The Days of '76 Rodeo at Deadwood was named the Medium Market Rodeo of the Year for the fourth consecutive year during the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association awards ceremony Wednesday night in Las Vegas.

The Deadwood rodeo also has won the small-market rodeo award for four years.

On hand to receive the award were Days of '76 Rodeo Committee Chairman Ted Thompson of Whitewood and committee members Jon Mattson of Deadwood, Mark Straub of Deadwood, Mac Meyer of Rapid City, Curt Olson of St. Onge, Joe Peterson of Deadwood, and Chris and Pat Roberts of Deadwood.

Other Days of '76 committee members are Dawn and Ron Burns of Deadwood and Greg Nelson of Deadwood.

"That's a very prestigious award to get when you go up against that many rodeos in the U.S. and Canada," Thompson said.

"Just to be nominated is a huge honor," Thompson said. "South Dakota dang sure made a showing."

The Black Hills Roundup of Belle Fourche was a finalist in the medium category, along with Kitsap County Fair & Stampede in Bremerton, Wash.; the Gladewater (Texas) Round-Up Rodeo; and the Dixie National Roundup in Jackson, Miss.

The Black Hills Stock Show Rodeo was a finalist in the large indoor rodeo category, losing to the San Antonio (Texas) Stock Show & Rodeo. Other large indoor rodeo finalists were the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, the National Western Rodeo in Denver, and the Southwestern Exposition & Livestock Show in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Crystal Springs Ranch Rodeo in Clear Lake won the small market rodeo award for the first time. The Clear Lake rodeo is produced by Sutton Rodeos of Onida, which also produces the Black Hills Stock Show Rodeo. It competed against the Rooftop Rodeo of Estes Park, Colo., Steamboat Springs (Colo.) ProRodeo Series, the Mesquite (Texas) Championship Rodeo and the Helotes (Texas) Festival Association Rodeo.

Contact Steve Miller at 394-8417 or steve.miller@rapidcityjournal.com