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DeMontigny Brothers compete in national rodeo

By Staff | Jul 2, 2023

Submitted Photo Logan, left, and Lathan DeMontigny prepare for their team roping event at the College National Finals Rodeo in Cheyenne, Wyo. June 17.

Two Rugby-born brothers represented North Dakota State University at the College National Finals Rodeo in Cheyenne, Wyoming June 11-17.

Brothers Logan and Lathan DeMontigny, Rugby High School graduates, competed in bull riding and team roping after earning top scores in competitions for the Great Plains Region.

Lathan competed in bull riding and as a heeler in team roping. Logan teamed up with his brother in the team-roping event as the header.

Both brothers went through three rounds of competition in the events.

In team roping, the pair finished in 22nd place among 50 teams.

Lathan competed through three rounds in the bull-riding event before being eliminated from the final go-round. Southeast Oklahoma State’s Caden T. Bunch finished the final round as the NIRA champion in bull riding.

“We had to be top three in our events to qualify for the finals,” Logan DeMontigny said. “Our region consists of all colleges in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota and Iowa.”

Lathan, like his brother, said he had “always loved rodeo.”

“Both my parents did it, so I grew up around it,” Lathan said.

Logan and Lathan are the sons of Kyle and Lisa DeMontigny, Rugby. Their father, Kyle, is a pharmacist at Rugby’s Thrifty-White Drug and a former bull rider. Lisa is a former breakaway roper and team roper.

When asked if bull riding felt intimidating, Lathan said, “There’s always some nerves just like any other sport, but that’s what makes it so fun.”

Of team roping, he said, “Lots of hours have been spent in the practice pen with (Logan), making runs over and over.”

He added the DeMontignys have seven horses and a few cattle they keep for roping practice at their ranch.

Kyle and Lisa DeMontigny watch their sons compete in rodeo whenever they can.

“They love it,” Lisa DeMontigny said.

The family ranch is decorated with several saddles and buckles won by two generations of DeMontignys in competitions over several decades.

“Both my grandpas rodeoed (team roping) and they both own a lot of cattle now,” Lathan added. “My mom is originally from Monticello, Minnesota, and my dad is from Bottineau.”

Logan, who graduated from NDSU in May with a bachelor’s degree in agronomy, said, “We both plan to continue to compete at amateur rodeos for as long as we can.”

“It was a great experience and the biggest stage I’ve ever roped on,” Logan said of the national competition. “The energetic atmosphere made the week really something I will remember forever.”

Lathan will be a sophomore at NDSU, where he studies radiology.

Both brothers said they intended to rodeo together whenever they had the opportunity.

“I have a few more years of college rodeo left, and both of us will be pro rodeoing a little bit together this summer,” Lathan said.