Rodeo InformationDates: August 8 & 9, 2024
Location: Blaine County Fairgrounds – Chinook, MT
Time: 7:00pm rodeo performance each night
Friday, 8/9 slack at 9:00am
Stock Contractor: J Bar J Pro Rodeo
Announcer: Barney Sheridan
Clown: Gizmo McCracken
Specialty Act: will be announced early 2024!
Special Events:
Will be announced summer of 2024!
Stock Contractor: J Bar J Pro RodeoJ Bar J Ranch was founded in 1969 by Jim and Maggie Zinser. Located then in Clare, MI on 600 acres, one of the soundest breeding programs in rodeo was derived. The purchase of a renegade mare from a riding stable in Detroit, MI for $150.00 became one of the most significant purchases made in the company. This mare, #29 Nightmare, went on to be the foundation mare for this breeding program. Along with the assistance of Bud Dancy from South Dakota who was raising bucking horse at that time and an outstanding stud, Mr. T, a Tooke bred horse some of the greatest horses evolved. The legacy of these horses goes on for many years with outstanding bucking horses that have won many awards in the PRCA.
In 2008, Jim and Maggie sold J Bar J Ranch to Sparky and Marlene Dreesen of Circle, MT. The Dreesen’s along with Bruce Fink of Atlanta, GA were owners of Gold Buckle Rodeo Company. After the purchase of J Bar J and combining the Gold Buckle stock with that of the J Bar J stock they started producing top quality rodeos across the United States as J Bar J, Inc. Sparky was a PRCA bareback rider in the Badlands Circuit in the 80’s, he is also the 1992 SDRA Champion Bareback Rider.
In the late 80’s, Sparky and Marlene bought 30 head of bucking horses from Harlan Gunville, of Eagle Butte, SD to start their herd. Red Lizard was one of the
original stud horses that was purchased from Harlan and he had been the foundation of the blood lines before the merger.
J Bar J provides horses and bulls for more than 30 rodeos a year, including the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Last year they had 13 horses selected to the NFR. J Bar J is a 3 time (2010, 2014, 2022) PRCA Remuda Award winner. This annual award goes to the stock contractor who provides the best, most consistent pen of bucking horses. They are the only stock contractor to have won this award three times.
Announcer: Barney SheridanBarney Sheridan, of Arlee, Montana, is the man behind the mic on the road at Dozens of ProRodeos throughout the year..
Sheridan grew up in southern Arizona and got a taste for the Western lifestyle on his aunt’s quarter horse ranch. But it wasn’t till he came to Montana on vacation in 1989 that he decided Big Sky Country was for him. “I drove through western Montana,” he recalled, “and I went, ‘this is the place.’ So, in 1990, I moved.”
His involvement in rodeo began six years after he moved to Montana. He was working as a radio DJ, when a friend asked him to announce the Fourth of July rodeo held in town. Sheridan declined the first time, but the second year, when the announcer canceled, the friend needed help and called Sheridan. This time he agreed.
This was his start. In 2004, he became a member of the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), and since then, he’s worked rodeos across the country. From Montana to Minnesota, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming to Arizona…
Sheridan and his wife Tara, who is also a Music Director with the PRCA, have been married 27 years, Sheridan loves every aspect of rodeo, in part because of the athleticism it requires of contestants and their horses, but he loves the openings the most. He works to grab the attention of the fans. “I can see the faces and reactions from the people in the grandstands,” he said. “You can see their excitement and anticipation. To me, that’s the greatest. When the crowd is with you, it’s a real relationship.”
He also knows that he’s part of the rodeo team that is there to entertain fans. “It’s an honor to bring rodeo to fans,” he said. “These people are trusting us, the clown, the stock contractor, and the rodeo personnel, to provide a quality memorable fan experience for them and their children. I take that responsibility very seriously.”
Will be announced in early 2024!