Tough-as-leather rodeo athletes shine at Mineral County Fair

Never let it be said that rodeo is not an extremely entertaining sport.

And never let it be said rodeo cowboys and cowgirls aren’t leather tough.

Both truisms were on full display Saturday night during the final go-round of the 2023 Superior Lions Club Rodeo, the highlight of the Mineral County Fair.

Entertainment was provided with every opening of the chute gate as cowboys and cowgirls rode, roped and wrestled large and often angry steers, bulls and horses.

Entertainment was also provided by the pageantry that is rodeo, whether it be expertly ridden horses or an extremely insane rodeo clown.

And the toughness of the sport was evident from the first chute opening when a 51-year-old saddle bronc rider appeared to have suffered an injury to his right wrist, then asked for a re-ride, saying he would use his left hand to grip the rope rigging.

He later withdrew the offer, but demonstrated the kind of toughness that rodeo fans have come to expect.

Another example of toughness was provided by rodeo clown Dangerous Dave, who butted heads with a bull during Friday night’s competition and left the arena in a daze.

“I felt like the president coming off the stage not knowing where he was,” Dave joked. “The bull got both horns inside the barrel we jump into for protection and raked his horns against my dome (head). Thought I was going to need the night off.”

Lion’s Club officials labeled the event a big success, noting a near-capacity crowd on Friday night and a completely sold out show for Saturday Finals. A Lions Club spokesman said the arena holds somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,500 people when the bleachers and “end zone” seats are full.

For hometown fans, saddle bronc rider Hunter Haskins, who attended Superior High and was a basketball standout, put together the top ride of the competition, netting a 75 score Saturday to edge out Libby’s Jason Colelough, who recorded a 73.

Coming into the Superior event, Haskins was in second place in the Northern Rodeo Association saddle bronc standings, with earnings of more than $4,000.

The win in his hometown kept Haskins in the hunt for the season championships later this fall.

“It was really great to have a good performance before the hometown crowd,” Haskins said. “Doing this is something I really like to do.”

Haskins was joined in wowing the home fans by his sister, recently graduated Darby Haskins, who competed in the breakaway roping and barrel racing events. Darby is headed to the University of Montana this Fall on a rodeo scholarship for her barrel racing skills.

The crowd contained a large number of travelers, based on shouted answers to Dangerous Dave’s often off-color comments.

“This is something we had to see during our trip to Montana,” said Herb and Leona Clawson, who were also seeing Montana for the first time.

“I can see why so many people like this sport. And the crowd was really into it. We had a great time.”

The Clawsons hail from Charlston, South Carolina.

A steady rain prior to the show gave way to mild temperatures as the evening progressed.