January

At the age of 14, Lynn “Jonnie” Jonckowski took a job as a wrangler on a dude ranch. She was mesmerized by all the rodeo tales of Montana cowboys Bill and Bud Linderman, and, of course, the [...]

Durl Gibbs, born in 1925, grew up on horseback during the Depression years. His father earned his living by the sweat of his brow. His mother made sure her children had plenty of food and decent [...]

Born on a team drawn bobsled February 15, 1923, Donald Elton “Don” Abarr was born of tough stock, preparing him for the future that awaited. Don spent much of his life as a working cowboy, [...]

A descendant of Mountain Chief of the Blackfeet Tribe (and a long line of Montana pioneers), Alvin “Dutch” Lunak grew up on a ranch at Badger Creek, where he learned to ride horses and work [...]

Joe De Yong was enamored with everything related to cowboys and horses; so when he was not at school, he would help out at local ranches. He spent summers riding and seizing every opportunity to [...]

As an enrolled member of the Gros Ventre Tribe, Clarence Basil Cuts the Rope grew up learning about his people and culture from his grandparents. His grandfather received the name Cuts the Rope [...]

The World Famous Miles City Bucking Horse Sale began as a way to sell some unwanted horses but soon evolved into an iconic Western event. In 1950, salesyard owner, Les Boe, and his son-in-law, [...]

Harold Lee Isaacs, born in 1935, grew up doing cowboy work. He remembers being horseback as soon as he was big enough to sit up, hang on, and rein a horse. He was hired out from a very young age [...]

Legacy Inductee (1920-2020) MCHF District 10 Hollister Pat McVay was born March 14, 1920, in Tonkawa, Oklahoma to a farming family. His family returned to his mother’s home state of Montana when [...]

Legacy Inductee (1941-2004) MCHF District 9 Born April 30, 1941, Donald W. “Donnie” Johnston began life on his family’s Butte Creek Ranch, 25 miles north of White Sulphur Springs. In 1949, the [...]