RAPID CITY, S.D.. – Several PRCA world champion cowboys and cowgirls will make Rapid City one of their first stops in the new season this month, including Trevor Brazile, who’s fresh off tying Ty Murray’s record for most world all-around titles after earning his seventh in Las Vegas last December.
At the Black Hills Stock Show (BHSS) Rodeo, starting with slack Jan. 29, through performances running Feb. 4-6, rodeo contestants will compete for over $200,000 in prize money. Brazile, from Decatur, Texas, will compete in both his signature events, tie-down and team roping, He’ll be joined in Rapid City by his closest competition for gold all-around buckle Number Eight – Josh Peek and Ryan Jarrett.
Just over a month after doing the play-by-play for ESPN at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR), Joe Beaver will team rope in Rapid City, also, along with the likes of newly crowned world champions Nick Sartain and Kollin VonAhn, plus world champs such as Allen Bach, Randon Adams, Matt Sherwood, Bobby Harris (of Highmore) and Clay Tryan.
The timed events at Rapid City could be a virtual repeat of the recent NFR, boasting world champion steer wrestler Luke Branquinho, along with Curtis Cassidy, Stockton Graves, Dean Gorsuch and the Knowles cousins – Blake and Trevor. In tie-down roping, Mike Johnson will try to resume his streak of NFR qualifications by earning money at Rapid City, along with world-record fast-time holder Jeff Chapman, all three of Roy Cooper’s sons (including NFR average champion Tuf Cooper), and veteran Blair Burk.
The roughstock events hold plenty of suspense in store for some of the world’s best bronc and bull riders. South Dakota’s own superstar band of boys, JJ, Cole and Ryan Elshere, will nod their heads in the saddle bronc riding, along with the likes of world champion Taos Muncy, reserve world champ Cody Wright, Rod Hay and others.
Local bareback riders Cleve Schmidt (of Piedmont) and Scott Montague (of Rapid City), will be gunning for youngsters Kaycee Field and Royce Ford, plus veterans like DV Fennell and Chris Harris in the bareback riding at Rapid City. In the bull riding, local star Jesse Bail will duke it out with veterans such as Myron Duarte and young guns like Bobby Welsh and Kanin Asay. Also, look for South Dakota’s Taylor Cowan, who narrowly missed being named the PRCA’s Bull Riding Rookie of the Year in 2009.
The BHSS Rodeo, produced by South Dakota’s own Sutton family of Onida, kicks off with the PRCA Xtreme Bulls on Jan. 29-30 at 7 p.m. nightly, with a special concert by Tanya Tucker following Friday night’s bull riding. Then five rodeo performances run Feb. 4-6. Many more events are on tap throughout the week, so visit www.blackhillsstockshowrodeo.com for the full schedule.
Buy tickets by calling (800) GOT-MINE, www.gotmine.com, or at the Civic Center ticket window or ticket kiosks, as well as at the Silverado in Deadwood, S.D. Host hotels include the Radisson Hotel, the Ramkota, Rushmore Plaza Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Country Inn and Suites, and the Grand Gateway Hotel, and ISIS Hospitality in Rapid City.
