Over the weekend, the SDSU Rodeo Team hosted the 68th Jackrabbit Stampede at the Dacotah Bank Center filling the stands with 3,555 tickets sold. The team had a packed event with many individuals competing in different events including barrel racing, break-away roping, goat tying, team roping and rough riding.
MaKenna Schentzel competed over the weekend with her horse, Clancy, in barrel racing after such a great weekend her favorite part was “The actual competing because it’s just me in my horse in the ally,” Schentzel said.
Ron Skovly has been head coach of the SDSU Rodeo Team for the past 14 years. He says he and the team have stayed busy planning the stampede since November between advertising, practice and more.
“Thank all of our sponsors and everyone that came to support us. We appreciate them greatly and hope to see them come back next year,” Skovly said.
Freshman team and breakaway roper Swayze Ness had a great weekend competing in her first Jackrabbit Stampede.
“My favorite part about the Jackrabbit Stampede was getting to do the grand entry with my teammates,” Ness said. “The entire crowd was celebrating us and all of our accomplishments.”
“It was a very stressful weekend but [was] amazing to have classmates and family come to watch,” Schentzel said. Overall, the weekend was a great success for the SDSU Rodeo Team when seeing the final results.
The Jackrabbit Stampede is only one of many different rodeos the team will attend throughout the year. The next will be in Spearfish, April 26 and 27.