April has always been my favorite month. Not only do we celebrate my favorite holiday of Easter, but it happens to be my birthday and when we start calving here at home. When I was younger, I was excited for the snow to leave, the flowers to begin to grow, and those cute, little calves to start showing up. It was not many years longer when it was time I started helping with calving…
This month I was able to return to my alma matar, South Dakota State University, for the 58th Annual Jackrabbit Stampede Rodeo. The events started on Thursday, April 12th, with the Jackrabbit Stampede Ambassador Contest. Once again, I found myself on the other side of the judging table alongside Ryan Jaacks and Penny Skovly. It was a tough contest to judge since each girl brought a unique set of talents to the table. The contestants were evaluated on interview skills, public speaking, modeling, knowledge of rodeo and current events, and horsemanship - considered the talent of rodeo queen competitions. Congratulations to Caitlin Wilkerson, a sophomore nursing major at SDSU, and the 2012 Jackrabbit Stampede Ambassador.
With six performances in four days, the Jackrabbit Stampede is more of a marathon verses a sprint. Also Friday night and Sunday afternoon’s rodeos were televised on SDPB2-TV. Contestants and contract personnel alike brought their best, ensuring it was a rodeo worth watching! A special thanks to SDSU’s rodeo coach Ron Skovly, Sutton Rodeos, and Jackrabbit Stampede Ambassador Coordinator Tammy Rebelein for consistently putting on a good rodeo year after year.
Outside of the arena, the Peterson brothers were busy with calving and getting equipment ready for the field. I did luck out this year, and happened to be checking cows the day #91 gave birth to a big, black bull calf. Now, I’m done calving for the year with a 100% calving rate! Although my cow is more of a novelty (the only remains of my 4-H and FFA projects from high school), she does a good job earning her keep each year with her nice looking calves.
With so much going on in the spring, I am grateful for all of the technology we have on hand to help run our lives and livestock more smoothly. During the rodeo, the electronic eyes used to measure the time of each barrel run has increased the accuracy in an event that is often won or lost by a less than a hundredth of a second. The hydraulic chutes we used when we tested our bulls are easier on the big bovines and keep their stress low. As far as convenience, the electric jack on my Miss Rodeo South Dakota trailer, sponsored by Carl’s Trailer Sales of Belle Fourche, is a perk I have never before experienced! Emails, texts, and cell phones have made scheduling upcoming rodeos much easier. However, my personal favorite is the great camera my new phone has, allowing me to snap pictures of unsuspecting brothers when we are out with the cattle!
Even though my Aprils involve more mud and manual labor than I first thought when I was little, it continues to be one of my favorite times of the year. With healthy calves on the ground and great rodeos of upcoming stars, it is not a bad way to celebrate turning another year older.
Sincerely,
Courtney Peterson
Miss Rodeo South Dakota 2012
My dad's surprise visit during the Jackrabbit Stampede Rodeo in Brookings, SD.
Thank you to Midwest Glass for continuing to sponsor the beautiful buckle for the Jackrabbit Stampede Ambassador Contest.
With Kristina Maddocks, Miss Black Hills Stock Show & Rodeo; and Calie Kalkowski, 2011 Jackrabbit Stampede Ambassador.
Young rodeo fan, Delaney Schwab, stopped by to meet Rusty after the rodeo.
Carrying sponsor flags during the Tough Enough to Wear Pink Performance during the Jackrabbit Stampede Rodeo.
Waiting to run flags with the Caitlin Wilkerson, the newly crowned 2012 Jackrabbit Stampede Ambassador and Kristina Maddocks, Miss Black Hills Stock Show & Rodeo.
My older brother, Matt, making ear tags for the new calves born during the night. What a blessing to be home during such a busy time of the year.
