Rodeo Information

Dates: August 7 & 8, 2025

Location: Blaine County Fairgrounds – Chinook, MT

Time: 7:00pm rodeo performance each night
Friday, 8/8 slack at 9:00am

Stock Contractor: J Bar J Pro Rodeo

Announcer: Barney Sheridan

Clown: Donnie Landis

Specialty Act: Steel Rodeo

Special Events:
Thursday – Monkey on a Rope
Friday – Cowhide Race
Mutton Bustin’ both nights!

Stock Contractor: J Bar J Pro Rodeo

J 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 Sheridan

Sponsored by: Stockman Bank

Barney 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.”

Rodeo Clown: Donnie Landis

Sponsored by: Tilleman Equipment

The first time Donnie was in a Rodeo arena he was four years old helping his dad do his clown acts. Donnie is a fourth-generation rodeo cowboy. His Dad was a rodeo clown/bullfighter. He also rode bulls and bucking horses.

Later Donnie produced rodeos and his dad helped form the California Cowboys assoc. (CCA) now known as the C.C.P.R.A. Donnie’s mom was also very involved as a rodeo secretary and had many other official jobs. Donnie started clowning and fighting bulls when he was 12 years old at CCA. Rodeos he has worked include Mariposa and Pacifica CA. In 1972 (Labor Day weekend) flew in a 4-seater plane/there was 5 of them going to a big rodeo.

Donnie turned professional when he was 18! The first PRCA rodeo Donnie worked was the San Jose Firefighters Rodeo. As a professional thus far, Donnie has worked many major Rodeos, from as Big as The Wrangler National Finals in 1993 and 95, and as little as McCord Sask. Canada.

Donnie has worked the Pendleton Round-up, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Reno NV. Salinas California as well as the Calgary Stampede. In 1993 Donnie worked his first National Finals! Years later and Donnie is still doing what he loves, being a cowboy clown/entertainer. Side note, in 1997 Donnie became the first miniature bucking bull contractor in 1997.

Specialty Act: Steel Rodeo

Sponsored by: CKP Insurance

“Cowboy” Kenny Bartram is a freestyle motocross household name. He started his career at the ripe old age of seven and has been hitting the dirt ever since. Racing his way through the ranks of both amateur and professional motocross circuits, Kenny moved into Freestyle Motocross in 1998. Kenny is a dominant force in the sport, winning an unprecedented 13 IFMA events in a row and 26 Main Event wins in a single season. Bartram also accumulated 7 World Championships, Dew Tour Champion and 10 medals for X games and Gravity Games, including 4 Gold and many more titles and championships along the way.

Through it all, Kenny stayed true to his Stillwater, Oklahoma roots, wearing his signature cowboy hat and playing country music during his runs, making him a true individual in the freestyle industry.

Steel Rodeo Tours is Oklahoma based and owned by Freestyle Motocross champion Kenny Bartram, and provides non-stop, action packed freestyle motocross exhibitions for events and venues across the country.