Blaisdell Rodeo Club

Special Achievement

Inducted 2014

The Blaisdell Rodeo got underway in 1956 when 11 men formed an organization to build a rodeo arena for Mountrail County youth. Any Moore donated land while free labor and sweat equity built the arena. Neil McGrady was contracted to provide four buckles, and Nick Ganes furnished 35 “horses that buck” for that first rodeo on June 23, 1957. Wooden chutes were recycled from the Sanish Rodeo grounds and, eventually, a covered grandstand was built in the late 1990s. (One of these chutes has since been donated as a cultural artifact to the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame.)

Blaisdell is a tiny community with a population of only 20 people, but the surrounding area provides support for nine yearly events. The Blaisdell Rodeo sponsors junior barrel racing, a wild horse scramble, junior steer riding, sheep riding, ranch rodeo for area cowpokes and a youth “play day” rodeo. Legendary rodeo stock such as Blaisdell Blue, Anchors Aweigh, Zebra Dunn and Black Head were raised by club members.

The rodeo is associated with the NDRA and generously allows the facility to be used by 4-H Club members and for other community events during the year.