BELLE FOURCHE—Under a blazing summer sun and temperatures in the upper 90s, 4-H Rodeo contestants ages eight to 18 traveled to the Roundup Arena to compete for a chance to win prizes and qualify for the SD 4-H Finals Rodeo on Friday, July 10.
The Butte County 4-H Rodeo has been a summer destination for young rodeo competitors since 1966, marking the 60th year of the event. What started as a small gathering for the members of two local 4-H clubs has grown into a day-long event drawing over 250 competitors this year.
The Butte County 4-H Rodeo offered three divisions for kids to compete in: Jr. Jr. for boys and girls ages 8-10; Jr. Boys and Jr. Girls, ages 8-13; and Sr. Boys and Sr. Girls, ages 14-18.
Contestants get to the SD 4-H Finals by finishing in the top four in each event for the junior and senior divisions at any qualifying 4-H rodeo. The 55th Annual SD 4-H Finals Rodeo will be held in Fort Pierre on August 14-16.
Youth who win each event receive a beautiful belt buckle. Shortly after each event is over, winning contestants can make their way to the Rodeo Office to pick up their prizes. Unique to this rodeo, the contestant that scores the most points overall wins a saddle. The winner is selected from the Jr. and Sr. divisions and can be either a boy or girl who earns the most points on the day. Crowser Gravel Pit, LLC sponsored the Hi-Point Saddle. The winner was from the Jr. Boys division, Corbyn Floyd.
All-Around winners were Shaylee Porch in Sr. Girls, Corbyn Floyd in Jr. Boys, Kenzlee Bail in Jr. Girls and Treyden Hale in Jr. Jr. The Sr. Boys division ended in a three-way tie between Cooper Conry, Revyn Floyd and Hadley Matt.
In its second year, the Hot Shot Award was given in memory of John L. Skogberg. The award was presented to a rodeo contestant who excels in the arena but also in life. The person chosen for this award must demonstrate good character, sportsmanship, faithfulness and kindness. Genevieve Skogberg, Cody Skogberg and LaVonna Skogberg were all on hand to present a custom wood frame made by Jan Persche. This year’s honoree was Clancy Goebel, a Sr. Boy from Belle Fourche.
Abby Olsen, along with her husband Jay, takes the lead in organizing the rodeo. They work with a rodeo committee of around ten volunteers. Together, they plan all aspects of the event and recruit additional volunteers to help ensure it runs smoothly. The youth rodeo also relies on a great group of sponsors to support the event.
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