Drummond Kiwanis cancel 2020 rodeo, moves forward with scholarships, park

DRUMMOND – Despite having beaten rain, wind and a number of other challenging elements over the years, the COVID-19 Pandemic is one opponent that the local rodeo just can’t seem to wrangle.

The Drummond Kiwanis Club officially announced the cancellation of the 2020 Drummond Kiwanis PRCA Rodeo today, having made the final decision at their meeting May 18. This would have been the rodeo’s 79th annual event.

In an official statement from the club, issued by Rodeo Committee member Butch Friede, the Kiwanis Club stated:

“Due to circumstances beyond the club’s control, this year’s rodeo is officially cancelled.

It would have been the 79th year that the Home of the World Famous Bullshippers would have hosted this event, bringing out the best and the brightest of the PRCA talent. But the current conditions will not afford us the opportunity to put the rodeo on this year.

This decision was not an easy one, but we hope our loyal fans and local communities will understand.

For now, please save the date for next year’s Drummond Kiwanis PRCA Rodeo – July 11, 2021 – and plan to spend a great day amongst the fine folks of Granite County and Western Montana.”

2020 Scholarship Recipients

Three students were granted scholarships at the recent Drummond High School graduation ceremony, each receiving $500 toward their academic pursuits. The students were Kyla Kolbeck, Clay Fulk and Conley Wagner.

Kiwanis Park Project

The park project that has been in the works for several years will press forward this year with minor work being done to the access road.

The park, which has yet to be officially named, lies on either side of Montana Highway 1, with its eastern portion lying between the highway and Old Highway 10a. The access road, which connects the park across the Clark Fork River to South Main Street/Old Highway 10a, will be widened to accommodate two-way traffic to access the facility.

The Drummond Kiwanis Club has a number of plans for the park, which include a jogging/walking path, fitness trail, Blue Heron observation stations, and fishing access.