From rodeo to ranching
Comparing his days as a professional rodeo cowboy and stock contractor to that of a rancher, Pat Linger pondered and replied, “There was a time when I wanted my horses to buck. But I hurt now when I get up in the morning. I sure don’t want my horse bucking now.”
Pat began riding bareback broncs at 16 years of age, competing professionally for eight years. He won the Montana PRCA Pro Rodeo Finals Championship in 1978, ’79 and ’80, finishing among the PRCA’s top 15 riders in 1978, ’80 and ’81. Born in Burkburnett, TX, Pat first set foot in Big Sky Country when he was 10 years old. At the time his father, Sonny, worked for Beutler Brothers Rodeo, a stock contracting company based in Elk City, OK.
“I came to Montana with dad, and we went to Bud Kramer’s near Cohagen,” Pat recounted. Located on the rugged, sprawling expanse between Miles City and Jordan, the Kramer Horse Ranch was owned by Corwin “Bud” and Bobby Kramer. It was one of the largest horse ranches in the United States, running as many as 10,000 horses on more than 150,000 acres. “I told him I was going to come back and make it my home,” said Pat.
When he turned 18, Pat made good on his promise. He courted and married a Miles City girl, Lori Herzog. In the early 80s, they bought part of the ranch established by her Swiss-born grandfather near Miles City – the self-proclaimed “Horse Capitol of the World.” They built a home and raised their two children: Teal and Ty.
The Linger name has been associated with rodeo for 60 years. From the Rodeo Cowboys Association to the ProRodeo Cowboys Association, they have contested in the arena and worked behind the chutes.
Raised in the San Luis Valley of southwest Colorado, Pat’s father Sonny began competing in 1948, riding bulls, bareback and saddle broncs, and wrestling steers. From 1949-66, he served as chute boss and arena director for Beutler Brothers Rodeo. He was chosen as chute boss for the first National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in 1959, a position he held until 1968.
From 1971 to 1983, Sonny and Pat were partners in their own stock contracting company producing rodeos in Montana, Wyoming, and North Dakota, along with providing stock for the National Western Rodeo in Denver, the Pendleton (OR) Round-Up, and RodeoHouston (held in conjunction with the Houston Livestock Show). Strawberry, a bareback bronc from their string, was selected as the NFR’s top horse in 1976.
Comparing his days as a professional rodeo cowboy and stock contractor to that of a rancher, Pat Linger pondered and replied, “There was a time when I wanted my horses to buck. But I hurt now when I get up in the morning. I sure don’t want my horse bucking now.”
Pat began riding bareback broncs at 16 years of age, competing professionally for eight years. He won the Montana PRCA Pro Rodeo Finals Championship in 1978, ’79 and ’80, finishing among the PRCA’s top 15 riders in 1978, ’80 and ’81. Born in Burkburnett, TX, Pat first set foot in Big Sky Country when he was 10 years old. At the time his father, Sonny, worked for Beutler Brothers Rodeo, a stock contracting company based in Elk City, OK.
“I came to Montana with dad, and we went to Bud Kramer’s near Cohagen,” Pat recounted. Located on the rugged, sprawling expanse between Miles City and Jordan, the Kramer Horse Ranch was owned by Corwin “Bud” and Bobby Kramer. It was one of the largest horse ranches in the United States, running as many as 10,000 horses on more than 150,000 acres. “I told him I was going to come back and make it my home,” said Pat.
When he turned 18, Pat made good on his promise. He courted and married a Miles City girl, Lori Herzog. In the early 80s, they bought part of the ranch established by her Swiss-born grandfather near Miles City – the self-proclaimed “Horse Capitol of the World.” They built a home and raised their two children: Teal and Ty.
The Linger name has been associated with rodeo for 60 years. From the Rodeo Cowboys Association to the ProRodeo Cowboys Association, they have contested in the arena and worked behind the chutes.
Raised in the San Luis Valley of southwest Colorado, Pat’s father Sonny began competing in 1948, riding bulls, bareback and saddle broncs, and wrestling steers. From 1949-66, he served as chute boss and arena director for Beutler Brothers Rodeo. He was chosen as chute boss for the first National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in 1959, a position he held until 1968.
From 1971 to 1983, Sonny and Pat were partners in their own stock contracting company producing rodeos in Montana, Wyoming, and North Dakota, along with providing stock for the National Western Rodeo in Denver, the Pendleton (OR) Round-Up, and RodeoHouston (held in conjunction with the Houston Livestock Show). Strawberry, a bareback bronc from their string, was selected as the NFR’s top horse in 1976.
Comparing his days as a professional rodeo cowboy and stock contractor to that of a rancher, Pat Linger pondered and replied, “There was a time when I wanted my horses to buck. But I hurt now when I get up in the morning. I sure don’t want my horse bucking now.”
Pat began riding bareback broncs at 16 years of age, competing professionally for eight years. He won the Montana PRCA Pro Rodeo Finals Championship in 1978, ’79 and ’80, finishing among the PRCA’s top 15 riders in 1978, ’80 and ’81. Born in Burkburnett, TX, Pat first set foot in Big Sky Country when he was 10 years old. At the time his father, Sonny, worked for Beutler Brothers Rodeo, a stock contracting company based in Elk City, OK.
“I came to Montana with dad, and we went to Bud Kramer’s near Cohagen,” Pat recounted. Located on the rugged, sprawling expanse between Miles City and Jordan, the Kramer Horse Ranch was owned by Corwin “Bud” and Bobby Kramer. It was one of the largest horse ranches in the United States, running as many as 10,000 horses on more than 150,000 acres. “I told him I was going to come back and make it my home,” said Pat.
When he turned 18, Pat made good on his promise. He courted and married a Miles City girl, Lori Herzog. In the early 80s, they bought part of the ranch established by her Swiss-born grandfather near Miles City – the self-proclaimed “Horse Capitol of the World.” They built a home and raised their two children: Teal and Ty.
The Linger name has been associated with rodeo for 60 years. From the Rodeo Cowboys Association to the ProRodeo Cowboys Association, they have contested in the arena and worked behind the chutes.
Raised in the San Luis Valley of southwest Colorado, Pat’s father Sonny began competing in 1948, riding bulls, bareback and saddle broncs, and wrestling steers. From 1949-66, he served as chute boss and arena director for Beutler Brothers Rodeo. He was chosen as chute boss for the first National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in 1959, a position he held until 1968.
From 1971 to 1983, Sonny and Pat were partners in their own stock contracting company producing rodeos in Montana, Wyoming, and North Dakota, along with providing stock for the National Western Rodeo in Denver, the Pendleton (OR) Round-Up, and RodeoHouston (held in conjunction with the Houston Livestock Show). Strawberry, a bareback bronc from their string, was selected as the NFR’s top horse in 1976.
Comparing his days as a professional rodeo cowboy and stock contractor to that of a rancher, Pat Linger pondered and replied, “There was a time when I wanted my horses to buck. But I hurt now when I get up in the morning. I sure don’t want my horse bucking now.”
Pat began riding bareback broncs at 16 years of age, competing professionally for eight years. He won the Montana PRCA Pro Rodeo Finals Championship in 1978, ’79 and ’80, finishing among the PRCA’s top 15 riders in 1978, ’80 and ’81. Born in Burkburnett, TX, Pat first set foot in Big Sky Country when he was 10 years old. At the time his father, Sonny, worked for Beutler Brothers Rodeo, a stock contracting company based in Elk City, OK.
“I came to Montana with dad, and we went to Bud Kramer’s near Cohagen,” Pat recounted. Located on the rugged, sprawling expanse between Miles City and Jordan, the Kramer Horse Ranch was owned by Corwin “Bud” and Bobby Kramer. It was one of the largest horse ranches in the United States, running as many as 10,000 horses on more than 150,000 acres. “I told him I was going to come back and make it my home,” said Pat.
When he turned 18, Pat made good on his promise. He courted and married a Miles City girl, Lori Herzog. In the early 80s, they bought part of the ranch established by her Swiss-born grandfather near Miles City – the self-proclaimed “Horse Capitol of the World.” They built a home and raised their two children: Teal and Ty.
The Linger name has been associated with rodeo for 60 years. From the Rodeo Cowboys Association to the ProRodeo Cowboys Association, they have contested in the arena and worked behind the chutes.
Raised in the San Luis Valley of southwest Colorado, Pat’s father Sonny began competing in 1948, riding bulls, bareback and saddle broncs, and wrestling steers. From 1949-66, he served as chute boss and arena director for Beutler Brothers Rodeo. He was chosen as chute boss for the first National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in 1959, a position he held until 1968.
From 1971 to 1983, Sonny and Pat were partners in their own stock contracting company producing rodeos in Montana, Wyoming, and North Dakota, along with providing stock for the National Western Rodeo in Denver, the Pendleton (OR) Round-Up, and RodeoHouston (held in conjunction with the Houston Livestock Show). Strawberry, a bareback bronc from their string, was selected as the NFR’s top horse in 1976.
Comparing his days as a professional rodeo cowboy and stock contractor to that of a rancher, Pat Linger pondered and replied, “There was a time when I wanted my horses to buck. But I hurt now when I get up in the morning. I sure don’t want my horse bucking now.”
Pat began riding bareback broncs at 16 years of age, competing professionally for eight years. He won the Montana PRCA Pro Rodeo Finals Championship in 1978, ’79 and ’80, finishing among the PRCA’s top 15 riders in 1978, ’80 and ’81. Born in Burkburnett, TX, Pat first set foot in Big Sky Country when he was 10 years old. At the time his father, Sonny, worked for Beutler Brothers Rodeo, a stock contracting company based in Elk City, OK.
“I came to Montana with dad, and we went to Bud Kramer’s near Cohagen,” Pat recounted. Located on the rugged, sprawling expanse between Miles City and Jordan, the Kramer Horse Ranch was owned by Corwin “Bud” and Bobby Kramer. It was one of the largest horse ranches in the United States, running as many as 10,000 horses on more than 150,000 acres. “I told him I was going to come back and make it my home,” said Pat.
When he turned 18, Pat made good on his promise. He courted and married a Miles City girl, Lori Herzog. In the early 80s, they bought part of the ranch established by her Swiss-born grandfather near Miles City – the self-proclaimed “Horse Capitol of the World.” They built a home and raised their two children: Teal and Ty.
The Linger name has been associated with rodeo for 60 years. From the Rodeo Cowboys Association to the ProRodeo Cowboys Association, they have contested in the arena and worked behind the chutes.
Raised in the San Luis Valley of southwest Colorado, Pat’s father Sonny began competing in 1948, riding bulls, bareback and saddle broncs, and wrestling steers. From 1949-66, he served as chute boss and arena director for Beutler Brothers Rodeo. He was chosen as chute boss for the first National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in 1959, a position he held until 1968.
From 1971 to 1983, Sonny and Pat were partners in their own stock contracting company producing rodeos in Montana, Wyoming, and North Dakota, along with providing stock for the National Western Rodeo in Denver, the Pendleton (OR) Round-Up, and RodeoHouston (held in conjunction with the Houston Livestock Show). Strawberry, a bareback bronc from their string, was selected as the NFR’s top horse in 1976.
Comparing his days as a professional rodeo cowboy and stock contractor to that of a rancher, Pat Linger pondered and replied, “There was a time when I wanted my horses to buck. But I hurt now when I get up in the morning. I sure don’t want my horse bucking now.”
Pat began riding bareback broncs at 16 years of age, competing professionally for eight years. He won the Montana PRCA Pro Rodeo Finals Championship in 1978, ’79 and ’80, finishing among the PRCA’s top 15 riders in 1978, ’80 and ’81. Born in Burkburnett, TX, Pat first set foot in Big Sky Country when he was 10 years old. At the time his father, Sonny, worked for Beutler Brothers Rodeo, a stock contracting company based in Elk City, OK.
“I came to Montana with dad, and we went to Bud Kramer’s near Cohagen,” Pat recounted. Located on the rugged, sprawling expanse between Miles City and Jordan, the Kramer Horse Ranch was owned by Corwin “Bud” and Bobby Kramer. It was one of the largest horse ranches in the United States, running as many as 10,000 horses on more than 150,000 acres. “I told him I was going to come back and make it my home,” said Pat.
When he turned 18, Pat made good on his promise. He courted and married a Miles City girl, Lori Herzog. In the early 80s, they bought part of the ranch established by her Swiss-born grandfather near Miles City – the self-proclaimed “Horse Capitol of the World.” They built a home and raised their two children: Teal and Ty.
The Linger name has been associated with rodeo for 60 years. From the Rodeo Cowboys Association to the ProRodeo Cowboys Association, they have contested in the arena and worked behind the chutes.
Raised in the San Luis Valley of southwest Colorado, Pat’s father Sonny began competing in 1948, riding bulls, bareback and saddle broncs, and wrestling steers. From 1949-66, he served as chute boss and arena director for Beutler Brothers Rodeo. He was chosen as chute boss for the first National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in 1959, a position he held until 1968.
From 1971 to 1983, Sonny and Pat were partners in their own stock contracting company producing rodeos in Montana, Wyoming, and North Dakota, along with providing stock for the National Western Rodeo in Denver, the Pendleton (OR) Round-Up, and RodeoHouston (held in conjunction with the Houston Livestock Show). Strawberry, a bareback bronc from their string, was selected as the NFR’s top horse in 1976.
