by John Dowd
Since 1966 the Bitterroot Mountettes, an equestrian drill team based in the Bitterroot Valley, has been performing for crowds all over the Northwest. The team performs various impressive choreographed displays of horsemanship to music and often in costume. However, the process to get to the level at which they perform does not happen overnight, and those skills have been passed down through several generations of riders.
This year the team won the state title for drill in Lewiston, and has a reputation of being very good at what they do and being proud of it. One of the things that gives the team strength is its strong family dynamic, which comes from many of the members literally being family. Robin Bolin, currently one of the heads of the team, is a second generation Mountette rider. She has been riding with them for over 38 years, and started when she was only 15. Her mother was on the team and rode for many years herself.
Bolin’s daughter, Morgan Bolin, also rides with the team, and also started young, at age 16. According to Morgan, “I just thought it was the coolest thing in the world, and it was something I could do with my mom.” For her, it has always been a way of life. “I’ve grown up riding horses. I’ve done it all my life,” said Morgan. Morgan said that, if she has a daughter, she will definitely suggest that she join as well. Morgan said riding with the Mountettes is both extremely rewarding and challenging. “It works both your mind and your body.”
Morgan and her other teammates talked about how demanding the sport can be. According to Robin, “It’s very dangerous, some of the stuff we do.” The team needs to work together as a unit, and practice at least twice weekly to make the displays work. With almost a dozen 1200-pound-plus animals riding around so fast and so close to each other, it can be easy for something to go horribly wrong. Just recently, Robin fell from a horse, breaking several bones in the process. “People say what we do looks like a ballet on horses,” said Morgan, but “it’s not an easy sport,” added Collette Maxwell. Maxwell is the oldest member of the team, and is herself a second generation member on the team.
Each year the team comes up with new routines and they practice throughout the summer to perfect them. “Our maneuvers are original,” explained Robin and Morgan, who said much of what they come up with are things unlike any other team in the Northwest. They are often recognized by their unique and precise movements. This comes with lots of practice and riding together. The team works very hard to keep up consistency. “It takes a lot of time and prep to make sure we all look the same,” added Robin. This is true, all the way down to their uniforms and riding style.
They start early in the spring, as early as they can ride, and hold tryouts for new members. The team prefers to have even numbers, and Maxwell figures that 12 is the perfect number of riders. During those tryouts, they test both the horse and the gal riding it. Both need to make the team, and if either fails, they both do.
Currently, the team has eight members, but has had as many as 22. According to Morgan, “We are pretty tight knit… Anybody on that team would do anything for anyone else.”
The team continues to practice and perform until their finale of the season, which they do at the Ravalli County Fair, during the rodeo. They want people to know that they are available to perform anywhere. Anyone interested in the team, or requesting them to do a rodeo or event, can find the team on Facebook, under the name Bitterroot Mountettes Equestrian Drill Team.