Longhorn Injures Two at a Small Town Montana Parade

Two were injured by a longhorn steer at a parade in Fort Benton, MT.

It's that time of year for parades big and small across the Treasure State. In addition to Independence Day celebrations, almost every community in Montana has a summer celebration of some sort that usually includes food, a street dance, vendors, and perhaps a parade.

Last weekend, the charming north-central Montana town of Fort Benton hosted its annual Summer Celebration. Hundreds lined the street for the parade on Front Street when pandemonium broke out.

The rampaging bovine sent attendees scrambling.

According to a social media post from The River Press, a longhorn being led through the parade by two handlers suddenly became spooked and started trotting along the route, sending parade goers scrambling to get out of its way.

One woman was seriously injured when she was reportedly head-butted by the 1,200-pound animal. The victim was transported by ambulance to Fort Benton Airport, where she was airlifted to Befefis Hospital in Great Falls. A male paradegoer was also injured in the melee. The man did not require hospitalization and the woman is expected to make a full recovery.

Animals + crowds + loud sounds can be a volatile situation.

Parades are generally very safe events, but when livestock or other large animals are involved, there is an increased risk of something going wrong. The River Press notes, "The animal had participated in other parades, such as Fort Benton High School's homecoming parades, without incident in the past."

Visit Fort Benton - "The Birthplace of Montana" -  this summer.

Fort Benton is in north Central Montana. It's the oldest continuously occupied settlement in Montana and was the last stop for riverboats on the mighty Missouri River. It's been called "the world's innermost port." The town (population 1,443) is loaded with Montana history and you can easily spend a day checking everything out.