{"id":1186,"date":"2025-12-08T11:47:50","date_gmt":"2025-12-08T18:47:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/?page_id=1186"},"modified":"2026-03-24T10:10:58","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T16:10:58","slug":"convention","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/convention\/","title":{"rendered":"Convention"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-rounded\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/files\/2025\/12\/grantree-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1188\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/files\/2025\/12\/grantree-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/files\/2025\/12\/grantree-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/files\/2025\/12\/grantree-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/files\/2025\/12\/grantree-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/files\/2025\/12\/grantree-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">2026 BCHMT State Convention: Historic Trails and Campfire Tales<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hosted by Gallatin Valley Back Country Horsemen<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">The time is fast approaching for the next State Convention to be held in Bozeman Montana on March 27 &#8211; 29, 2026 at The Best Western GranTree Hotel. In addition to our general meetings, there will be a photo contest, chapter displays, breakout sessions and vendors for shopping. On Friday there will be some cross-cut demos and\/or practice, as well as time to enjoy live music and socializing. Saturday afternoon after breakout sessions the crosscut saw competition will take place. The evening banquet will be a great meal, followed by a live auction. We plan to fill the Atrium area with vendors, so come ready to do a little shopping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>RAFFLE TICKETS<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The raffle tickets were sent out with chapter delegates in December so everyone will have plenty of time to sell during the holidays and beyond. (Let Molly Glenn: sedancowgirl@gmail.com know if you need more).&nbsp; They make great stocking stuffers&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>LODGING<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Early reservations are advised as Bozeman has become a busy place all year round. Blocks of rooms have been reserved at the following locations:<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-iconlist.kt-svg-icon-list-items1186_c011ad-4b:not(.this-stops-third-party-issues){margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-iconlist.kt-svg-icon-list-items1186_c011ad-4b ul.kt-svg-icon-list:not(.this-prevents-issues):not(.this-stops-third-party-issues):not(.tijsloc){margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);margin-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-iconlist.kt-svg-icon-list-items1186_c011ad-4b ul.kt-svg-icon-list{grid-row-gap:5px;}.wp-block-kadence-iconlist.kt-svg-icon-list-items1186_c011ad-4b ul.kt-svg-icon-list .kt-svg-icon-list-item-wrap .kt-svg-icon-list-single{margin-right:10px;}.kt-svg-icon-list-items1186_c011ad-4b ul.kt-svg-icon-list .kt-svg-icon-list-level-0 .kt-svg-icon-list-single svg{font-size:20px;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-iconlist kt-svg-icon-list-items kt-svg-icon-list-items1186_c011ad-4b kt-svg-icon-list-columns-1 alignnone\"><ul class=\"kt-svg-icon-list\"><style>.kt-svg-icon-list-item-1186_0fc3e0-f0 .kt-svg-icon-list-text mark.kt-highlight{background-color:unset;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}<\/style>\n<li class=\"wp-block-kadence-listitem kt-svg-icon-list-item-wrap kt-svg-icon-list-item-1186_0fc3e0-f0\"><span class=\"kb-svg-icon-wrap kb-svg-icon-fe_checkCircle kt-svg-icon-list-single\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"  fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"  aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M22 11.08V12a10 10 0 1 1-5.93-9.14\"\/><polyline points=\"22 4 12 14.01 9 11.01\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"kt-svg-icon-list-text\"><a title=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/bwpbozeman.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Best Western GranTree<\/a> (host hotel) (1325 North 7th, Bozeman MT 59715 406-587-5261) has a block of rooms until 2\/27\/26<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n<style>.kt-svg-icon-list-item-1186_7a4439-35 .kt-svg-icon-list-text mark.kt-highlight{background-color:unset;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}<\/style>\n<li class=\"wp-block-kadence-listitem kt-svg-icon-list-item-wrap kt-svg-icon-list-item-1186_7a4439-35 kt-svg-icon-list\"><span class=\"kb-svg-icon-wrap kb-svg-icon-fe_checkCircle kt-svg-icon-list-single\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"  fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"  aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M22 11.08V12a10 10 0 1 1-5.93-9.14\"\/><polyline points=\"22 4 12 14.01 9 11.01\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"kt-svg-icon-list-text\"><a title=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wyndhamhotels.com\/days-inn\/bozeman-montana\/days-inn-and-suites-bozeman\/overview\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Days Inn &amp; Suites<\/a> (1321 N 7th Ave, Bozeman, MT 59714 406-831-9341) has a block of rooms until 2\/27\/26<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n<style>.kt-svg-icon-list-item-1186_52cbf2-43 .kt-svg-icon-list-text mark.kt-highlight{background-color:unset;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:40px;}<\/style>\n<li class=\"wp-block-kadence-listitem kt-svg-icon-list-item-wrap kt-svg-icon-list-item-1186_52cbf2-43 kt-svg-icon-list\"><span class=\"kb-svg-icon-wrap kb-svg-icon-fe_checkCircle kt-svg-icon-list-single\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"  fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"  aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M22 11.08V12a10 10 0 1 1-5.93-9.14\"\/><polyline points=\"22 4 12 14.01 9 11.01\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"kt-svg-icon-list-text\"><a title=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fieldandstreamlodgeco.com\/bozeman\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Field and Stream Lodge<\/a> (5 E Baxter Ln, Bozeman, MT 58715 406-426-9400) has a block of rooms use code BCHM2026.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n<style>.kt-svg-icon-list-item-1186_d2ecd2-8a .kt-svg-icon-list-text mark.kt-highlight{background-color:unset;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}<\/style>\n<li class=\"wp-block-kadence-listitem kt-svg-icon-list-item-wrap kt-svg-icon-list-item-1186_d2ecd2-8a kt-svg-icon-list\"><span class=\"kb-svg-icon-wrap kb-svg-icon-fe_checkCircle kt-svg-icon-list-single\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"  fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"  aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M22 11.08V12a10 10 0 1 1-5.93-9.14\"\/><polyline points=\"22 4 12 14.01 9 11.01\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"kt-svg-icon-list-text\"><a title=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/gallatincountyfairgrounds.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gallatin Fairgrounds<\/a> has hook-ups and dry camping available.&nbsp; 406-582-3270<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>MEALS<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>All three of these hotels practically share the same parking lot. The Days Inn and Field and Stream Lodge are on either side of The GranTree. The fairground is a short walk or ride from about a block away. The full registrations will include Saturday lunch, Saturday banquet meal, and Sunday breakfast. If you have a guest with you who is not a delegate or convention attendee, you can purchase the banquet meal(s) separately. It is offered for purchase separately on your registration form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;autoclose&quot;: false, &quot;accordionItems&quot;: [] }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/accordion\" role=\"group\" class=\"wp-block-accordion is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-is-layout-flow\">\n<div data-wp-class--is-open=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;id&quot;: &quot;accordion-item-1&quot;, &quot;openByDefault&quot;: false }\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initAccordionItems\" data-wp-on-window--hashchange=\"callbacks.hashChange\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-item is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-item-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading\"><button aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-item-1-panel\" data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggle\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleKeyDown\" id=\"accordion-item-1\" type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle\"><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-title\"><strong>Speakers<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span><\/button><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div inert aria-labelledby=\"accordion-item-1\" data-wp-bind--inert=\"!state.isOpen\" id=\"accordion-item-1-panel\" role=\"region\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-panel is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-panel-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>All group speaker and break out speaker Patricia Petrina:<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My name is Patricia Petrina, I am in love with the outdoors and any way I can drag my horses into them. I started riding when I was 10 on a hand-me-down horse from my aunt, I did 4-H horse all through school and worked at a dude ranch for 12 years. I went to college for a bachelor&#8217;s in nursing and graduated in the peak of COVID. I had a hard start to nursing and wanted to plan a trip to give me something to look forward to, that was when I started planning my Long Ride.&nbsp; I had never packed before, so a good friend sent me a flyer for a free back country horsemen packing clinic in Plains, MT and I jumped at the opportunity. After that I was hooked, I joined the BCH of Plains (even though it is about 120 miles from my house) and began training my horses and myself how to pack. 3 years later we completed 2,570 miles from Mexico to Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Break out speaker Jackie Stewart:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jackie Stewart is a Montana native who discovered her true calling with horses during her first ride at just two years old. A lifetime of experience began like that of many horse-crazed kids\u2014galloping through the sagebrush before she could even reach the stirrups.&nbsp;&nbsp;She later moved on to rodeo competition, showing in multiple disciplines, and colt training. In 2012, Jackie began her career in law enforcement, and in 2015 she founded Gallatin County\u2019s first Mounted Patrol Unit with the Sheriff\u2019s Office. Jackie will share her experience developing the program and how that journey ultimately led her to Terry Nowaki\u2019s Air Scenting Clinic in 2025. Her story is a reminder that there is always more to learn\u2014about our horses and ourselves.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Break out speaker Tamara Erickson:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tamara Erickson&nbsp;is the owner and operator of Sundown Saddlery in Bozeman, Montana, where she designs and builds custom Western saddles, tack, chaps, and chinks- each piece thoughtfully crafted with precision. After a career change in 2017, Tamara turned her lifelong passion for horses and deep interest in saddle design and fit into a professional pursuit. She enrolled at the Montana Horseman Saddle School in Belgrade, Montana, completing both chaps and chinks construction and saddle-building programs, where she built her first custom saddle for her beloved horse, Sundown. That first ride in a handmade saddle sparked not just a business, but a calling. <br><br>Committed to mastering her craft, Tamara has continued her education extensively in leatherworking, English and Western saddle repair, and Western saddle fitting. Her dedication and skill led her to return to Montana Horseman Saddle School as an instructor, where she worked closely with her mentor, Dale Moore, and taught many aspiring saddle makers the increasingly rare art of building handmade, custom Western saddles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Break out speaker Dr. Katlyn Bennett DVM<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hay Testing&#8211;Practical Applications.&nbsp; Dr. Kate Bennett joined the Mountain Valley team in 2021 when she and Dr. Ben Bennett got married.&nbsp; She was born and raised on a cattle ranch in Wilsall, MT.&nbsp; She completed her undergraduate studies at Montana State University (GO BOBCATS!!) where she studied animal science.&nbsp; Following her undergraduate career, Kate was part of the first class thru the 1+3 cooperative between Montana State University and Washington State University: College of Veterinary Medicine, where she graduated with her veterinary degree in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After graduation, Kate began her career as an associate veterinarian in Riverton, WY.&nbsp; While there, she was part of an amazing team of veterinarians, technicians, and assistants at a truly mixed animal practice. As a result of being in the middle of Wyoming and a distance from referral centers, it was common for the team to manage many in-depth cases that otherwise would be referred to specialists, while still providing routine and emergency care 24\/7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a veterinarian, Kate enjoys the variety that both large and small animal practice offers her.&nbsp; On the large animal side, she treasures many aspects that take her back to the roots of growing up on the ranch with cattle and horses.&nbsp; Regarding equine, theriogenology (reproduction), individual animal care, and dental work are a few of her primary interests. She is excited to add mare reproductive and breeding services to those services already offered to Mountain Valley\u2019s patients.&nbsp; With cattle, she enjoys all aspects of working with ranchers and their operations to make them more efficient and profitable.&nbsp;Immunology and reproduction are two areas she strives to remain current on, and bring the latest information to her clients to make them most successful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Keynote Speaker Ryan (Cal) Callaghan:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan Callaghan is the President and CEO of Backcountry Hunters &amp; Anglers. Born and raised in Montana, Ryan has built his life and career around a deep commitment to public lands, wildlife, and access. Before joining BHA, he spent years as a hunting, fishing, and whitewater guide, developing a firsthand understanding of the landscapes, waters, and communities that depend on responsible stewardship.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He was able to use that perspective and skill to help build and grow notable outdoor brands First Lite, where he was the first employee and MeatEater where &#8220;Cal&#8221; hosts the hit conservation based podcast &#8220;Cal&#8217;s Week In Review&#8221;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, Ryan leads BHA\u2019s mission to defend North America\u2019s wild public lands and waters, bringing a balanced, collaborative approach rooted in his Montana upbringing and decades of experience in the field. His work focuses on ensuring that future generations inherit the same opportunities for adventure, connection, and conservation that shaped his own life.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>REGISTRATION<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In your registration packet we will include several coupons\/discount cards for local businesses and restaurants. Please take advantage of these as many are loyal supporters of our Chapter and our service projects. Thank you for signing up for the BCHMT Convention 2026! Please register and book your rooms early so you don&#8217;t miss out on special pricing for lodging and registration. Early Registration ends on March 1st. We look forward to seeing you all in March for another exciting convention!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Download the packet documents below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/files\/2025\/12\/WelcomeLetter.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Welcome Letter<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/files\/2026\/02\/Registration.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Registration<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/files\/2025\/12\/PhotoContest.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Photo Contest<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/files\/2025\/12\/WallofHonor.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Wall of Honor<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/files\/2025\/12\/RaffleFlyer.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Raffle Prize Flyer<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/files\/2026\/03\/ConventionSchedule-folder-version.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Convention Schedule<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/registration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Online Registration<\/strong><\/a> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you only want to buy Banquet tickets, please enter your name under Attendee 1 and email address and enter 0 for number of registrations and check Extra Banquet Ticket and enter the number of extra tickets at $50 each then pay by check or credit card.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>2026 BCHMT State Convention: Historic Trails and Campfire Tales Hosted by Gallatin Valley Back Country Horsemen The time is fast approaching for the next State Convention to be held in &#8230; <a title=\"Convention\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/convention\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Convention\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1186","page","type-page","status-publish"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1186","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1186"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1186\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1493,"href":"https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1186\/revisions\/1493"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bchmt.org\/wp\/gvbch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1186"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}