2024
Hardee Skunkcap
2024 Inductee is the Hall of Fame’s first Indian Relay Rider! The legendary Champion, Hardee Skunkcap, representing the Blackfeet & Shoshone Nations!
Date: October 2024 Written By: Don Wetzel
”Hardee graduated from the back of his dad’s knee to the back of a relay horse” Bob Norris, Northwest Montana Fair race and relay announcer.
Hardee Skunkcap, was born to Leroy and Marlene Skunkcap in March of 1969, the youngest of six children. Hardee loved to ride horses and remembers watching Indian Relays in Idaho. At the age of nine, when he returned to their ranch on the Flat Iron Creek West of Browning, Hardee would take his shetlands and smaller horses out in the pasture, and reenact the relay racing under the watchful eye of his dad.
For those who don’t know, Indian Relay is a sport that consists of a team of four people and three thoroughbred horses. The mugger catches the running horse; the main holder, who holds the next horse to race; the back holder; who takes the horse that finished racing, and the rider, who rides all three horses bareback each one-half mile. Hardee Skunkcap was born to ride Indian Relay!
Hardee’s father was an inspirational figure in his life & impacted him immensely as Leroy Skunkcap was the man who brought the Indian Relay from Idaho to Montana. As a Northwest Montana Fair board member, Leroy started the relays in 1980. Many veterans of the Indian Relay sport of Idaho, and the horseman of the Blackfeet put together teams and made NWMF Kalispell Indian Relays successful! Leroy also expanded the Indian Relays to Canada.
At the young age of 13, Hardee rode for his dad in Blackfoot, Idaho, Eastern Idaho State Fair. “I got smoked!” laughed Hardee as he reminisced. “But on the last exchange, there was a big horse wreck that took out three horses and 3 riders. So I ended up placing and making money at my very first big show! I was hooked! I realized that if I wanted to beat the best I had to train. I needed endurance, dedication, and mindset to lead my team through variables of the competition. I ran 5 to 6 miles a day, jump roping, sit-ups, and push ups. I exercised my horses at least 12 miles per day.”
By the time Hardee was 15, his hard work began paying off and he was becoming a dominating force in the competition! His career winnings are unbelievable, as Hardee won every prestigious championship in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Canada. 1984 he won his first NWMF Kalispell and Fort Hall Festival. 1986 to 2004 he completed more legendary feats with repeated wins across states and Countries! Great Falls State Fair 1991, 92, Kalispell NWMF 84,86, 87, 90-94 1996-2000, Cheyenne Wyoming World Championship back to back 1998 and 1999, Shelby Marias Fair, Eastern Idaho State Fair Blackfoot, Idaho, Forsyth Round up, Miles City Bucking Horse Sale 90, 91, Malad 90, Evanston Wy 90 91 Lander Pioneer Days 90 92 93, Fort Washakie 1994-96, Fort Hall 1986, 90-1999 Hays MT 1996, Lethbridge Alberta Canada 1986, NAID 2001 -2003, Crow Fair 1998, Mud And Sarah Hall Memorial Cross Country Race Father’s Day Two Medicine to Birch Creek 1999 & 2000. Damn that’s impressive!
Hardee became a legendary rider through his dedication as an athlete and horseman! Representing the Tribal Nations with his focus and discipline, representing the warrior mentality of his people. He continues that work ethic today and stated, “After my career of relay riding was over, I focused on the Construction field and team roping. I believe that being a relay rider and the mindset I developed has helped me through life in general.”
