Flipping into tradition: Mount Helena Open Gymnastics Competition returns

By Madelyn Heath

Helena flipped into the spotlight as the Gym 406 Mount Helena Open returned to the Queen City, bringing young gymnasts and families to the Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds. The meet, described by organizers as one of Montana’s longest-running sporting traditions, showcases athletes ages six to eighteen and offers a mix of competition and development for participants from across the state and the surrounding region.

Organizers said the event mixes experience and practice by rotating competitors through every apparatus. "All gymnasts compete in every event in a rotation to give experience to the youngsters and practice to those who have been competing for a long time." Gym 406 co-owner Casey Hammond framed the meet as both a developmental opportunity and a community draw: "I think all the kids have a great experience at this meet, and the fact that we have been doing it for 47 years keeps people coming back," Hammond said.

Photographers captured the energy and variety of the day. "A gymnast flips during a vault competition Jan. 24, 2026 during the Gym 406 Mount Helena Open at the Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds." "A gymnast does a cartwheel atop a beam as judges watch the performance Jan. 24, 2026 at the Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds during the Gym 406 Mount Helena Open." "A gymnast walks the floor Jan. 24, 2026 at the Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds during the Gym 406 Mount Helena Open." Judges monitored vaults, beams and floor routines as competitors moved through rotations, with images showing gymnasts extending after a vault, posing atop a beam, and hanging upside down during a floor routine.

Beyond medals, competitors emphasized hard work, camaraderie and mental resilience. "It is important to be a hard-working person while you are a gymnast because otherwise you will just end up staying plateaued the whole way through your career," Russell Baker said, adding that the sport also offers social connection: "I do it so I have something to do, and create friends, have a fun environment to hang out in, while also doing the things I love." Eisley Bushilla described the sport’s psychological demands: "I do gymnastics because I feel like it is a mentally tough sport and I like getting over that challenge of being scared on a skill."

For Lewis and Clark County, the meet functions as both recreation and public health investment. Youth sport promotes physical activity, motor-skill development and mental coping skills, and local events like the Mount Helena Open bring families into community spaces where informal social support networks form. The meet also has economic impact for local vendors and volunteers, while underscoring questions about equitable access: the competition is open to the public "with a small admission fee," but organizers have not disclosed ticket pricing, and there was no published count of competitors or attendance.

Photos from the meet are dated Jan. 24, 2026, and KTVH reported the events would run through Sunday at the Lewis and Clark Fairgrounds. As Gym 406 and stakeholders look ahead, sustaining a 47-year tradition may depend on continued community support, affordable access for families, and local policies that prioritize youth sport as part of broader public health and equity goals. The Mount Helena Open offered more than competition this year - it reinforced a community rhythm that helps young athletes build skills, friendships and resilience.