsesARLEE — R.T Hendrickson is a former 1977 Montana Rodeo Association bull rider from Arlee, Montana. He is a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes and owns a ranch on the Flathead reservation. He hosted the Arlee Fourth of July Rodeo for several years. His family has been involved in the rodeo industry for many generations. Hendrickson, now retired, occasionally serves as a pick-up man. "Riding gives you an adrenalin rush, almost like a high. Riding horses bareback in some ways is a lot harder than bull riding because they're (the horses) much faster," he says. Hendrickson's sons recently became involved in a campaign for safety belt awareness in the American Indian population. The campaign is hosted through the Lake County Safe Kids Safe Communities Coalition and the CSKT Tribal Health and Human Services. R.T and wife Stephanie Hendrickson's sons being featured are Billy age 22, Levi age 20, and Rusty age 17. All boys began riding as early as 2 years old. They are each very skilled in riding and have numerous honors from rodeos they've attended. "We grew up on a horse," says Levi. The campaign will be featuring several families throughout the Flathead reservation and the Hendricksons are the first to be featured. They're slogan is "Buckle up in your truck," in reference to pick-up truck drivers and passengers since the truck is an essential tool for hauling horses and gear. "Rodeo folks are the perfect spokespeople for this type of message," says the campaign. For more information on the campaign you can contact: Emily Colomeda with the Lake County Health Department at (406) 883-7319. Deb Greenough is a former professional rodeo bareback rider from Red Lodge, Montana. He has several accomplishments under his belt including being honored as a world bareback champion in 1993. "Riding has been in my family forever. I began riding when I was really little and I used to ride calves," recalls Greenough. Greenough descends from a very successful and well-known family in the rodeo industry. His great aunt Alice Greenough is not only considered the first rodeo queen, but she was the first woman honored in the Cowgirl Hall of Fame as well as the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. R.T Hendrickson and Deb Greenough met at the Circuit Finals in Great Falls, Montana over twelve years ago when Hendrickson approached Greenough about hosting a school for children to teach them how to ride. "I've been approached about hosting a school several times before but all the others wanted was money and I didn't feel like their hearts were in the right place. So when R.T approached me and wanted to host the school for the kids, I knew he was a genuine person and that's why I agreed to it," says Greenough. "I just think it's a good way to keep the kids off the streets. It's like basketball or any other activity; it will keep the kids occupied so they won't be involved in all the trouble they can get into," says Hendrickson. The school consists of lessons ranging from proper set up of the horses before a ride to the proper riding form that will keep the rider safe while riding. "People say you can tell the kids that have been through our classes because of how they know how to ride so properly," says Greenough. 2007 was the schools' 12th year hosting in Arlee and they hope to see many more. "I hope more kids will get involved. It's like keeping the culture going through rodeo. We invite riders from all over Montana," says Hendrickson. For more information on the riding school, call: Roxanne at 1 (406) 396-0888. The Professional Rodeos Cowboy Association (PRCA) is hosting a Memorial Day weekend (May 25-28 2007) rodeo in Arlee as an honor of being a long-standing rodeo host. The rodeo will consist of several events including the breast cancer awareness riders, where riders will be wearing pink shirts, the color of breast cancer awareness. It will also include cowboy poetry and western music at the Hangin' Art Gallery in Arlee. There will also be several contests including: bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, barrel racing, tie down roping, steer wrestling, and team roping. For more information on the rodeo you can visit the site: www.arleeprca.com |
