Rodeo school bucks through Malta

Nearly 60-students showed up early Saturday morning to the Milk River Pavilion in Malta to take part in Rodeo Hall of Fame’s Tom Reeves free bronc-riding class, coming from as far away as Oregon and as close as Dodson.

At the outset of the event, Reeves gave a bit of information about his background in bronc riding and told the students he was a proponent of having a teacher in the event, doing so for much of his illustrious career which included nearly $2 million in earnings, 18 National Finals Rodeos held in Las Vegas (1985-2002) and a world championship in 2001 and induction into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame. Reeves was born in Eagle Butte, S.D., is Rosebud Sioux (Sicangu Oyate Lakota), and has taught the same classes as Saturday’s across the Hi-Line and in the Dakotas.

Included in the 60 students on hand was Les Jones, a Dodson resident and 2018 grad from Dodson High School. Jones said he started riding ranch-bronc last year and his first time ever competing was at the Phillips County Fair …he said it didn’t go well. He said he has gotten better since that time, admitting he had yet to score a ride, and decided that he would try switching to saddle bronc when he learned of Reeves class in Malta.

“I hope I can be better at this,” he said. “I will be here all day and I hope I learn a lot.”

Making the trek all the way from Helena, Montana, was 13-year-old Cash Corvally who came to town with his parents for the class. Corvally started competing in rodeo last year and entered 20 or so rodeos last year. He said his goal for the day at the Reeves’ class was to learn as much as he could.

“I am looking forward to the bucking machine and getting on the live-stock,” he said. “I am really here to do as much as I can.”

Though most of the people at the Milk River Pavilion were male, Shyla Benzing, 15, and Wylee Brown, 17, both of Chinook, were also in attendance for the class. Brown said that she has been riding in rodeo for the past three years (and competes in as many events as she can,) and Benzing started riding broncs just last year.

“I am learning how to take reign,” Brown said. “If you don’t know how to do that, you’ll end up as a lawn-dart (from getting bucked.)”

“I’ve never rode broncs before,” Benzing added. “I will probably get bucked off today, but I hope it goes well.”

The class was scheduled to run from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. and before anyone touched a saddle, the class members spent 20-minutes warming up by running and doing calisthenics. Reeves’ class was completely free to the public and is run completely on donations. Anyone that is interested in participating or donating can contact him at 918-964-9551.