Leland Morast

Leland Morast, 76, a cowboy who commonly went by "Lee," passed away Jan. 13 at the Eastern Montana Veterans Home in Glendive, MT, after a troubling torment of dementia. Funeral services will be held at 1 PM MST Tuesday, January 20 with visitation held one hour prior at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Halliday, ND. His burial will follow at 1 PM MST Wednesday, January 21 at the ND Veterans Cemetery in Mandan, ND.

Leland was a lifelong rodeo cowboy and rancher who rarely bragged about his team roping victories or fastest horses. But, despite the modesty, he spent some of his final years talking about a horse named Spur. After all, Spur became a phenom. The horse that was plucked out of California and trained on Morast's ranch outside Halliday, ND, was named the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association's Horse of the Year in 2024, essentially being crowned one of the world's best team roping horses. A fitting tribute to a man whose life was dedicated to rodeo, team roping and identifying the type of horses that fit Tom T. Hall's definition of what is best in life. (Hint: fast.)

Born in Hazen, ND, in 1949, Morast began life on a farm outside of Zap, ND, before his family relocated to a farm near Halliday, ND. There he rode horse to a one-room country school house, no matter the weather, until all area students were sent to Halliday for their education. He came up during rock 'n' roll's dawning age, dressing like Buddy Holly, and was student manager for a Halliday High basketball team that made the state Class B tournament in 1967.

After high school he attended North Dakota State University, then Dickinson State University, meeting friends that became lifelong fixtures while studying animal sciences and agriculture business. While a student he worked at a local livestock arena and Zipped to Zap. But Morast's education was disrupted in early 1971 when he was drafted and sent away to serve in the Vietnam War. 

Even on an Army base in Vietnam Morast's passion for rodeo prevailed. He earned the nickname "Cowboy" from his fellow soldiers because he was often seen swinging a rope and aiming it at chairs set up to represent a steer, while a war raged on in the distance.

An early release from service, after a plea to federal politicians by his mother, who had multiple sons in the military, allowed Lee a return to North Dakota and his wife Kaylen (Stuhlmiller). They had wed shortly before he was sent to basic training and eventually settled north of Killdeer, ND, to work on a ranch. 

This was when Morast became a student of rodeo, learning more about team roping and horsemanship from the ranchers of that area. He took to it well and soon became a fixture in the regional rodeo scene, often seen in the arena, or a nearby bar with friends afterward. His roping knowledge was never hoarded.

Lee and his wife returned to Halliday in 1974, after he earned a degree from Bismarck State College, to work on the family farm and ranch, eventually taking it over and spending the bulk of his life on the farmstead with their own family.

He participated in Rough Rider and PRCA rodeo associations while qualifying for the Badlands circuit finals in team roping several times. Buckles and saddles were won. Horses were trained and sold. And as rodeo began to expand nationally, Morast won the 10 and 8 ropings at the United State Team Roping Championships first year in North Dakota, earning the first of his multiple trips to the USTRC national championships in Oklahoma. Morast was also quick to help younger ropers understand the nuances of a sport defined by intricacies and variables.

Outside of the rodeo arena much of his life was spent dancing with his wife, socializing with his legion of friends or working on his farm and ranch, until injuries forced him to switch professions. He often worked as a salesman, selling roofs and horse trailers, among other things, and later worked in the oil field as a safety inspector.

Yet, rodeo and horses remained. Well into his 70s, Lee was still winning team roping events, including qualifying for the short round at the World Series of Team Roping in Las Vegas. In his final months, he still wore the won buckles and jackets denoting his championship mettle. And even as old age and dementia stole his ability to participate, he watched with pride when that horse named Spur carried Tyler Wade to a pair of team roping World Championships. A legacy in rodeo that can't be erased by a memory-devouring disease.

Morast is survived by his wife; sons Robert and Luke; his grandson Liddon; and daughters-in-law Leah (Kobrinsky) Morast and Kailey Appledoorn; as well as a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and roping partners.

He was preceded in death by his parents Edwin and Hilma; brothers Lyle and Bruce; infant son Jack; and several cherished horses.

Arrangements are conducted by Barbot Funeral Home, Beulah and Hazen.

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