RAPID CITY - The chutes will open on the high school rodeo season Saturday in White River. And for the athletes, it may be a little trying.
"It's the first rodeo of the season," said Mary Kay Sell, an organizer of the Kadoka rodeo, which is part of the 'triple crown' series of practice rodeos to open the season. "It's trying because (cowboys and cowgirls) haven't been going. It will be wet, muddy and cold."
The other two 'triple crown' rodeos are at Burke on Sunday and Kadoka on Monday. Action begins at 9 a.m. in White River.
Sell, who is a rodeo club advisor for Bennett County High School, said that the athletes have used spring sports at their respective high schools to stay in shape for the rodeo. Adding to the difficulty of the event will be the 'freshness' of the stock. The animals will not be tired because it is early in the season.
Rodeo participants do not have to show to the practice rodeos to qualify for the state finals rodeo because no points are available. That said, there are 158 entries for this weekend's series of rodeos - which is a number close to last year's despite high fuel costs, Sell said.
"I would hope for people to afford rodeo this season," Sell said. "But I am impressed with the number of triple crown entries."
"I hope a lot of people can come and see the youth in action."
Ann Sundermann, secretary of the South Dakota High School Rodeo Association, is happy to see the start of rodeo season. She said the early season practice rodeos give the athletes a chance to practice during a time that many of the rodeo athletes are still completing spring sports season at their respective high schools. There are also some nice prizes available, including saddles for the all-around winners, buckles and other items.
Cowboys and cowgirls earn points toward the State Finals Rodeo through qualifying rodeos, which begin in June. The top finishers at the state finals advance to the High School National Finals Rodeo in July.
"Qualifying rodeos, everybody's there," Sundermann said.
The top finishers at the state finals rodeo also are invited to a 20X Extreme Showcase Rodeo at the Black Hills Stock Show each winter. The event is not part of the regular rodeo season nor is it a practice rodeo, but it is an honor for the cowboys and cowgirls who are invited to compete, Sundermann said.
Girls events at high school rodeos include breakaway roping, pole bending, cutting, team roping and goat tying. Boys events include saddle bronc, bareback riding, bull riding, calf roping and steer wrestling. There are some boys and girls cutting events, and some rodeos have a rodeo queen contest.
Sundermann said that high school rodeo is very popular in South Dakota. There are 519 members of the SDHSRA and that number is continuing to increase.
Sundermann said that rodeo is a great family sport and most people that travel to the rodeos spend time with other competitors' families and rodeo fans. It is that aspect of the sport that Sundermann looks forward to each spring.
"Most of all, it is nice seeing all of the people we haven't seen all winter," she said. She said that she is also looking forward to seeing the freshman compete at the high school level for the first time, and she likes to see all of the new horses.
There have been no changes to the sport at the high school level in South Dakota, Sundermann said, but there is one negative aspect this season. Fuel prices may limit the number of participants at rodeos this year.
"I just think with the increase in fuel that people will be picking and choosing where they will go," Sundermann said. She said that the costs to haul trailers and horses are starting to take a toll on the rodeo families. However, she likes what she is seeing from the families and rodeo sponsors.
High school rodeo is also funded by calendar sales in the fall. For more information on high school rodeo, go to www.sdhsra.com.
