Ramona Holt grew up in Montana’s ranching and rodeo scene, participating in youth, intercollegiate and professional rodeo. As an adult, she dedicated her life to promoting the western way of living, and for 30 years Ramona and her husband, Bill, traveled throughout the western United States, Canada and Australia promoting professional rodeo and the West. They started their own herd of Texas Longhorn Cattle in 1967 and were the first to export those cattle from the U.S. to Australia in 1985—leading to the government honoring them at an exposition in 1986 in Mackay, Australia.
Today, as a trustee representing Western Montana for the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center, Ramona recommends people and ranches to be honored each year. In 2018, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association honored her as the “Notable Lady of the West” at their World of Rodeo Reunion in Las Vegas. Her life has been dedicated to telling the story of the western way through many avenues including the creation of the Holt Heritage Museum—located in Lolo and open by appointment only—which houses rodeo and western artifacts, including 20 horse-drawn vehicles.
Show notes:
00:03:10 - Growing Up on a Remote Ranch
00:06:26 - A Life in Fisheries and Rodeo
00:10:15 - Raising Money for Nonprofits through Art Shows
00:12:36 - Exporting Longhorn Cattle to Australia
00:14:46 - Grandchildren, Elders, and the Legacy of Lewis and Clark
00:18:03 - Lewis and Clark's Military Camp Setup
00:21:00 - Friendly Natives Aided Lewis and Clark
00:23:48 - Cultivating Small-Scale Sustainability
00:26:53 - Rich History of Indigenous Peoples in the Valley
00:31:27 - Polywog Shirts and Nez Perce Artifacts
00:34:11 - Preserving Native Traditions: Cornmeal and Moss Bags
00:36:36 - Preserving the Valley's Heritage
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