Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame & Western Heritage Center

PRESS RELEASE: March 14, 2022

​Media Contact: Christy Stensland, Executive Director, (406) 653-3800, Christy@montanacowboyfame.org

Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame to celebrate inductees April 9 in Great Falls

The Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame & Western Heritage Center (MCHF & WHC) will celebrate the 14th class of inductions into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame Saturday, April 9 at the Heritage Inn in Great Falls. The inductees were chosen from a field of candidates nominated by the general public. Inductees are honored for their notable contributions to the history and culture of Montana.

There is still time to register for the Inductee Recognition Ceremony Brunch, which begins at 10:30 a.m. to celebrate the notable accomplishments and lasting legacies of the inductees to the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame Class of 2022. Pre-registration is $30 per person. Call today to reserve your seat.

Nomination criteria established by the board for the Class of 2022 inductions allowed the election of one Living Inductee and one Legacy Inductee from each of the 12 districts.

The 2022 inductees into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame are:

  • District 1 District 1 (Daniels, Phillips, Roosevelt, Sheridan, & Valley Counties): Living: Ardelle & Kenneth “Ken” Hart from Outlook; Legacy: Howard Arnold Bestland, Antelope.
  • District 2 District 2 (Dawson, Garfield, McCone, Prairie, Richland, & Wibaux Counties): Living: Jack Rodney & Deborah Gaye (Walton) “Debbie” Hinnaland, Brockway: Legacy: Harbaugh Ranch, Jordan
  • District 3 (Carter, Custer, Fallon, Powder River, Rosebud, & Treasure Counties): Living: Wallace Kirk “Wally” Badgett Miles City; Legacy: John W. “Johnny” Moore, Miles City
  • District 4 (Blaine, Chouteau, Hill, & Liberty Counties): Living: John W. “Jack” Young, Lloyd; Legacy: Jerome “Jerry” & Flora Kearful, Chinook
  • District 5 (Cascade, Glacier, Pondera, Teton, & Toole Counties): Living: Myrle Allon Gollaher, Cascade; Legacy: Richard Thomas “Dick” Loss, Fairfield
  • District 6 (Fergus, Golden Valley, Judith Basin, Musselshell, Petroleum, & Wheatland Counties): John Joseph “Johnny” Carr, Christina; Legacy: Everal Eugene “Sonny” Butterfield, Roundup 
  • District 7  (Big Horn, Carbon, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, & Yellowstone Counties): Living: Gary Jay Crowder, Billings; Kill Kare Klub – Ladies Along the Yellowstone, Big Timber
  • District 8 (Broadwater, Jefferson, & Lewis and Clark Counties): Living: Kitty Ann (Quigley) Taaler Helena; Legacy: Donald W. “Don” Hilger, Helena
  • District 9 (Gallatin, Meagher, & Park Counties): Living: James Andrew “Jim” Lind, White Sulphur Springs; Legacy: Patrick “Pat” Bergan, White Sulphur Springs
  • District 10 (Flathead, Lake, Lincoln, & Sanders Counties): Living: Gerald Lee “Jerry” Hamel, Dixon; Legacy: Miracle of America Museum, Polson
  • District 11: (Mineral, Missoula, & Ravalli Counties): Living: Raymond Glenn “Ray” Cebulski, Seeley Lake; Legacy: Travelers’ Rest State Park, Lolo
  • District 12: (Deer Lodge, Beaverhead, Silver Bow, Granite, Madison, & Powell Counties): Living: Edward Everett “Jack” Hooker, Ovando; Legacy: Charles Peter Henry & Nicholas John Bielenberg, Deer Lodge.

Attendees are encouraged to wrap up their day with The Cowboy Ball and Benefit Auction, which kicks off at 6:30 p.m. that evening, April 9. This event features a brisket buffet dinner and live Western music. A silent and live auction will feature unique Western items. Pre-registration to the Cowboy Ball is $75 per person.

Full biographies for past inductees are available on the MCHF & WHC’s website, http://www.montanacowboyfame.org. This year’s inductees will be added to the website soon.

While in Great Falls, be sure to visit the MCHF Gallery at the Charles M. Russell Museum. The MCHF Gallery is free, although there is a fee to view the other museum galleries.

For further information, contact the MCHF & WHC at 406-653-3800 or email Christy@montanacowboyfame.org.

Pre-register with a debit or credit card by calling (406) 650-7460.

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The mission of the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame & Western Heritage Center is to “honor our cowboy way of life, American Indian cultures and collective Montana Western heritage." We exist to serve as a resource to all who wish to see this way of life passed forward to the next generation. To learn more, visit www.montanacowboyfame.org


The Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame gallery TALES FROM THE SADDLE: COME RIDE ALONG, a hands-on exhibition focused on how the horse shaped the west, is now open in partnership with the Charles M. Russell Museum in Great Falls. Saddle up and enjoy a virtual reality game, interactive children’s activities, and read the stories of our MCHF inductees featured on the kiosk.

Visit the Charles M. Russell Museum 400 13th Street North, Great Falls, Montana.

Summer Hours (May 1-Sept 30): Monday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Winter Hours (Oct 1-April 30): Thursday through Monday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Museum is closed on the following holidays: Thanksgiving, Winter Holiday (Dec 24-Jan 2), Easter, July 3 and 4.

Open until 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month.

CMR Museum ⟩  MCHF Gallery ⟩