By Fischer Genau
Over June 5-7, pickleball players converged on the Picklr in Bozeman to compete in the Montana State Pickleball Championships, a qualifying event for the USA Pickleball National Championships. Players from Florida, Colorado, Idaho and Montana all traveled to Bozeman to cross paddles over the weekend, with Ben Bishop and Manuel Monteiro placing first in the men’s 5.0 bracket on Saturday, the most advanced level of competition at the event, after beating Layne Ryerson and Pablo Negrete.
PHOTO BY FISCHER GENAU 
PHOTO BY FISCHER GENAU 
Spectators watch a match during the men’s 5.0 bracket on Saturday. PHOTO BY FISCHER GENAU 
PHOTO BY FISCHER GENAU 
Layne Ryerson and Pablo Negrete win their match. PHOTO BY FISCHER GENAU 
The Picklr’s club coordinator Keegan Aimesbury announces the rules of the tournament on Saturday. PHOTO BY FISCHER GENAU 
The winners of the women’s 50+ 3.0 bracket accept their medals. Amy Wiening and Cary Hogue beat Barb McCain and Shelley Henry in a 12-10 overtime thriller to earn first place. PHOTO BY FISCHER GENAU
The tournament featured Men’s, Women’s and Mixed Doubles categories, as well as a senior division. Pickleball ratings range from 1.0 to 5.5, which is considered expert, and the Montana State Championships featured 3.0-5.0 competition. Winners of their respective brackets earned 3,500 TPS points, and a minimum of 4,500 points are required to compete at the national level.
The Round Robin tournament played out on the Picklr’s 13 courts, four of which are championship-sized. The Picklr launched in June of 2025 in a warehouse off Laura Louise Lane near Four Corners, and the space has swelled to over 400 members since owners Andrew and Kelly Brief opened its doors.
The Picklr will host several other tournaments throughout the summer and fall.
