Miles City Bucking Horse Sale

Name: Miles City Bucking Horse Sale
Start: 2027-05-13
End: 2027-05-16
Location: Miles City, Montana

Miles City, Custer County, Montana. Cowboy Mardi Gras; the third full weekend in May.

Details

Map. Miles City, Custer County, Montana. Larger map

There are rodeos… and then there's Miles City. The World Famous Miles City Bucking Horse Sale stands in a league of its own.

1950Les Boe and Bob Pauley assembled unbroken horses for a three-day sale of bucking stock; riders received $5 mount money for barebacks and $10 for saddle broncs. montanacowboyfame.org
1951The bucking horse sale was made an annual event. montanacowboyfame.org
1952Buyers included Alice Greenough and Leo Cremer, and top contractors from around the country soon attended or sent representatives. montanacowboyfame.org
1962A match bronc riding between top cowboys began. montanacowboyfame.org
1964Johnny Ley was champion of the Miles City Bucking Horse Sale in both years. buckinghorsesale.com
1982Miles City rancher John L. Moore self-published a 76-page booklet titled The World Famous Miles City Jaycee Bucking Horse Sale Collector’s Edition. buckinghorsesale.com
2007The Match grew into one of the country's largest rough-stock events, with 32 riders competing for $50,000 in added money. montanacowboyfame.org
2012Saturday events changed with a three-horse bronc futurity for horses aged three and older, with each entrant required to offer at least one horse for sale. montanacowboyfame.org
2020The 2020 World Famous Miles City Bucking Horse Sale was canceled because of COVID-19. tsln.com
2026The event remained one of the largest bucking horse sales and rodeos in the country. montanafreepress.org

Bob Pauley, co-founder and later the heartbeat of the sale (1951).
Johnny Ley, sale champion and later Miles City Stockyards foreman during the sale (1964 and 1965).
Les Boe, co-founder whose horses prompted the sale (1951).
Bob Askin, pickup man at the first unofficial sale (1950).
Harvey Lester, Ekalaka seller whose steer deal included the unbroken horses that prompted the sale (1950).
Paddy Ryan, pickup man at the first unofficial sale (1950).