The sky was blue the day Patrick Carlson traveled from the Blackfeet Nation to bless the future site of the Majestic Valley Arena. Only wispy clouds hung over the distant peaks of Glacier National Park.

But as Carlson began the ceremony to protect the land and invite good spirits, a negative presence appeared on the southeast corner of the property north of Kalispell. Black clouds rolled in, and the wind picked up.  

Carlson cleared the presence, and as he drove home later that day, the storm gave way to clear skies, revealing the majestic valley around him. 

“And that’s the truth,” said Bob Parker, owner of Majestic Valley Arena. 

Nearly 25 years later, the equestrian and events center of U.S. 93 will be inducted into the Cowboy Hall of Fame as owners Bob and Jan Parker look to pass the reins to the next generation of rodeo enthusiasts. 

Founded in 2003, the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center celebrate the people and places that uphold Western, cowboy and Native American cultures. 

“[This arena has] done more to support and encourage the rodeo community, which I'm a part of, than any other facility that I can think of in the whole state. I think it is just awesome,” said Ted Valentiner, a board member with the Hall of Fame.  

Valentiner and his wife, Linda Shannon, nominated the arena earlier this year.  

The official name of the grounds is Gleann Maorgain, Gaelic for “majestic valley,” noting the Parker’s rich Irish history.  

The indoor arena boasts a log exterior entrance with 56,000-square-feet of space.  A 45,000-square-foot outdoor arena and complexes of stalls allow for a versatile facility.  

A horse statue is positioned at the entrance with the U.S., Montana and Canadian flags framing a view of the mountains to the east.  

“If you stand out here in front of this arena and you look out to the east, you have no doubt whatsoever that it couldn’t be more appropriately named,” Valentiner said.  

BOB GREW up on ranches around Pueblo, Colorado. He graduated high school in Rio De Janeiro in Brazil after the family moved to South America for his stepfather’s job. 

He went on to serve in the Air Force in the 1960s and 70s as an air traffic controller in Colorado, and later moved to the Flathead Valley in 1978 for work. 

“When I drove into this valley, I knew I wasn’t leaving,” Bob smiled.  

Bob met Jan in 1999 after she came to Montana to help a friend with a home renovation. They’ve been together ever since.  

As an avid team roper, Bob realized there was no central, large space for rodeos or equine events in the valley. The Parkers bought the land for a new arena in 2000 and started construction the following year. 

Carlson returned for the grand opening on April 4, 2002, and rode one of Bob’s horses as he blessed the space again. The Blackfeet tribe has been one of the strongest supporters of the arena since the beginning, Bob said. 

Since the grand opening, Majestic Valley Arena has hosted many top-tier events, including the Northern Rodeo Association Finals, the annual Brash Rodeo Winter Series, the Shrine Circus, holiday markets, high school graduations, concerts and boxing bouts 

“When you run a facility like this, you have to remember, this is not about you. It’s about what is needed or popular in the community,” Jan said.  

Jan reminisced about when the group The von Trapp Children, whose family inspired the movie “The Sound of Music,” performed. The arena made no money that night, she laughed, but it was “just perfect.”  

Locking down the Montana High School Rodeo Association State Finals was the highlight of Bob’s career. 

AFTER DECADES of community involvement, the Parkers are currently under contract to sell the arena to someone they said will maintain the arena’s Western style. 

“We need fresh blood,” Jan said. “We need to have the next generation come in with fresh ideas, a fresh approach to things." 

The Parkers feel good about closing this chapter in their lives. Selling the arena the same year it is inducted into the Cowboy Hall of Fame is a good send off, Jan said.  

Sitting in the arena, Bob wearing a black cowboy hat, both Jan and Bob in boots, the pair looked at one another, eyes gleaming as they talked about the memories made in the arena. 

“We’re proud of what we accomplished here,” Jan said. “It was a different party every weekend.” 

Majestic Valley Arena is part of the 18th class of the Cowboy Hall of Fame. An induction ceremony is planned for February in Great Falls.  

Reporter Kate Heston may be reached at 758-4459 or [email protected].

    Majestic Valley Arena in Kalispell on Thursday, Oct. 23. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider