Recruiting bull riders to the fair is getting more difficult

The last Sanders County Fair Board meeting for the year included a full agenda starting with updates on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Convention.  

Fair manager Kristy Sheehan and board member Brian Crain attended the convention in early December of this year.  

“The convention was all right. We learn more talking from the guys that put on other rodeos elsewhere and making those connections and getting other ideas,” Crain said. 

“I talked to the bull fighter that has been here for the past two years, Calab, he said it’s not just the other events that are causing issues, there is not enough bull riders out there. The bulls are so much better, and the guys haven’t gotten much better. Most of them don’t last very long, they get injured. There just isn’t enough of them out there. We will continue struggling to get bull riders.” 

Board members spoke about adding the music concerts directly after the rodeo as well as having a Fourth of July concert. Board members Sheehan commented on the success of last year's advertising on social media with Facebook. Board members voted to sponsor jackets during the annual Montana Circuit Finals in Great Falls this coming January. 

Board Chair Randy Woods said the demolition derby and parking contracts are up for bid this year. The bid for the parking contract will be extended.  

“Last year we would have had a couple more bids in if we would have extended the bids a week or two longer,” Sheehan commented.  

Bid requests will be posted via Facebook, newspaper, and the county website.  

Sanders County Board members are looking to replace and expand seating capacity at the fairgrounds and have found used bleachers in Stanford, Montana that are up for auction. Board members voted to go up to $25,000 each for the set of two bleachers. If the bid for the bleachers is successful the old bleachers will be repurposed and used to increase seating in the 4-H area. 

Sheehan spoke about the efforts of the Sanders County Commissioners in finding funding to upgrade the fairgrounds infrastructure.  

“The money from the county is not a done deal unless we can get them the bids in time, and they are approved.  Once everything is approved we are planning on redoing the electrical in the food vendor area and adding more plug ins, we are going to add more plug ins to the area where the commercial vendors usually are, we are going to add plug ins in the equipment building so the tractor and the water truck can be plugged in, and then we are going to be adding more plug ins in the camping area next to the small horse arena and changing all of the current spots so it has a 20, 30, and a 50 amp plug in for campers,” Sheehan said. 

Sanders County MSU Extension agent Juli Thurston commented on upcoming 4-H activities.  

“The swine/sheep barn roof needs replaced.  I wrote a grant to AgWest for some funding.  Their website says they loan up to $5,000 if we get it.  The other grants I think would provide funding are through Blackfoot, Montana Department of Ag, and the Motnana State 4-H Foundation for about $500 each but I haven’t submitted those yet.” 

During the Fair Board manager’s report, Sheehan said that sponsor, Ken Saner, who works for the Ford Corporation, will handle the contract between the fairgrounds and Ford. Saner has submitted to the rodeo $5500 and will supply Ford trucks for the rodeo. 

The December Sanders County Fair board meeting was the last meeting for board member Ted Forkum who has been a board member for four years.  

Forkum said, “I will find something new to help the community.”