Super sort held at county fairgrounds

PLAINS – The Sanders County Fairgrounds were buzzing with activity throughout the sunny Saturday afternoon of Plains Day last week.

An arts and craft show was held starting at 10 a.m. and a variety of items were on display at the booths set up by vendors.

The fairgrounds arena was also busy with activity as the Second Annual Plains Day Super Sort took place, with eight rounds of competition kicking off at 9 a.m.

Competitors from counties across western Montana, in addition to cowboys and cowgirls from Idaho and Washington brought their horses and will to win to the super sort.

The event ran all day, concluding with an award presentation and barbecue at 6 p.m.

Patti Waldoch and her husband Joe Waldoch organized the annual super sort.

According to P. Waldoch both her and her husband had been traveling around Montana and taking part in super sort events for 12 years, competing in the Bitterroot, Helena and Kalispell.

“We usually have to travel to take part in a super sort,” P. Waldoch said.

Last year’s Plains Day saw the Super Sort make a succesful debut in Sanders County.

P. Waldoch said that last year’s field was made up of competitors from nine different counties.

She added the idea behind holding the super sort on Plains Day was to bring the event to the area for community members to watch and take part in.

“We had the idea to bring an event to our community once a year,” P. Waldoch said.  

On Saturday the arena was full of competitors and as teams of three competed in the cattle-sorting event, other competitors looked on from atop their horses, waiting for their turn to maneuver the steers through the competition area.

In total 38 people took part in Saturday’s competition.

Each team, consisting of three persons apiece, had a set time limit to ordely herd the steers into a designated holding pen.

The cattle had to be sorted in a set order or the team would recieve no time for that round.

At the evening’s barbecue buckles were handed out to the winners, and a saddle ,sponsored by Jocko Valley Cattle in Arlee, was also awarded.

The Super Sort continued on Sunday for a second day of competition.

The two days differed a bit from one another with Saturday’s competition designed for experienced competitors, while the Sunday event was catered towards local residents who wanted to partake in the super sort.

P. Waldoch referred to the second day of the super sort as a Sunday fun day where the focus was on getting members of the community into the arena.

Buckles were also handed out at the conclusion of the Sunday sorting event.