Arlee, Montana has a rich rodeo heritage with Judy Myllymaki, a P.R.C.A. and NFR qualifier with numerous regional championships, and Rachael Myllymaki, a many-time NFR qualifier, national college all-around cowgirl, and winner of several regional championships.
One of the most exciting events in rodeo is barrel racing, where the fastest time wins. Precision and control are required to maneuver at high speeds, and riders must pay close attention to detail to win. While riders can choose either the right or left barrel as their first, they must complete the correct pattern and make turn changes depending on their lead. Knocking over a barrel results in a time penalty of five seconds, making it difficult to win. The course must be completed within a sixty-second time limit after the clock starts, adding to the excitement of the competition.
