East Helena's Cassidy Nordahl named female reACT “Tobacco Free” Rodeo All-Star of the Year

Nordahl chosen as the best “tobacco free” rodeo competitor in Montana .

HELENA , MT – The Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program (MTUPP) is proud to announce that East Helena ’s Cassidy Nordahl is the first-ever female reACT “Tobacco Free” Rodeo All-Star of the Year, as the best female high school rodeo competitor in Montana who has pledged to live “Tobacco Free.”  The American Heart Association awarded Nordahl with a $500 college scholarship as the reACT “Tobacco Free” Rodeo All-Star of the Year during a presentation ceremony at the Montana High School Rodeo Association (MHSRA) State Finals in Missoula on Saturday.

Entering the MHSRA State Finals, Nordahl ranked sixth in goat tying and ninth in pole bending, and will compete in college rodeo at Montana State University – Bozeman, starting in the fall of 2008.  Nordahl was selected by reACT “Tobacco Free” Rodeo All-Star of the Year committee from among six other nominees, including:  Brooke and Murphy Hirschy of Jackson; Jesse Pichler of Columbus; Lexy Rianda of Kalispell; Mariah Rys-Sikora of Missoula; and KayTee Schaffer of Broadus.  Nearly 20-percent of all rodeo competitors (82 of 415) signed the reACT “Tobacco Free” pledge to life a tobacco-free lifestyle.   

reACT! Against Corporate Tobacco is Montana ’s teen-led movement against the tobacco industry.  Funded and staffed by the Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program, reACT joins statewide youth empowerment movements across the country in recognizing the power of young people to effectively take on one of our leading preventable causes of death – tobacco use.  In a nutshell, reACT is a media literacy, peer education, and grass roots advocacy all rolled into one!  For more information, contact Erin Kintop at 406-444-7896.

The Montana High School Rodeo Association (MHSRA) has approximately 450 high school members.  The MHSRA sponsors more than 80 rodeos per year across the state of Montana .   The MHSRA is one of 41 states, 5 Canadian provinces, and Australia that is involved in the National High School Rodeo Association.  The MHSRA State Finals Rodeo is schedule for June 11-15 in Missoula .  For more information, go online to www.MHSRA.com or contact Montana High School Rodeo Association President Bart Horner at 406-498-6239 or Heidi Picchietti at 406-726-6477.

“The Sports Flash” (TSF) Radio Network delivers customized, local sports reports to 145 network affiliates in nine different states, reaching a weekly listening audience of more than 1.9-million.  TSF Radio Network has managed “No Spit” baseball campaigns in Kentucky , North Carolina , and South Carolina , honoring the best high school baseball players who have pledged not to use spit tobacco.  In Montana , TSF Radio Network partnered with MTUPP for the reACT “Tobacco Free” Rodeo All-Star campaign, the first of its kind in the country.  If you have any questions about TSF Radio Network, please contact Mike Sinnott at (517) 927-4570.