BELLE FOURCHE—The 106th Annual Black Hills Roundup six-time Medium Sized Rodeo of the Year once again delivered four days of action packed PRCA rodeo. The Black Hills Roundup Arena hosted some of the top PRCA cowboys and cowgirls during the 4th of July celebration on July 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th. The rodeos on the evening of July 3rd and afternoon of July 4th were sold out!
For the second year in a row, Championship Pro Rodeo, one of the elite rodeo producers in the Great Lakes Circuit, put together an action-filled four days of rodeo and entertainment. They also brought award-winning stock that made for exciting rodeo displays for the crowd to stay engaged with all the action in the arena. Additional stock was brought by Burch Rodeo, Harper and Morgan Rodeo and Mundorf Cattle.
New this year to the Roundup was Rodeo Clown and Barrelman Matt Merritt. He came out and interacted with the crowd, gave high-fives and told jokes all throughout the rodeo performance. At the end of each rodeo Merritt would pick the best fan of the night and award them with an autographed t-shirt. He also hosted events in the arena for the kids such as the calf scramble before sliding into his barrel during the bull riding. He assists the bullfighters in protecting the bull riders during the dangerous event.
The voice of the rodeo was a shared duty. Steve Goedert announced from high above the arena in the crows nest, while Andy Seiler announced from horseback inside the arena. The duo kept the rodeo rolling along and kept the crowd informed and entertained.
Music plays an important part in the excitement and energy of a rodeo. For the second year in a row PRCA Music Director Wil Moorhead kept the music pumping from the beginning to the end of every performance.
On the evenings of July 2nd and 3rd, Fritz Carlson of Belle Fourche put on an amazing fireworks show for the entire area. The lighting display is one of the largest, most elaborate fireworks display in the Black Hills region. If you are in the Roundup Arena area, you are fortunate enough to get a musical sound of patriotic songs from rock to country to traditional music to go along with the fireworks. However, the show can be seen from all over the area.
The event goers that were not quite ready to go home at the end of the rodeo took advantage of the live music and dance behind the grandstands after every night rodeo. Dakota Country played on the 2nd and 3rd and Wilt Brothers entertained the crowd on the evening of the 5th.
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