Montana High School Rodeo contestants pledge to be Tobacco Free

Thanks to the diligent work of MTUPP and the Montana High School Rodeo Association, Montana was the 1st state in the nation to have a Tobacco-Free Rodeo! MTUPP and MHSRA partnered in 2008, to prove that they have taken a stand and continue to speak out about “Tobacco having no place in our Montana High School Rodeos!”.

Every year, students who participate in the Tobacco Free Rodeo Series Rodeo’s and on Friday of the Montana State High School Rodeo Finals, “Pledge to Wear Red” to show their support for being tobacco-free rodeo athletes. We honor and support all the great athletes who have made the decision to be free of tobacco and its deadly influence.

This year there were 10 Series Rodeo’s: Fall – Browning, Malta, Bozeman, Dillon, & Broadus Spring – Billings, Vaughn, Forsyth, Sidney, & Helmville. Student contestants are encouraged to sign the Tobacco Free Rodeo Pledge and share the message about reACT Tobacco Free Rodeo with their peers.

On June 11, 2015, in Kalispell at the Montana State High School Finals, MTUPP hosted a BBQ for contestants and their parents. There were 10 applicants for this year’s scholarships to Senior Contestants. Five MHSRA Seniors were awarded $5000.00 scholarships, Lyndi Anderson, Danelle Toren, Darby Yeager, Celie Salmond, and Bryce Bott. In addition, 14 breast collars were awarded to the high point winners in each event. Students who have signed the reACT Tobacco Free Pledge at one of the Tobacco Free Series Rodeos are eligible for the scholarships and the breast collars. Thank you to this year’s scholarship committee: Janet Sucha, Ariana McElrath, and Wendy McCaffree.

All of the scholarship winner noted that they intend to continue sharing the message of Tobacco Free Rodeo in College. They are all excited to join the BACCHUS group at the college they will be attending, to continue the message of tobacco prevention.

Those in attendance at the BBQ had the opportunity to listen to this year’s speaker, Cody Kizer, who is a PRCA Bareback Rider and Hollywood stunt man and model. Cody has partnered with the Oral Cancer Foundation to spread the message, “Be Smart Don’t Start”. Cody believes that rodeo is a family oriented event where tobacco isn’t a contributing part of the mix, he says it is simple. “Tobacco eventually brings bad things into your life, and you can be a great competitor and athlete without it. It will eventually affect every family in one way or another.” He encouraged those in attendance to spread the word and to be a positive influence on others, especially the younger generation. Learn more about Cody and Carly Twisselman and their campaign with the Oral Cancer Foundation to keep tobacco out of Rodeo at: http://oralcancerfoundation.org/support-ocf/rodeo-tobacco-outreach.php

You can also find more on reACT Tobacco Free Rodeo on the reACT website.