[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 85 (Tuesday, May 19, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E459]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     RECOGNIZING THE BRASH RODEO AND ITS CONTINUED CONTRIBUTION TO 
                     PRESERVING MONTANA'S HERITAGE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RYAN K. ZINKE

                               of montana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 19, 2026

  Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Brash Rodeo and 
its continued contribution to preserving Montana's western heritage and 
way of life.
  For more than 150 years, rodeo has been an important part of 
Montana's culture, celebrating the tradition and values that defined 
the American West and made the official state sport of Montana in 2025. 
Today, the Brash Rodeo carries on that legacy by providing an 
opportunity for cowboys and cowgirls from across the region to showcase 
their talents while sharing the excitement of rodeo with families and 
visitors from around the world. Starting each day of events off with 
prayer and the pledge of allegiance, events from bull riding and saddle 
bronc riding to barrel racing, team roping, and breakaway roping 
showcase the tasks that Montana family ranchers do every day, the way 
the generations before them did. Brash Rodeo brings together cowboys 
from every comer of the world, from Conrad and Kalispell to vaqueros 
from Brazil and Argentina. This diverse group of people coming together 
highlights the determination and grit that have long defined this 
western way of life.
  Located in the Flathead Valley at the Majestic Valley Arena beside 
the historic Blue Moon Nite Club, the Brash Rodeo is deeply rooted in 
the community. For generations, the Blue Moon has brought people 
together through hospitality and entertainment, while the Brash Rodeo 
carries forward Montana's western traditions in the arena just outside 
its doors, Together, they have become gathering places where families, 
friends, and visitors create lasting memories and experience the spirit 
of Montana.
  The competitors who enter the arena represent a proud legacy of hard 
work. discipline, and perseverance, while the rodeo itself serves as a 
reminder of the skills that once defined daily life across the 
frontier. The Brash Rodeo helps preserve these traditions and share 
them with future generations. Within multiple events, teams of father-
daughter duos compete, showcasing not only their skills on horseback 
but a deeply rooted family bond and tradition. These events and the 
Brash Rodeo help ensure that Montana's history remains alive and 
relevant in the modern era.
  Mr. Speaker, the Brash Rodeo represents more than competition. It 
represents family, tradition, and the enduring spirit of the American 
West. Through its commitment to preserving Montana's heritage and 
bringing people together, the Brash Rodeo continues to strengthen the 
communities it serves and inspires appreciation for the values that 
helped build our great state.

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