2006 Vigilante Parade Lead Story:

    More than 170 floats and 1,434 energetic high school students participated in Helena’s own 82nd  annual Vigilante Parade under clear blue skies Friday.     A sheep-shearing float and an authentic pioneer wagon took home the top prizes.
    The sheep—whose thick coats were sheared off publicly by five Capital High  young women —didn’t appear to enjoy the parade as much as the onlookers. This float’s  originality and quality earned “Sheep Shearing Now and Then” the Sweepstakes Award—a unanimous decision of the five community judges.
    “A Pioneer’s Covered Wagon on the Bozeman Trail,” an 1800s wagon replete with authentic frontier paraphernalia, won the Special Judges Award. “They put a lot of work into it,” said Jon Axline, a judge who commended this float for its historical accuracy. “Steamboating to Fort Benton,” with its clean lines and nautical outfits, won the Most Artistic award.
    The judges said they appreciate the variety of subject matter represented in the parade, but also hope that students will delve into other historical events that have not been covered in recent parades.
    The 2006 parade had an abundance of bakeries (and flour throwing), boxing matches, rodeos, bars, brothels, and local businesses, along with mining, firefighter and camping floats. There were also Native American dancers, horseback riders, historical Montana sporting events, along with the Capital and Helena High marching bands, drill teams and royalty.
    The “U.S. Cavalry Saved Yellowstone Park” float earned the Most Authentic award, and the “The Copper Crusade” float—a parody comparing Butte’s war of the copper kings with a religious crusade—was deemed the Most Humorous.
    There were some action floats, such as live horseracing (on stick horses), a hockey game, dogsled race and a skiing scene with a chairlift. The St. Peter’s Hospital float featured “doctors” wearing “bloody” scrubs performing an operation.
    Axline said he particularly enjoyed the Big Foot float, with a huge foot terrorizing people; and the Ulm Pishkun buffalo jump, in which Native Americans drove a student dressed as a buffalo over a cliff.
    The sophomore class (of both schools combined) won the H.J. Roberts Cup for the highest class participation with 58.1 percent of sophomores participating. Freshmen were second, with 53.6 percent, followed by seniors (46.8 percent) and juniors (45.5 percent).
    The sophomore class was awarded the Wahl Cup for having the greatest number of prize-winning entries.
    Images of the 2006 Vigilante  Parade can be found on the Helena High and Capital High web sites at www.hhs.helena.k12.mt.us and www.chs.helena.k12.mt.us.

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Sweepstakes Award – Miscellaneous – “Sheep Shearing Now and Then”:    Amber    Novak, Mandi Petrosky, Kayla Novak, Brittany Allen, Kelly Bradley

Judges’ Choice Award – Pioneer Life – “A Pioneers Covered Wagon on the Bozeman Trail”:    Brooke Slevin, Erica Gudmundsen, Maggie Lamoreux, Jacqueline Warren

Most Humorous Award – Miscellaneous – “The Copper Crusade”:    Travis    Capps, Ed Wilkinson, Chris Wheat, Jarek Watts, Jake Vulk, Alex Teberg, Blake Stanger, Josh Underkofler, Cody Emerson, Mike Bartlet, Matt Williams, Jesse Hoffmann

Most Artistic Award – Pioneer Business – “Steamboating to Ft. Benton”: Hannah    Paton, Nicole Lawler, Megan Hays, Ashley Buswell, Kara Hanson

Most Authentic Award – Horseback – “U.S. Calvary Saved Yellowstone National Park”: Kaylee    Zerr, Kelsey Hanson, Brittany Wigert

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Miscellaneous, first place – “Amelia Earhart Flies to Helena”: Devonna Valvoda, Cathryn Forbes, Sydney Fredrickson, Amanda Trumper, Kathryn Cartwright

Miscellaneous, second place - "Big Foot or Big Fake": Dana Whitaker, Rachel Staley, Nikki Burkett, Aubrey Bush, Pily Hoffens, Toni Miller, Heather Ridout, Ashley Smith, Jake Staley, Lauren Weaver

Antique Vehicles, first place – “Cruizin' in 1939”:  Lindsey Nickel, Kim Carlson

Antique Vehicles, second place – “1959 Triumph TR3A”: Maria Brown, Wes Ballantyne

Antique Vehicles, third place – “1967 Mustang”: Anna Wirth, Shawna Kelly, Cassie Serumgard, Mary-Kate Morrison

Famous People, first place – “George Anderson: American Accountant”: Chance Anderson, Jeff     Marty, Andrew Murphy, Dylan Larson, Patrique Ludan, Nick Kettman

Famous People, second place – “The Unabomber”: Marcia Levitan, Mitchell Everts, Janna Hoy, DJ Smetana, Michelle Dunlap

Montana Education, first place - “High School Home”: Sam Zeller, Geoff Rawson, Derek Daniels, Logan Carpenter, Nate Caldwell

Walking, first place – “Mystic Dancers of the Plains”: Jaeger Rusher, Sean Clinch, Brian Aasen, Jacob Blokzyl, Phillip    Legg, John Hamm

Horseback, first place – “Last Move”: Amanda Henry, Nicole Johnson, Destiny Bonacci, Rebacca Crum, Miranda Lai

Horseback, (Tie) second place – “Fuel Efficient Car of 2006”: Marisa O'Sullivan, Cambryn O’Sullivan; “Flag Bearers”: Taylor Yanzick, Mattie Murphy, Whitney Dirks

Mining, first place – “Drumlummon Mine”: Brandon Pocha, Dustin O’Connel, Quinn Noel, Francis Reishus, Tyson Kanta, Cameron Dana, Craig Dalton, Grant Boynton, Travis Rask, Jon Mahrt

Mining, second place – “Mining in Last Chance Gulch”: Hannah Seifert, Josha Gleich, Kelsey Anthony, Elena Egan-Klinkel, Erin Murphy, Jannie Silvonen, Ceri Weaver

Mining, third place – “The Berkely Pit: Past and Present”:  Susan Wheeler, Britta Seipp, Eric Barnido, Sara Muscarelli, Nick Kaufman, Kayla Pierce, Delisa Pearson, Joey Steffens

Recreation, first place – “Asarco Smelterites”: Matt    Hustad, Matt Upham, Brad Boethcher, Ryan Fetherston, Nick Trapp

Recreation, second place – “Montana's 4-H Fair”: Tracy Marshall, Amy Ericksen, Dagny Cannon, Rita Barcon, Kim Ericksen, Layla Mathis

Recreation, third place – “Old Works: Then and Now”: Lexi Amundsen, Bryan Hurtle, Maria Miller, Katrina Seipp, Stephen Steffens, Heather Stipich, Carly Culver, Shannon Connolly, Megan Butler, Josie Grotbo, Bethany Cordell

Recreation, fourth place – “Remember the Races”:  Amanda Johnston, Caitlyn Symons, Hillary Tervo, Hallie Swain, Ashley Reese, Lindsey Holliday, Alyssa Gilbert, Heather Bomar, Lindsay Erickson, Kelsey Crawford, McKenzie Farrell, Meg Volesky

Recreation, fifth place – “Mt. Belmont”: Tony Lubick, Emily Goe, Jesse Ruzicka, Ross Marty, Erica Pimley, Clin Kingery, Garrett Mitchell, Brennan Folsom, Austin Feiss, Erinleigh Caughron, Jana Barros, Riley Griffin

Pre-History, first place – “Graveyard Digging”: Bailey Montague, Lacey Carrillo, Kelcie Wampler, Laura Rush, Ashley Keller, Leigh Hicks, Breanna Fisher, Brigitta Stevens

Pioneer Life, first place - “Western Justice”: Tyler Huffman, Travis Hausler, Josiah
Ediger, Russell Arnold, Casey Almas, Ross Rowsey, Tim Bramblett, Robert Brazel

Pioneer Life, second place - “Vigilante Justice”: Jeff Chamberlin, Kelly Wardell, Sam  
     Songer, Jon Orthmeyer, Kristen Oaks, Connie Mundt, Chris Lustgraaf, Elizabeth
     Jacobson, Rusty Higgins, Lucas Fradette, C.J. Monteith, Mike Grey

Pioneer Life, third place - “Shanty Towns in Montana During the Depression”: Alicia  
     Byers, April Boucher, Terrin Clark, Talor Darfler, Chelsea Hamlin, Caroline Quinn, 
     Adam Strizich, Paige Vinton, Jesse Walstud

Pioneer Business, first place - “The Wise Penny Antique Shop”: Kayla Fabiano, Megan
     Maddio, Keshia Kerchner, Kaydee Heiple, Broc Willems, Brittany Bohler, Ryan
     Fonk, Eve Book, Kynslee Scott

Historical, first place - “History of the Helena Fire Department-100 Years Difference”: 
     Grady Hall, Tom Kain, Levi Oelrich, Tim Thennis, Ryan Clinch, Chris Fisher, Cody 
     Deppmeier

Historical, second place - “Ulm Pishkun Buffalo Jump”: Sean Thorton, Tim Sparing, Dan
     Sorenson, John McGowan, Seth Long, Kyle Beto, Joe Andriolo, Tom Quinn, Casey  
    George

Historical, third place - “Montana Horse Racing”: Kinsley Wilson, Lander Jewett, Stuart 
     Ames, Hayden Wilson, Sam Hunthausen, Jakob Moullet, Eric Virag

Historical, fourth place - “History of the Helena Newspaper”: Jess Gyapay. Patrick Funk,
      Tanner Flansaas, Hayden Wilson, Chris Cordingley, Jacob Ruzicka, Andy 
      Metropoulos

Historical, fifth place - “Smokejumpers at Mann Gulch”: Tawnya Rieben, Kallie Mannin,
      Rileigh Montgomery, Lani Franks-Ongoy, Courtney Benefield, Julie Grant, Mary
      McKeon 

Historical, sixth place - “Lewis and Clark Caverns”: Rachelle Sparks, Kara Hughes,
     Ashley Holshue, Emily Fischer, Olivia Coen, Karlee Kleinshmidt, Elena Edquest,
     Mikal Chancy
 

Images of the 2006 Vigilante Parade can be found on the Helena High and Capital High web sites at www.hhs.helena.k12.mt.us and www.chs.helena.k12.mt.us


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