Daily Archives: January 13, 2010

An informal committee that championed the Missoula Stampede rodeo at the Western Montana Fair was “fired” by fair manager Scot Meader on Monday, then tendered its resignation on Tuesday.

Both sides are trading accusations. Kyle Stensrud, chairman of the Stampede committee, signed the letter of resignation and e-mailed it to Missoula County commissioners early Tuesday.

The committee charged Meader with unethical and deceptive behavior, and Meader and his staff with a lack of communication and direction.

“The intent here is not to try to throw Scot or anyone else under the bus,” Stensrud said. “It’s just that I think the public has the right to know as taxpayers where our money’s going and what’s going on.”

The county says that it needs to have more control over the Stampede’s actions, and maintains that Stensrud overstepped his bounds when he negotiated and signed national sponsorships at a convention in Las Vegas in December.

“Part of it has to do with revenge on their part,” commission chair Michele Landquist said Tuesday night. “They want quite frankly to run the show in their way and have the county be secondary.”

Landquist also decried Stensrud’s decision to dredge up – generally, in the letter, and more specifically, in a Tuesday interview – an incident that happened at last January’s Montana Pro Rodeo circuit finals in Great Falls.

According to Stensrud, Meader became “excessively intoxicated” at a hospitality suite in the rodeo’s hotel headquarters that was sponsored by the Missoula Stampede – “to the point where I finally had to call security … because he was just being inappropriate and vulgar.” (read more)

You might have noticed more crowds than usual across the city – that’s because the 31st Annual Pro Rodeo Circuit Finals is coming to town! So for your fix of bucking, roping and riding – the Expo Park is the place to be.

The bleachers at Montana Expo Park’s Four Seasons Arena might be empty right now, but all that is about to change – as Rodeo Fever hits the city.

“I’m expecting a real good crowd,” Jim Croff, Montana Circuit President tells NewsChannel 5.

“I know times are tough out there economy wise, but this is a great event, the weather’s warmed up so I think we’ll fill the building up, and that’s roughly 5,000 people.”

For now, crews are preparing for the main event – set to begin this Friday – featuring everything from bareback to bull riding.

And rodeo fans have something else to look forward to this year; a brand new video scoreboard. It’ll show instant replay and it’s going to be awesome. You’ll be able to watch the ride, the run.. Whatever.. And then look back up there and watch it again – and scores, times, everything. It’s going to be a state of the art board compared to what we’ve had,” Croff explains….(read more)