Jean Schurman has a personal goal that she always works by. Whenever she does something, it has to be better than the last time she did it. Schurman has just completed her seventh annual Sprinkle Burn and Turn Barrel Race, and true to form, this one was the most successful yet.
Seven years ago, Schurman was on the Sprinkle Pink Committee, a group headed up by Amy James-Linton, then an employee of Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital, to raise money for the hospital’s Aid for Mammography Fund, which paid for free mammograms and other expenses for people going through breast cancer.
“The events we were doing were great,” said Schurman, “but it wasn’t something that was a good fit for me.”
A Montana native, raised in a horse-loving family, Schurman has had a lifelong passion for all things rodeo. She said in 2014 she had helped put on a barrel race series at the county fairgrounds.
“I thought I could do that and make some money for the cause,” said Schurman, the Aid for Mammography Fund.
They rented the Sapphire Event Center in Corvallis (now under new ownership and renamed the 5C Event Center). She had good help – Tammie Lemon and Jamie Harberts – and they handled the bookkeeping and logistics of the barrel race. Schurman gathered the sponsors.
She had ordered the prize buckles, which are dated, and everything was falling into place. Then her husband Dusty became seriously ill. Despite the extra stress that created, she kept at it, and the race happened.
“I don’t remember how much we collected,” she says, “but we had about 60 or 70 barrel racers. “It was a success and we had a good time. We probably donated back about $2000.”
Schurman also remembers that in that first year, she got a call from a woman in Carmen, Idaho, asking “where do I drop off the silent auction items?”
“I hadn’t even thought about that,” said Schurman. “Amy (James-Linton) fixed up some auction sheets. The auction has since taken on a life of its own.” Schurman said that Wendy Woods now helps with the silent auction. “Every year we have amazing things that people donate – from western lifestyle stuff and certificates to local restaurants, so many great things.” There’s also a vendors’ market, featuring items like locally handmade knives and western accessories.
About four years ago, Tammie Lemon stepped back. Jolene Burke, from Plains, has her own barrel racing production company, and she decided to get involved.
“There’s a lot involved in this,” said Schurman. “Somebody has to take the entries, take the money for the entry fees, do the draw (order of racers) and the payouts. There is a computer program that helps but you still have to have that crucial person.” Burke was it.
Schurman said that last year, she decided that they were going to hold the barrel race, even with Covid. In the meantime, the hospital had changed what they wanted and needed. The Aid for Mammography Fund was in really good shape now. The hospital decided to rebrand its campaign as Colors of Cancer, including all types of cancer, and funds raised would go to the new chemo infusion center that will be built on their campus in Hamilton.
For Schurman, her life had taken a turn. In 2017, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. But again, the buckles had already been ordered.
“Everybody stepped up,” recalls Schurman. “I had had one treatment and a couple of surgeries when we did the barrel race. They had me cocooned in blankets and with lots of water on hand. People were so gracious, they really stepped up. It was amazing to do.”
Having felt that support and love from the barrel racers, Schurman decided to look for a way that they could continue to impact people specifically in relation to breast cancer. So, last year she reached out to Chicks n Chaps. Based in Missoula with committees throughout the West, the non-profit’s mission is to help communities raise money for local individuals and families impacted by breast cancer while promoting the sport of rodeo and the western lifestyle. They provide financial grants to help with living expenses.
Chicks n Chaps primarily puts on events at pro rodeos around the West. Theirs is held in Missoula during the Missoula Stampede. They teach women about the rodeo lifestyle and bring in cowboys to show some of their skills. They also hold silent auctions and other games, etc. to raise money.
Schurman approached Kyle Stensrud, the co-founder and vice president of the board of directors who lives in Florence, to see if Chicks n Chaps would be interested in becoming the sponsoring organization of her barrel race.
“Jean reached out to us last year and asked us if we’d like to participate and be the beneficiary,” said Stensrud. “Of course, we said yes, we would love to. October is breast cancer awareness month so it’s great time to do this. It was kind of late in the game last year and we had more time this year, so we helped where we could. It was incredibly successful and all of the money raised will go to people who need financial assistance in the Bitterroot. They can apply on our websit, chicksnchaps.org.”
“They’ve been a great organization to work with,” said Schurman.
Schurman said that last year they had about 170 racers with a purse of around $8000. That was pretty good, she said. But this year? “We had 276 racers. Between sponsors and entry fees, we brought in over $28,000. We paid out over $21,000 in prize money, including $500 each in the youth and senior categories. And we will be able to give more than $13,000 to Chicks N Chaps!”
Schurman said this was the largest purse for a 1-day event in Montana this year. She said that the big purse brings more barrel racers. She said some of the region’s top barrel racers weren’t there because the Northern Rodeo Association finals in Kalispell were on the same weekend, but that didn’t seem to have any effect on the local race. Racers were there from all over, including Cut Bank and Billings, Idaho and Washington, and even one from New York who’s on the UM rodeo team.
Schurman gave a shout out to Amy James-Linton. “She really helped me with the behind-the-scenes sponsorship and lining things out,” said Schurman. “Also Robin Barber, an all-around wonderful volunteer. I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Schurman said that everything that was raised at the Sprinkle Pink Burn and Turn Barrel Race will stay here in the valley. “We’re hoping to expand and improve the grant program in the valley,” she said. “We’ll be working with Chicks n Chaps to help make that happen.”
People experiencing financial hardship due to breast cancer issues, both men and women, can go to chicksnchaps.org for information on the grant program. “We do get a lot of applicants,” said Stensrud. “We just eclipsed $200,000 in donations raised from our license plates just in Montana. We’ve donated over $1 million nationally since 2008.”
As for Schurman, she’s already looking towards next year.