LIVINGSTON -- While the Montana sports scene may have taken a hit Wednesday with the cancellation of the high school spring season, summer rodeos in Montana are alive and well.
For the first time in a month, the PBR officially announced the return of its events this coming Saturday starting in Oklahoma. So does that mean Montana rodeos could be coming back, too?
The Livingston Roundup Rodeo announced on its Facebook page that its rodeo in July is scheduled to run as normal.
“It’s a tradition, it’s our 96th year and we really want to have the opportunity to keep going," said Stacy Sunvison, the executive secretary of the Livingston Roundup.
But this decision isn't set in stone. Sunvison and the rest of the Livingston Roundup Association know that a lot can change between now and July when the rodeo takes place. To not jump the gun, the LRA will continue to assess the plan to hold the rodeo as Montana moves through its phases of re-opening the state and will make a final decision on June 1.
However, hopes remain high that many summer rodeos around the Treasure State may not be affected by the COVID-19 shutdowns. Sunvison and all of rodeo nation are excited to finally get back in the arena.
“For it to be in Montana we are very excited. To give the fans something to look forward to will be huge on our part, and we just want them to know that they will be safe at the Livingston Roundup going forward,” she said.
Safety is key, especially for an event like the Livingston Roundup, which is one of the biggest rodeos in the state and brings some of the best competitors in the world to battle for a more than a $200,000 purse.
“We’re going to add additional sanitizing stations, more outdoor porta-pots just so we’re not having all the lines. We’re looking at getting hand sanitizers in the little bottles to hand out,” Sunvison said.
The Livingston Roundup will post regular updates on the status of its rodeo on its Facebook page and website.
