The South Dakota State rodeo team started the spring of their 2016-17 season April 8 and 9, in the 63rd annual Jackrabbit Stampede at the Swiftel Center in Brookings. 

Both the Jackrabbit men and women had good starts. The men won the Jackrabbit Stampede, with the women coming in second place.

The men came into the weekend seventh in the Great Plains Region, with 1,329.50 points. They ended up earning 455 points this weekend, which was 20 points more than Mid-Plains Community College. They are still in seventh place.

The women came into the weekend second in the Great Plains Region, with 2,135.83 points, 292 points behind Black Hills State University. They came away with 475 points after the weekend, but Black Hills State came away with 675.

Jim Bob Ellsworth won the bareback event with a total of 152 points. This gave the Jacks 180 points at the time.

Gannon Gustafson won the tie down roping event, posting a total time of 26.5. He scored the team 150 points. In the first round of the event, Pearson Wientjes had the fastest time of 11.0 seconds, but was unable to tie up the calf in the second round and came in fourth place. That was good for 35 points.

Ryan Knutson received 70 points in the first round of the bull riding event and came in second place, after none of the riders were able to have a timed ride in the finals. Jeremiah Johnson came in sixth place in the steer wrestling event with a time of 10.8 seconds.

Jacey Hupp won the goat tying event on the women’s side, with a time of 12.2 seconds. She had the top score in both the first round and finals. The win gave the Jackrabbit women 180 points. Hope Petry tied for third in the event after posting a total time of 13.2 seconds. That gave the Jacks an additional 115 points.

Madison Rau won the barrel race with a total time of 27.13, giving the Jacks 160 more points.

Braelee Aus finished in third in the breakaway roping event with a total time of six seconds. This gave the Jacks 120 points.

The Jacks will head to Lincoln, Nebraska April 14 and 15 to participate in the UNL Rodeo hosted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln at the Lancaster Event Center.