By Paige Rasmussen EBS CONTRIBUTOR
Beneath the Bridger Range, Montana State University is ablaze with the sounds of a marching band playing songs of school spirit, while the football players part the crowds en route to the locker room. The smell of charcoal burning and hot dogs cooking floats from Bobcat Stadium above the rows of blue and gold. Beyond the tailgates, within earshot of the stadium speakers, the trailers arrive, and horses’ hooves hit pavement.
It’s game day in Bozeman.
Prior to kickoff, seven horses and seven riders make their way into Bobcat Stadium, blue and gold flags in hand, spelling out the word, “Bobcats”. But there are steps involved before the famous flags fly in. Weaving through traffic with a trailer in tow, parking the big rigs amidst the chaos, grooming, saddling, finding somewhere, anywhere, to warm up the horses. Then, all that’s left to do is wait for the signal.
Finally, it’s time. The riders gather in the corner of the stadium, flags in hand, horses in anticipation. Around them, a crowd has gathered. People push and pry just to get a glimpse of the horses before they storm the field. Up above, the countdown begins on the big screen, tension builds, and “Enter Sandman” by Metallica plays. Hearts are pounding, hooves are clacking, and Bobcat fans are cheering, when finally, the signal is given, and the horses are off.
It’s a rare occasion to find horses claiming turf, but at Montana State University, it’s a pre-game signature, one that never gets old. It all began in 2015 when head rodeo coach Andy Bolich did something no other team had done before. He led six members of the MSU rodeo team, atop their horses onto the football field, ahead of the football team at the Ag Appreciation game. It was a way to honor Western and agricultural tradition, while complimenting the community’s love for Bobcat football. After several years as a one-game speciality, it quickly became a crowd-favorite tradition, and eventually bloomed into a home-game trademark of the opening ceremonies. Now, it is an event that garners the attention and admiration of fans, to the point of drawing its own crowd as the horses gather in the stadium.
It’s no easy feat, racing horses through formations of cheerleaders, next to cannons spewing flames, and with an entire football team in tow. These, along with the tens of thousands of surrounding fans make for the kind of environment horses don’t see everyday, if at all. Their normal job is rodeo, their typical home turf the arena, and the same goes for their riders. The run-out on game day isn’t an escape from that, but a recognition of it. The run-out signifies far more than Western pageantry. It’s a reminder of our roots, and a nod to the unique beauty of the West, that beauty which makes Montana what she is. Rodeo is an integral part of Montana’s history and heritage. But the riders aren’t just local cowboys and cowgirls. They are student athletes.
The Montana State Rodeo Team is a cultural archetype of Bozeman, maintaining the true roots of the Western lifestyle, while advancing the sport within the collegiate athletics space. The program has been a longtime contender on national stages, having brought home nine national team championships and 35 individual national championships. Step inside the Brick Breeden Field House and look up to find those banners hanging among the other sports, including the most recent banner earned by the 2025 National Champion football team. It’s as if they belong together, football and rodeo. The pre game run-out is further proof: at Montana State University, they do.
From the old days of ranching, to what is now recognized under the Athletic Department as a Division I sport at MSU, the college rodeo team is evidence of the evolution of the sport, a testament to the strength of its roots, and a compliment to the special care Montanans and Bobcats alike take of the rodeo team. The sport reflects the values in which Montanan’s take pride, values such as grit, integrity, and community. Community is exactly what the run-out represents. Community among sports, athletes, and students and a place where people can come together to root for something they love.
Paige Rasmussen is a Montana State University alum, and former national champion for the MSU Rodeo Team. Having grown up in rural Montana, Paige fosters a deep appreciation for Montana heritage and Western traditions. Paige has written for Cowgirl Magazine and Montana Silversmiths, and has also produced campaigns for American Flag Supply. She continues to coach all ages of rodeo athletes across the country.
