There are legends, and then there are legends who could literally rope a president. Montie Montana wasn’t just a rodeo star. He was a walking, riding, grinning piece of Americana. From the dusty arenas of Montana to the bright lights of Hollywood, and sixty Rose Parades straight, Montie spun his rope through history and never once lost his shine.
Montie Montana, born Owen Harlan Mickel back in 1910, came from a line of horseback preachers, wild-horse traders, and performers. His father carried a Bible. His mother cracked a whip. And Montie carried both grit and grace into every arena he entered.
By the time most kids were learning to tie their shoes, Montie was tying loops. He practiced on chickens, dogs, and classmates alike. Any moving target would do. At fifteen, he rode into the Miles City Rodeo and, when the announcer forgot his name, was introduced as “that kid from Montana.” Montie liked the sound of it. From that day forward, Montie from Montana stuck, and so did the showmanship.
Hollywood came calling in the late ’20s, and Montie rode straight into it with a rope in one hand and confidence in the other. He could ride, act, stunt, and charm like no one else. He shared scenes with Roy Rogers and John Wayne, but it wasn’t the company he kept that made him a legend. It was the sparkle in his performance.
And then came the parades. Sixty consecutive Tournament of Roses appearances. Imagine it: Montie astride his pinto Rex, silver saddle gleaming, rope twirling against the morning sun, crowds cheering as if the West itself was riding by.
But the defining moment came in Washington, D.C., in 1953. President Dwight Eisenhower stood tall for his inaugural celebration. Montie tipped his hat, got permission, and with a flick of the wrist, lassoed the President of the United States. The crowd erupted. Cameras flashed. History was made, all with one perfectly thrown loop and a cowboy grin.
For Montie, the rope was more than a prop. It was his language, his music, his message. He could spin a lariat into shapes that seemed to dance with him. He once roped five galloping riders at once, then turned to the crowd as if to say, “Just another day in the saddle.”
He wasn’t just a performer. He was a teacher and an encourager. For decades, Montie visited schools across California, teaching children the art of roping and inspiring them to believe in themselves. He left behind millions of smiles. He made rodeo personal.
Montie passed in 1998, but every rope loop still spinning under the arena lights feels a little like his. Every cowboy tipping a hat to the crowd owes a nod to the man who made rodeo entertainment, not just competition.
He rode in with joy, rode out with grace, and left us all with a little more sparkle in our step and hope in our hearts.
Montie didn’t just ride in rodeos.
He rode through history.
Montie at a Glance
Montie’s Famous Horses: Every one of them was named Rex
Signature Move: The five-rider loop
Presidential Highlight: 1953 Inauguration, Dwight D. Eisenhower
Career Span: 70 years of riding, roping, and radiating joy
Hall of Fame: Inducted 1994, ProRodeo Hall of Fame
Catchphrase: “Keep smiling, keep riding, and keep your rope ready.”
Rodeo Life Magazine
Celebrating the legends who make the West unforgettable.
Photos Courtesy of SCV Historical Society / SCVHistory.com
