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Vol. 18, No. 50
August 31, 2022
Monkeypox pg.6
SKC
pg. 12
Flathead River Rodeo qualifies national competitors Story and Photos by Taylor Davison Valley Journal
Mission West pg. 14
POLSON — The Flathead River Rodeo lit up Polson Aug. 25-27 with its second largest ever event, 599 entries. This was the seventh rodeo put together by S&K Gaming LLC, a company created in 2006 by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes to provide general gaming management oversight. Now, according to its website, S&K Gaming is
a revenue generator with the goals of creating exciting and memorable entertainment and a better future for members of the tribe. While the rodeo was put on hold for a while from 2018 through 2020, it made its return in 2021 and has grown in the year since. “We do our grand entries differently,” rodeo committee member and KwaTuqNuk general manager Sheila Matt commented. Each evening of the rodeo w w w.va l le yj our na l.net
was headed up by the Honor Guard, the Veterans Warrior Society, and a drum group, honoring those who have served. “This is a qualifying event for the Indian National Finals Rodeo,” she said. “So if they win here, they’re guaranteed an automatic shot to go to Las Vegas to the Indian National Finals.” This factor, Matt explained, has contributed to the event’s popularity and large number of entries. The Indian National Finals
Rodeo (INFR) event, spanning the U.S. and Canada, has a mission to “provide, promote and preserve the advancement of Professional Indian Rodeo by empowering families, youth and communities through positive role modeling, educational opportunities, competition, culture and tradition,” according to their website. Founded in 1976, the INFR currently sees over 350 qualified contestants across
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