UNDATED – Once again, South Dakota proved why rodeo is perhaps, its number one sport as three area rodeo’s picked up prestigious awards to kick off the National Finals Rodeo in Arlington, Texas Wednesday night.
Deadwood’s Days of ’76 Rodeo added more hardware to its award arsenal after being named the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s (PRCA) Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year for 2020.
This is the first time the Days of ’76 has received a Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year nod.
In the history of the PRCA, no rodeo has received small, medium and large outdoor rodeo of the year awards and been inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame.
The annual Black Hills Roundup in Belle Fourche also walked away with some hardware. The popular rodeo won the PRCA Medium Rodeo of the Year Award.
And, Rodeo Rapid City flexed its muscles as the popular rodeo at the annual Black Hills Stock Show won the PRCA Large Indoor Rodeo of the Year Award.
Here is a list of complete winners from Wednesday’s award show:
Award winners
• Purina Horse of the Year – Pocketful of Light “Pockets,” owned by Caleb Schmidt (tie-down roping); Dashin Haze “Tyson,” owned by Curtis Cassidy (steer wrestling); RK Tuff Trinket “Bob,” owned by Riley Minor (team roping heading); Nita Win Playboy “Drago” owned by Logan Medlin and Leos Highbrow “Sug,” owned by Brady Minor (team roping heeling); Lena Joe Ichi “Professor,” owned by Martin Poindexter (steer roping); and High Valor “Valor,” owned by Dona Kay Rule (barrel racing).
• John Justin Standard of the West Committeeman of the Year – Al Girard, San Bernardino (Calif.) County Sheriff’s PRCA Pro Rodeo
• Pendleton Whisky Let ‘Er Buck Bucking Stock of the Year – Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Top Flight (bareback); The Cervi Brothers’ Womanizer (saddle bronc); Powder River Rodeo’s Chiseled (bull)
• PRCA Media Awards, Rodeo Photographer of the Year – Dan Hubbell
• PRCA Media Awards, Excellence in Print Journalism – Brett Hoffman
• PRCA Media Awards, Excellence in Multimedia Journalism – The Cowboy Channel & PRCA on Cowboy Channel+ App
• Polaris RANGER Remuda Awards –Summit Pro Rodeo (stock contractor); Ute Valley Stampede | Nephi, Utah (rodeo committee)
• Hesston Sowing Good Deeds – Caldwell (Idaho) Night Rodeo
• Coors Man in the Can – Keith Isley
• PRCA Clown of the Year – Justin Rumford
• PRCA Timer of the Year – Brenda Crowder
• PRCA Secretary of the Year – Sunni Deb Backstrom
• PRCA Dress Act of the Year – Rider Kiesner and Bethany Iles
• PRCA Comedy Act of the Year – John Harrison
• PRCA Small Rodeo of the Year – Mesquite, Texas
• PRCA Medium Rodeo of the Year – Belle Fourche, S.D.
• PRCA Large Indoor Rodeo of the Year – Rapid City, S.D.
• PRCA Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year – Deadwood, S.D.
• PRCA Music Director of the Year – Jill Franzen Loden
• PRCA Pick-Up Man of the Year – Rex Bugbee
• PRCA Bullfighter of the Year – Cody Webster
• PRCA Announcer of the Year – Bob Tallman
• PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year – Frontier Rodeo
• PRCA Donita Barnes Contract Personnel Lifetime Achievement – Cindy Rosser
