Cowboy Mardi Gras

Kenneth Jarecke for The Curious Society

Cowboy and ranching traditions are showcased at The Bucking Horse Sale in Miles City, Montana, also known as Cowboy Mardi Gras.

Ranching is a precarious way to make a living, so it’s no surprise that every aspect of the four-day event has the potential for reward and includes a healthy amount of risk.

It’s the premier social event for the community, featuring a parade, horse racing, a rodeo, and numerous social activities. It attracts rodeo stock contractors from the U.S. and Canada seeking saddle and bareback broncos.

Bucking horses are ridden and then sold to rough stock companies that supply them to rodeos nationwide. Horses can range from anywhere between $700 and $40,000. Bronc riders compete for prize money and sponsorship, as spectators can bid on them in the Calcutta event on Sunday and then share in their winnings. The professional bronc riders fetch anywhere between $1,000 and over $20,000 from individual bidders.