John Papendick: South Dakotans ready to ride at National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas

As always, the National Finals Rodeo at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas will have a South Dakota feel to it.

I can’t remember the last time a South Dakotan hasn’t competed. I don’t even know if that has ever happened. Rodeo runs deep here, especially among our West River friends and neighbors.

The event starts Thursday and continues through Dec. 11.

Tonight is also a big night for Aberdeen at the NFR. The Dacotah Stampede Rodeo, a two-day event that generally draws large crowds at the annual Brown County Fair, is one of five nominees by the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association for its national small rodeo of the year award.

The award will be given out at tonight’s PRCA awards banquet in Las Vegas. It is the first time Aberdeen’s rodeo, produced by the Sutton Rodeo Company of Onida, has been nominated. Brent Sutton, of his family’s rodeo company, is up for a national award as well.

Sutton is one of the finalists for national pickup rider of the year. A pickup rider is on horseback in the arena during rodeo events to assist competitors and to help keep them safe.

The Dacotah Stampede Rodeo started in 1973. It is held during Brown County Fair week. The 2022 rodeo in August will be Aberdeen’s 47th, as no rodeos were held in 1986, 1987 and 2020.

When the NFR competition starts Thursday, South Dakota will be represented by three women, including one of sport’s all-time greats.

This will be the 15th straight year barrel racer Lisa Lockhart of Oelrichs has qualified for the NFR. Lockhart is no stranger competing at the Dacotah Stampede in Aberdeen.

Lockhart is the top-earning barrel racer in NFR history, collecting about $1.3 million of her $3 million total earnings at the end-of-the-year national championships in Las Vegas. And only two other barrel racers in history have qualified for more NFRs than Lockhart.

Although she hasn’t won any world titles, Lockhart has been a consistent top finisher. Twice, in 2016 and 2014, she has had the best average time on her 10 runs.

Lockhart, 56, has finished fifth or better in the world standings eight times, including second as the reserve world champion in 2015 and 2014.

Another South Dakota barrel racer, Jessica Routier of Buffalo, also will represent her state in the NFR. This is the fourth trip in a row to the NFR for the 38-year-old,.

The top 15 money winners of the year qualify in each of the NFR's eight events.

Last year, Routier finished seventh in the world standings and Lockhart finished eighth. In 2019, Routier was eighth and Lockhart was fourth. In her first NFR in 2018, Routier was second and Lockhart was 11th.

And finally, 19-year-old breakaway roper Sawyer Gilbert of Buffalo will make her debut at the NFR. The first National Finals Breakaway Roping competition was held in 2020. This year, it will be Dec. 6-7 at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas in conjunction with the NFR.

Breakaway roping is growing in popularity. And promoters of the sport hope to be integrating it into NFR performances at the Thomas & Mack Arena in years to come.

Long-time South Dakota journalist John Papendick is a freelance writer, public speaker and seeker of new life experiences. Email: papendickjohn@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: At National Finals Rodeo, South Dakotans in the running for honors