The South Dakota State University rodeo team opened its season at River Falls, Wisconsin, on Sept. 5-6 and the women’s team came home with a first-place finish.
The women placed first with 300 points. Laney Hoier, a freshman agriculture and biosystems engineering major from Herman, Nebraska, won breakaway roping. Junior Swayze Ness, an agricultural science major from Kimball, followed close behind in second.
The team started practices the first week of school. Despite just a week and a half of practice, the team felt ready.
“This is the strongest, most confident I’ve ever been going into a season,” said women’s team captain Jazzlyn McGirr. She’s a senior studying graphic design and is from Huron.
Despite picking up some awards on the women’s side, it was a rough weekend for the men’s team. They did not pick up any points in the team overalls.
“Hopefully we got all of the dust knocked off now before we go to North Platte,” coach Ron Skovly said.
SDSU has had a rodeo program for 72 years. The team currently has 41 competitive students and awards athletes with $48,000 in scholarships each year.
To fund scholarships, practice stock and other expenses, the team heavily relies on fundraisers like One Day for STATE.
“There’s a lot of work that goes in behind the scenes to get the money put together for our budget,” Skovly said.
Collegiate rodeo has nine events. Bareback riding, bull riding, saddle bronc riding, tie down roping and steer wrestling are the men’s events. Barrel racing, breakaway roping, and goat tying are the women’s events. Team roping is the only coed event.
When tallying the team award, coaches can select only four women and six men who will gain points for SDSU.
“It’s like fantasy football for every rodeo coach, not knowing which team members are going to get points that weekend,” Skolvy said. “Sometimes we hit and sometimes we miss.”
SDSU rodeo competes in the Great Plains region with 15 other schools. This region gets larger and more competitive every year, but SDSU uses this as fuel.
According to Josie Laue, a sophomore agricultural business major from Richland, Wisconsin, the team practices every day. Different events practice at separate times, but if it is after 3 p.m., someone on the team is working to get better. This culture of hard work is what drew many athletes to SDSU Rodeo.
“There is always someone to help you,” Laue said, “You could get that one-on-one help if you asked for it.”
Physical training is not the only practice the team does. The team brings in Jerry Norton, a world champion bullfighter, to give mental coaching. Skovly said Norton advises the team members on how to prepare their minds before the rodeo, at practice and during competition.
Along with dedication, the community aspect of the team is a draw as well. McGirr detailed the team’s bond.
“We’re all super close,” she said. “After the first meeting, everybody knows everyone’s names. We do team get-togethers throughout the year, and everyone shows up. Nobody is an outlier.”
Looking toward the rest of the season, Laue and McGirr are optimistic and confident.
“I’ve got high expectations and some big goals and things I have in mind that I want to accomplish at each rodeo,” Laue said.
“I’m really confident as well for the rest of our season. Our women’s team won River Falls, and two underclassmen led the charge in that,” McGirr said.
If a student has a love for rodeo, they can join the SDSU Rodeo Club. These club members help organize events, support the team and share a love for the sport. Any student can join.
To see SDSU rodeo in action, the team is hosting the Jackrabbit Stampede at SDSU this spring.
