Rodeo coach rounds up funds Administration and coach help keep rodeo at Montana State

1 Ken Hedge Exponent news editor

Determined to keep his teams compet­ing on the varsity level, Montana State ro­deo coach John Larick personally helped generate the funds necessary for next year's season.

The program, which lost all of its state funding a year ago, will continue to oper­ate under intercollegiate athletics, thanks to contributions from alumni and friends of the program. In rounding up the funds , Larick, who coaches both the men ' s and the women's teams, resorted to traditional Montana means.

"I put on little town meetings, is what I call them," Larick said, "where I went out, got alumni and others together, and just explained what our situation was."

MSU Athletic Director Doug Fullerton,

who also credited MSU President Mike Malone with assisting in the effort to keep the program alive, seems optimistic about the teams future .

"We are committed to continue to re­cruit the top student-athletes in the sport of rodeo, and we're committed to keeping our rodeo program at the top of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association," Fuller­ton announced in a recent press release. "The immediate future of the program is bright, and although we still have a lot of hard work in front of us, there is reason to believe th.-..t permanent funding opportuni­ties will be created."

According to Larick, program officials are eyeing the possibility of establishing an endowment fund to provide long-term funding.

"We're looking to put together an en­dowment fund of at least a million dollars. As of now, we have some possible contribu-

tors," Larick explained. To keep the program alive as a varsity

sport, as opposed to a club sport, the teams will depend on substantial contributions to the program.

"When scholarships run $2000 a per­son, per year, car washes and cookie sales just don't cut it," Larick retorted. "Like I told President Malone, if I'm not compet­ing with scholarships, we can't compete with the other teams in our region."

In an effort to raise money for the en­dowment fund , Montana artist Con Will­iams designed a sculpture specifically for the team, with all proceeds going to the program. There will be only 100 bronzes cast in the edition , with each sculpture go­ing for $1,250.

One major difference between the ro­deo program and other varsity intercolle­giate sports is that the rodeo athletes may participate in professional competition.

That is, they can legally accept cash rewards for their efforts. Larick said this is justified mainly because each rodeo athlete is re­sponsible for providing his or her own equipment, horses, and entry fees, to name just a few expenses.

"For a roper, you're looking at a mini­mum of $50,000 invested," Larick said. "In rodeo, you win as much as you're good enough to win, totally on your own."

Both the womens team and the mens team have qualified for the 1994 College National Finals Rodeo, to be held at the June 14-19 at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, on the MSU campus.

"I feel maybe my womens team is the favorite going into the finals," Larick said.

Larick also feels optimistic about the mens team, explaining that it doesn't take as many individual finalists to gather team points because there are so many teams in the competition.

2 • June Io. 1994 • ASMSU Exponent • CNFR Issue

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Shakespeare in the Parks to celebrate 1,000th performance

So you're in town for the ro­deo, but you want to experience other parts of Bozeman too. Add a little Shakespeare by starlight to your visit and catch on of the gems of the Montana State the­atre.

This summer, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks will present its 22nd season of qual­ity, live theatre in the parks of Montana and su1Tounding states and celebrate its 1,000th perfor­mance.

In residence at Montana State University, Shakespeare in the Parks opens its 1994 tour on June 16 and 17 in Bozeman with performances of Shakespeare's classic tragedy Macbeth and Wil­liam Wycherley's comedy The County Wife on June 18 and 19 and will tour through Labor Day weekend. The company's mis­sion has always been to bring quality line theatre at a reason­able cost to as many communi­ties in Montana as possib le, with an emphasis on communities who would not otherwise have access to Shakespearean produc­tions. Totally self-contained and highly mobile, the company per­forms outdoors whenever pos­sible, making performances ac­cessible to communities through­out the region, regard less of the­atre facilities a nd community size.

Although the tour 1s incredibly tax­ing with only three to four days off during the entire summer, most of the company's actors will jump at the opportunity to come back the following year. They say the warm hospitality of Montanans and the beautiful country through which they travel make it all worthwhile

The 1994 company consists of eleven professional actors. five of whom are returning members Brain Massman. a Shakespeare in the Parks veteran and Vigilante Theatre Company actor, will take on the role of company manager, Also returning are Micheal Fels and Rom Barkhordar, \\ho have been working in Bozeman this past year, Susan Felder of Chicago and Tim Parks of Portland Or. New company members include Carrie Stauber, an MSU theatre graduate currently based in Los Angeles, Anne Butler from the Denver Cen­ter Theatre Company, Stephen White from Seattle, Daniel Harray and Tom Daugherty of Chicago and Lisa Mauch, a recent gradu­ate of MSU's theatre program, will be interning with the acting com­pany.

The number of Shakespeare in the Parks performances in Bozeman has been increased to 20, spread intermittently through­out the summer tour. Enhanced by the magic of stage lighting and

a beautiful, naturally protected amphitheater, night perfor­mance will run Thursdays through Sundays at the ne\\ outdoor site. just east of the duck pond and the MSU campus This marks the second summer of "Shakespeare Under the Stars" residency weekends in Bozeman. The long-term plan is to operate a full-time summer Shakespearean festival in Bozeman to benefit all Montan­ans by adding a second com­pany of actors to perform \\ hile the touring company continues to serve the needs of rural Mon­tana communities. The l ,OOOth performance of Shakespeare in the Parks \\ill take place in n Helena. July 28th and everyone is welcome to attend the shm\ . To commemorate this landmark occasion. and ensure the thou­sand performances of Shakespeare in the Parks. the company is embarking on a major fundraising endeavor, entitled ''The Grand Cam­paign". The goal is to procure 1,000 thousand dollar dona­tions, either in full or in pl~dges of up to five years.

To learn more about Shakespeare in the Parks vari­ous activities. call 994-3901

-complied by fa:ponent staff

CNFR Issue • ASMSU Exponent • June 1 o. 1994 • 3

ocal cowgirl springs into lead spot with Lady 'Cats

Reprinted from the April 12, 1994 Exponent Kristi Spring came bustin' out of the chute last year for

he Montana State women's rodeo team. The senior from Bozeman was a last minute replace­

nent on the Lady 'Cat squad that placed third at the 1993 ~ollege National Finals Rodeo. She wasted no time mak­ng a name for herself, however, leading the competition •ntering the goat-tying finals, eventually finishing fifth verall in the event

"As a junior she had a pretty good season regionally. he was just really learning and developing and it was kind

>f the end of last year that she really got things put ogether," MSU head coach John Larrick said. ·'Her level >f competition increased so much that at the college finals he wasjustso much better prepared to win than she'd ever 1een before and she was really a factor."

Spring has never looked back. Heading into MSU's Spring Rodeo this week, she is the

.ady ·cats top cowgirl with 500 points, and sits second in he Big Sky standings in both goat-tying and break-away oping. With MSU dominating the regional standings with ,225 points, way ahead of second-place Montana with ·37, Spring says she doesn't feel the pressure that might be 1ut on a person in her position

"Right now I've got a pretty good lead and our team is .!most a thousand points above the next team, so that's ea! optimistic," Spring said. 'Tm not under a lot of •ressure because I can afford to mtike a mistake and (our 2am) can stl I Mak e CNFR."

Spring is t.ru second in the regional all-around ompetiton to HeathE Hart of Western Montana College, nd she knows that w e the team pressure may be off. she an' t sit back t" the saddle and relax if she hopes take the zad in the standings

"The thmg about rodeo is that it's one of those thing

"I was showing horses up until I entered high school and I just got sick of it. My brother was my main influence. I saw how much fun he was having. He really pushed me into rodeo."

During the summer, Spring competes in Northern RodPo Association sponsored events around the state. As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect, and Spring says the NRA rodeos

have helped her to be "Kristi decided she a stronger competitor on the college level.

'" I won a few checks. but more than that it helped me to rope more consistently and deal with the pres­

wanted to be one of the best instead of being just one of the crowd and she's developed because of all of her

sure," Spring said. "It hard work.,, was a good experi-ence."

Beside goat-tying and break-away rop­

- John Larrick, MSU rodeo coach

ing. Spring has also competed in barrel racing, although she is concentrating more on the first two events this season. While she admits that goat-tying is the most chal­lenging of the three events, she says it is also the one she has had the most success at.

"Practices go really well for break-away ropmg, but when it comes right down to competition. I'm stronger mentally in goat tying, and I've always been able to pull more out of it as far as placing." Spring said

According to Larrick, it is Spring s hard work and determination that have set her apart from the rest of the pa1·~

" more I've worked with this program, the mor r hze that it's iust like being a basketball or a

:iat you can never gt! good enough at. It's a continual J hallenge," Spnng said "I've rodeoed enough to know

:iat it s so much more than just pure skill. There are so "Jany factors mvolvec and you can't control a lot of it. You lst go out and do the •est that you can do "

Photo cour1esy of Jar.ies. Fa n

' harder you work at an event, the more time e more focus you have, the better you get," 'Kristi decided she wanted to be one of the

ad of just being one of the crowd and she's develo1 'd because of all her hard work ...

Lar ck says that 1f Spring keeps improving site has an excellent shot at roping herself a national title.

Senior Kristi Spring sets the noose m breakaway roping at last year's MSU Spnng Rodeo

"I feel very good about where she'sat right now, but the thing about rodeo, and ever sport in the world as far as that goes, is that you never quit improving," Larrick said. ··she's not perfect, but she's always striving and that's what makes a champion."

Spring was a late-comer to the sport of rodeo. Al­'lough she had always been around horses, it wc:sn't until er freshman year in high school that she fo llowed her

brother into th "We used

now and we practicing, but

The ExPonent CNFR Issue was Produced by M ndy ·no (editor J and Stacey Barta

(Pas e- P eni!ineer J. All Photos. excePt Pai!e 3. were the work of Doug APPieby (Photo

editor J. Good luck to the MSU rodeo teams

~

odeo arena 1ve on the ranch that TeG Tt.rner do ·s

d the perfect place to start ropmg ar 1st didn't want to do 1t then Spnng s.:it

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4 • June 1 o. 1994 · ASMSU Exponent • CNFR Issue

Bozeman retains CNFR for three more year Chris Syme Exponent staff wnter

It s plain and simple Boze­man is still the best place to hold the College National Finals Ro­deo.

That. according to Nallonal Intercollegiate Rodeo Associa­tion (NIRA) Executive Director David Allen. is the reason the CNFR will remain in Bozeman at least another three years.

In a hastily called surprise news conference, Allen praised Bozeman's community support for the event and Montana's knowledge of what rodeo is all about .

··Bozeman has the best un­derstanding of what we were looking for This was not purelv a dollars and cents decision but rather a decision of what's best for the CNFR and most 1mpor-

tantly. the college athletes." Allen said.

The announcement. not scheduled to be made until the CNFR in June. came instead on the finals day of the spring rodeo at Montana State.

"We wanted to get on with putting on the CNFR."' Allen said "Ifs a tough time of the year for us, everything comes down in June"

NIRA General Manager Tim Corfield echoed Allen"s senti­ments about the early announce­ment.

"If the challenger is going to become victorious. they have to knock out the champ because the draw goes to the champ." Corfield said. ··we didn't see the challenger beating them out so whv wait until June?'"

The other CNFR challengers included Ogden. Utah, Rapid City. S.D .. Oklahoma City. Okla

and Casper. Wyo. Allen admit­ted that other sights offered more m terms of population base and facility seating but Bozeman 's experience gamed the advan­tage. The new contract includes two consecutive one-year op­tions

In a new move, the NIRA will become the sole producer of the CNFR

"This CNFR in this market at this point in lime has grown be­yond a volunteerism type of management style It needs full time attention and full time man­agement We feel the NIRA can give it that attention," Allen said.

Allen announced the NIRA has future plans to expand the CNFR. including a bucking horse sale and a country music con­cert

··We're looking at other spe­cial events to add to the CNFR We· d like to create a social event

environment beyond six days of the rodeo. This has become more than a Bozeman event. it's a state event." Allen said

Financing college rodeo is a concern of the NIRA. according to Allen The NIRA has launched plans to form a foundation with

a percentage of the future CN proceeds to benefit college r deo and its athletes. The foun lion is in the planning stages.

This article appeared ori nal/y in the April 19. 1994 issue the Exponent.

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> THURSDAY, JUNE 16 • CNFR Championship Performance, Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, MSU - 8:00 p.m. • Corral West Bull fight, Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, MSU 9:30 p.m.

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> SUNDAY, JUNE 19 • CNFR Championship Finals Matinee ?erformance Brick Breooen Fieldhouse, MSU - 2:00 p.m. • Corral West Bull fight, Brick Breeden Fieldhuose, MSU 3:30 p.m.

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