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Stettler’s Taylor Cholach and Whip Gertner excel at Big Sky Little Britches Rodeo in Montana

Cholach won the weekend high point buckle and a fancy Bob Berg buckle while Gertner won the Peewee Saddle Bronc and Rookie Bull Riding.
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Taylor Cholach with some of the goods she won at the Big Sky Little Britches Rodeo in Laurel

Stettler’s Taylor Cholach and Whip Gertner have been busy participating and winning at various rodeo events in Montana throughout the winter.

Cholach won the weekend high point buckle one weekend and got a fancy Bob Berg buckle at the 2016-2017 Winter Series of the Big Sky Little Britches Rodeo in Laurel, Montana.

“I think my roping has improved a lot and starting in the breakaway, I won it two times,” Cholach said. “It feels good to win at these events because I feel like my hard work is finally paying off.”

Cholach, who turned 13 earlier this week said that she has been practicing her breakaway twice a week in town with the Brower family.

“Winning the high point buckle at the Big Sky Little Britches and last fall winning the pole bending buckle at the Stettler junior high school rodeo were two of my career highlights and among my happiest moments are when I catch in breakaway and have clean pole runs,” Cholach added. “I’d like to thank Monty, Dawn and Whip Gertner for hauling me and my horse Pie and letting me ride Whip’s horses Fancy and Apple Jacks; the Brower family for letting me come rope with them this winter; and my mom, dad and sister Kelly for the support and paying all the bills!”

Whip Gertner wins the Peewee Saddle Bronc and Rookie Bull Riding for the Montana Mini Buckers at Billings

Often seen as one of the most hard-working kids at any of the rodeo events hosted by the Stettler Agriplex, Gertner is no more than eight years old, and yet his dedication to the sport is unparalleled.

After winning the World Championship Saddlebronc in the buckaroo division at Rock Springs Wyoming in October last year, which he considers one of his biggest accomplishments, Gertner just won the series end Peewee Saddle Bronc and Rookie Bull Riding for the Montana Mini Buckers at Billings in Montana.

It was a series of 16 rodeos on eight different weekends between the Oct. 1, 2016 until now held with the Big Sky Little Britches Rodeo.

“I got pretty banged up yesterday when I got hung up in the saddle bronc, but I went outside and got away from everybody and decided to go back in and ride my bull,” Gertner said. “I had my best ride ever, which helped me win the round and the year-end buckle.”

He rides his two horses and practices on the “mighty bucky” machine to prepare himself for events.

“I also like to watch old rodeo videos,” Gertner added. “I would like to thank Wyatt Thurston who helped me practice this winter on the bucking machine and always told me to think positive, my sponsor Dr. Ty Corbiell and Cor Vet Services.”