Northwest Montana Fair rodeo tickets on sale

Tickets are now available for reserved seats at the 2012 Northwest Montana Fair’s RAM PRCA Rodeo at the county fairgrounds in Kalispell on Aug. 16-18 starting at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the fairgrounds office or online at www.nwmtfair.com.

The Fair’s rodeo is the largest outdoor rodeo in Montana and features bareback, saddle bronc, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, team roping, barrel racing, and bull riding. World-class male and female competitors from Canada and throughout the western U.S. will be there as they aim for the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas this December.

New this year is Team Ghost Riders, an act featuring dogs, monkeys and a former bull fighter. Tim “Wild Thang” Lepard, of Tupelo, Miss., and his animals have been awarded “Comedy Act of the Year” three times at the International Finals Rodeo.

Visitors also look forward to the Indian Relay Races, with teams from across the West competing for cash prizes. Also back this year is the Justin Mutton Bustin’ sheep-riding contest for children ages 5-7. Both events will take place all three nights of the rodeo.

Friday night is Wounded Warrior Night in honor of Montana’s combat veterans. Veterans showing military identification at the entrance gates will receive free admission to the fair, a free ticket to that evening’s rodeo performance and a $10 food voucher.