LIVING INDUCTEE

JUDD TWITCHELL

DISTRICT 2 - YEAR 2026

Judd Twitchell was born May 28, 1945 in Jordan, Montana to Walter and Grayce (West) Twitchell. He joined siblings Jane, Joe, Jadee, and Jay. Later, brother Jerry completed the family. 

During FDR’s New Deal era, Judd’s parents were forced by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers to leave their ranch on the Big Dry, for the development of Fort Peck Dam. They bought a place from Howard Viall on Snap Creek 45 miles northeast of Jordan. Here they raised their family and taught them ranch skills they would use the rest of their lives. Horses were a major part of their work, and Walter made sure all the kids knew how to ride, take care of horses, and help with breaking colts during the summer.  

Judd rode horseback to a rural school, five miles from home, for his elementary education. During the winter he often pulled his brother Jerry on a sled behind his horse. It was common to see him arrive home with his school books during lambing season. He would help with lambing throughout the day and work on school assignments in the evening. Judd attended Garfield County High School in Jordan and lived in the dormitory during the school week. 

Judd remembers, at a young age, helping his dad trail cows nearly 50 miles to Brockway, Montana where they were loaded onto a train and shipped to market in St. Paul, Minnesota. He also joined his dad and uncles when they gathered wild horses on his Uncle Windy’s place in the Missouri Breaks. This became a yearly event he always looked forward to.  

Local rodeos were a big time for Judd when he was young. He started out by training a horse for the horse races at Brockway Dairy Days which he often won. When he was old enough, he entered in the wild cow riding. The rough stock events soon caught his attention so it wasn’t long before Judd was entering bareback, saddle bronc, and bull riding in Brockway, Jordan, and Cohagen, Montana. His first trip to the pay window was at the Richey Rodeo where 2nd place in the Saddle Bronc paid $93.75. At the time he was getting $10.00 a head to break horses, so he felt like he had just broke nine horses in eight seconds! According to Judd, there would never be another bad day!  

After high school Judd ranched with his dad and ran a few head of cows of his own. He continued to enter rodeos in bareback and bronc riding. It was great to way to make a little money on the side. His rodeo days were put on hold for two years, when in 1967 he was drafted during the Viet Nam Conflict. 

In 1970, Judd and Eva Milroy were married and made their home on the ranch along with Judd’s parents and brother Jay and family. A son, Mike, was born October 1, 1972. Life became busy when Judd and Jay started Twitchell Brothers Outfitting that same fall and guided hunters for over 30 years. During this time, Judd was able to continue riding saddle broncs and joined the Northern Rodeo Association (NRA). He competed in the NRA until he turned 40 and became old enough to join the “Old Timers Rodeo Association.” He enjoyed the competition and qualified for their national finals several times. Judd remembers one time Mike was competing in the Montana High School Rodeo, bronc riding at the same time Judd was competing in the Old Timers bronc riding. Judd put his saddle away after riding one last bronc at the age of 51.  

Judd raised several good pickup horses and picked up at rodeos for stock contractors in Eastern Montana. He was always ready and willing to help young bronc riders get started in the sport.  

In April 1970, Judd and Bud Kramer put on a matched saddle bronc and bareback riding at Cohagen. It turned out to be a success, so they planned another for the next year. The third year it was moved to Jordan where it became known as the Jordan Matched Bronc Ride. 2025 marked the 56th year for this annual event, now known as the Jordan Xtreme Bronc Ride.

Judd has been a member of the Jordan Jaycees, Montana Outfitters Association, Garfield County Chamber of Commerce, the local school board, and a former district trustee of the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame.  

Judd and Eva continue to live on their family ranch in Garfield County.