Behind the Scenes of Cowboy Christmas
A 4th of July Tradition
Across Montana
Photography by Colleen Kilbane & Jackie Jensen
For most folks in rural Montana and Wyoming, the Fourth of July is a break from work and an opportunity for joyous celebrations, parades, camping, barbeques, and, of course, rodeo. Not only is rodeo a thrilling spectator sport, but there is nothing more American than Old Glory carried horseback while the Star-Spangled Banner blasts over arena speakers. Those able to attend the Fourth of July rodeos in Cody, Red Lodge, or Livingston are treated to a world class, annual event which will have spectators on the edge of their seats cheering on their “hometown” favorites.
For the competitors in the arena, the Fourth of July week is one of the busiest of their careers. Gambling their entry fees against large purses, contestants vie for hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize money during what is known as “Cowboy Christmas.” For those making a living on the rodeo trail, it can be the “Christmas bonus” which boosts their standings in the race for their spot at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) – the more rodeos they can compete in, the better. Between trekking across the nation, eating what’s quick and handy, sleeping when and where they can, and maintaining their competitive edge, anything can happen throughout the week-long marathon.
Though there are hundreds of rodeos nationwide during “Cowboy Christmas,” Montana and Wyoming are at the heart of it all. Rich in rodeo history and cowboy culture, even the top competitors from Texas to Oklahoma and everywhere in between seize the opportunity to enter Red Lodge, Cody, and Livingston.
“Everybody knows that Montana and Wyoming have the best Fourth of July run,” Sarah Verhelst, a professional breakaway roper from Pryor, Montana, said.
Photos by Colleen Kilbane.
A two-time high school state champion and member of the 2005 National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Champion Women’s Team, Sarah has been at the top of her event for decades. Roping took a backseat for a while as she raised her three young children, but the convergence of two things – the aging of her kids and the advent of professional breakaway roping – allows her to compete at the highest level once again.
Sarah’s Cowboy Christmas used to be spent as a spectator in the grandstands, watching her husband, KC, serve as a pickup man for the Red Lodge Home of Champions Rodeo. During those years, she watched and hoped someday Red Lodge would add her event. Last year, this wish came true when Red Lodge joined the scores of professional rodeos including breakaway roping in the slate of events. Now, Sarah and other lady ropers can compete in professional rodeo and Cowboy Christmas like never before.
“We’re just so grateful for the committees providing equal money, and even if it isn’t equal money, we’re still just grateful to be there,” she said.
The eternal proverb “iron sharpens iron” is true for rodeo competitors, and the wisest know their travel companion matters. Sarah often rides with two-time National Finals Breakaway Roping qualifier, Joey Williams of Broadus, Montana. Both are mothers and ranch wives, so wrangling kids and caring for their equine athletes is a priority in their rig.
Timed event competitors have unique challenges on the road, especially during a week as stressful as the “Fourth Run.” Not only is their own health a priority, but they must also provide the best care for their horses including comfortable travel and rest space, regular feed and water, injury prevention, and constant health monitoring. Their pickups and trailers – no small outfits to maneuver – are liable at any time to flat tires or faulty engines. All things considered, travel must be deliberate and much slower, so careful planning is crucial.
“You don’t sleep much,” bull rider Ruger Pica said of partaking in “Cowboy Christmas”. Jackie Jensen photo.
This is where their roughstock counterparts have the advantage. “Roughies,” as they are known, have no horses in tow, so they typically travel with as many men as possible packed in a camper van or pickup with a Capri camper. They can simply throw their gear bags in and head down the highway, as Ruger Piva said.
Ruger, a native of Challis, Idaho, now lives in Luther, Montana, so Red Lodge is the nearest “big town.” With plans to become a permanent Montana resident after his June wedding, the one-time NFR qualifying bull rider feels right at home amongst the mountains, ranch work, and great rodeos the state has to offer. Last summer’s Cowboy Christmas only delivered a bag of coal to Ruger as he sustained two fractures in his hip socket at the Cody Stampede. After seven months in recovery, his first bull ride back on the scene was The American Rodeo qualifier in Heber City, Utah, where he advanced to the finals in Arlington, Texas in March. Riding through several rounds, he won reserve champion at The American Rodeo and $25,000 for his efforts.
Like Sarah, Ruger also travels with a fellow competitor whose presence pushes him to be better. He and four-time NFR qualifier, Jordan Spears, put on thousands of miles during Cowboy Christmas. This pair starts the week in the southwest in either Arizona or Utah, before heading north to the Montana and Wyoming rodeos. The Xtreme Bulls events at both Cody and Red Lodge allow the bull riders to lay over an extra day to compete for double the money. Rounding out the Montana rodeos in Livingston, they then swing over to Mandan, North Dakota before finishing up in Oregon at St. Paul and Malala.
“You don’t sleep much,” Ruger laughed.
He and Jordan trade driving time so the other can sleep in the passenger seat as they continue down the road. They opt out of air travel as the potential to lose a gear bag or have a canceled flight is too risky.
Entering rodeos is a tricky game itself. Contestants must call the entry line, ProCom, on specific dates and claim draw preferences and traveling partners with the goal to attend as many rodeos as possible with the least amount of costs. But oftentimes, the contestant is subject to the “luck of the draw.” During entry windows, preference is given to Professional Rodeo cardholders and those highest in the standings, making it even more difficult for the rookie to have an advantage.
Sarah and her traveling partners had an even more sporadic Cowboy Christmas last year than Ruger, but she was unbothered, and just happy to be competing.
“When they added [breakaway] to pro rodeos, I was like, ‘sign me up,’” she said.
Professional breakaway roping is relatively new, though the event has been prevalent on the college and amateur level for decades. Prior to 2019, a woman wanting to compete in professional rodeo was limited to the single event of barrel racing. Thrilling as it is, not every woman fits the mold.
“For lots of people, breakaway really resonates,” Sarah said. “You definitely need a good horse, but also you can work really hard as an individual, so you don’t necessarily have to have the most money or backing. There are girls of all shapes and sizes being successful in breakaway. ProRodeo is not a one size fits all for women anymore.”
The committee at the Cody Stampede was one of the first to add breakaway roping four years ago, along with a few others on the circuit.
“It was very progressive of these rodeos to say, ‘that’s a legitimate event that people want to see,’” Sarah explained.
From there, it only exploded in popularity.
“I didn’t think it would grow as fast as it has. The numbers are phenomenal,” she said.
Each year, more rodeos have added the event, including the NFR. For the past two years, the top 15 women in the world have competed in Las Vegas at the National Finals of Breakaway Roping, held separate from the rest of the famed rodeo, but still a wondrous opportunity beyond Sarah’s wildest dreams.
Success during Cowboy Christmas can largely impact year-end standings. Sarah qualified for the first ever breakaway roping at the Montana Circuit Finals in 2021, finishing third in the year-end. She was also 27th in the world, earning her the “qualifications” to enter large winter rodeos like the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, RodeoHouston, and RodeoAustin.
“That is one of the pinnacles of my career. I wound up being the first breakaway roper ever to run a calf at Houston,” she said proudly.
Sarah’s success is due, in part, to the opportunities she has to enter top-notch rodeos in her home state.
“It’s exciting to be a part of this circuit,” she said. “Everybody who is anybody in the breakaway is in Montana in the summer; there are so many great rodeos.”
Sarah’s kids, Hawkin, Quill, and Paisley support their mom as she participates in women’s breakaway roping around the state. Jackie Jensen photos.
Having suffered tough seasons last year, both Sarah and Ruger seem to be on upward trends. Besides his success at The American, Ruger is currently “dabbling” in the Professional Bull Riders Association, entering tour events and putting his name in the draft for the Team Series. With any luck, he will repeat his NFR qualification again this year. Sarah was in the top two at both the early pro rodeos entered so far, so she has her eye on another Montana Circuit Finals qualification.
Sarah’s daughters, Paisley and Quill, who are 13 and 11 years old, often travel with her on the rodeo road. Where Sarah used to sit in the stands at Red Lodge, they now sit watching both their mom and dad. Someday soon, she hopes they will each have their go in the arena. For now, though, they will join the thousands of other spectators who make rodeo a Fourth of July tradition.