EAST HELENA — Competitors from across Montana gathered this week for the East Helena Rodeo, but for local breakaway roper Hailey Burger, competing in front of a hometown crowd makes the event especially meaningful.
“You can’t really beat going in front of a hometown crowd,” Burger said.
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Burger competes in breakaway roping, a sport she said started with a love for horses at a young age.
“My dad had horses and roped a little bit when I was younger, but not a ton. And I just really liked being around the horses,” she said.
Even after playing other sports in high school, Burger said rodeo stood apart because of the people and relationships she’s built through the sport
And her family has played a major role throughout her rodeo journey, supporting her as she travels and competes across the region.
“Like our family, my mom and dad come to almost everything that they can, giving me the opportunity to go down the road and do the things I get to do,” said Burger, who competes on the Montana State University rodeo team.
She also hopes more young girls consider trying breakaway roping as the sport continues to grow in popularity and opportunity.
“Especially in the breakaway, you don’t have to have a really expensive horse to go win. It's all you. And if you work hard, you can pretty much accomplish whatever you want,” Burger said.
While the results may change from rodeo to rodeo, Burger said competing in East Helena is something she never takes for granted.
