MEDORA – Cowboys and cowgirls came dressed, pressed, and ready to impress as they collected their awards from the 2021 North Dakota Rodeo Association (NDRA) season and finals. With the support of the rodeo committees, the ND Cowboy Hall of Fame, Medora Community Center, and the NDRA organization hosted a banquet on Nov. 13 recognizing the top rodeo athletes in the association and their accomplishments. The evening included a social, meal, and live band following the presentation of awards to the year-end champions.
With humble beginnings dating back to 1952, more than 500 members now make up the NDRA who participate in rodeos across the state of North Dakota, from Forman in the east to Bowman in the west. The organization began to better promote and publicize the sport of rodeo and created a set of rules to make events for everyone to compete in. Currently, there are eighteen rodeos that make up the season throughout North Dakota, concluding with the top twelve finishers in each event competing at the NDRA finals held in Watford City this past Sept. 24-25.
Events include your traditional rodeo lineup: bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, tie down roping, steer wrestling, bull riding, ladies’ barrel racing and breakaway roping, team roping and Sr. men’s breakaway roping. A different North Dakota community hosts each rodeo, produced by ambitious committee members and sponsors that support the sport of rodeo and its North Dakota roots and members.
Points are gathered up by placing in the top ten of each NDRA sanctioned rodeo. The final push for winning year-end state titles and championship rounds occurs at the state finals. Here, the top twelve contestants compete to accumulate more points, resulting in year-end saddles awarded to the champions, buckles to reserve champions and winning go-round buckles to the winner of each round held at the finals, as well as a finals average championship buckle. The average is the accumulation of the fastest times and highest scores at the finals. Each rodeo and finals also has a different ‘purse’ or prize event money pot the contestants can compete for. Entry fee money and individual committee rodeo sponsorship dollars make up this prize money.
Support and sponsorships come from numerous levels in the NDRA. Each community committee finds sponsors at a local level, year-end awards from local and state levels; even corporate sponsors are active in supporting the NDRA, its rodeos, and contestants.
“The cooperative effort between the contractors, committees, and contestants is what makes our association so successful,” Nate Horner, President of the NDRA Board of Directors
“The cooperative effort between the contractors, committees, and contestants is what makes our association so successful,” said Nate Horner, President of the NDRA Board of Directors. “It takes the right people with the right attitude doing the right things for any organization to withstand the challenges that arise in this day and age.”
Contestants from many different states become members to compete in this association due to its established and successful reputation in the rodeo industry. The NDRA hosts competitors from high school age to 70-plus years old, competing in an industry that is simply more than a pastime or hobby, it’s a way of life.
Horner says the NDRA organization is looking forward to the 2022 season and hopes many fellow North Dakotans enjoy their western heritage at a local rodeo or in the arena dirt. For more information, visit ndrodeo.com.
Year End Award Winners
Women’s All Around: Danielle Fladeland
Men’s All Around: Shawn Knight
Women’s Rookie: Danielle Fladeland
Men’s Rookie: Parker Sandstrom
Bareback
Round 1: Chance Isaak
Round 2: Tucker Zingg
Average: Tucker Zingg
Year End Champ: Andy Gingerich
Reserve Champ: Treven Coonradt
Horse of the Year:
983 Good Times CN Stars
Tie Down
Round 1: Tanner Wznick
Round 2: Jon Peek
Average: Tanner Wznick
Year End Champ: Tanner Wznick
Reserve Champ: Logan Schaper
Horse of the Year:
“Otis” Jason Lawrence
Ladies Breakaway
Round 1: Jessica Magilke
Round 2: Shannah Plehall & Stacy Cahoon
Average: Jordyn Schaefer
Year End Champ: Jessica Magilke
Reserve Champ: Jordyn Schaefer
Horse of the Year:
“Frosty” Bailey Berg
Saddle Bronc Riding
Round 1: Dalton Rixen
Round 2: Dalton Rixen
Average: Dalton Rixen
Year End Champ: Dalton Rixen
Reserve Champ: Parker Kramer
Horse of the Year:
Dancing Bear CN Stars
Steer Wrestling
Round 1: Nick Goelema
Round 2: Scott Kleemann
Average: Scott Kleemann
Year End Champ: Scott Kleemann
Reserve Champ: Jayce Doan
Dogging Horse of the Year:
“Hank” Tyler Thorson
Hazing Horse of the Year:
“Bubba” Tyler Schau
Team Roping
Round 1: Clint Gorrell/Cody Smith
Round 2: Nate Horner/Jesse Dale
Average: Cole Peterson/Luke Morast
Yr End Champ Header: Tucker Dale
Reserve Champ Header: JB Lord
Yr End Champ Heeler: Jesse Frederickson
Reserve Champ Heeler: Cody Smith
Heading Horse of the Year:
“Juice” Speedy Little Jet - AJ Zieman
Heeling Horse of the Year:
“Crazy Kelly”Dynamites Blue Move -Cody Smith
Ladies Barrel Racing
Round 1: Dawn Carson
Round 2: Nicole Fladeland
Average: Nicole Fladeland
Year End Champ: Cydney Peterson
Reserve Champ: Dawn Carson
Horse of the Year:
“Uno” Shausta Blodgett
Sr Men’s Breakaway
Round 1: Shawn Knight
Round 2: JB Lord
Average: Shawn Knight
Year End Champ: Shawn Knight
Reserve Champ: Chad Hetzel
Horse of the Year:
“Maggie” Shawn Knight
Bull Riding
Round 1: Dalton Wright
Round 2: Dalton Wright
Average: Dalton Wright
Year End Champ: Dalton Wright
Reserve Champ: Brody Nelson
Bull of the Year: Redneck Rock Star
Wayne Eckroth, Western Edge Bull Riders
Finals Judges
Chuck Christman
Denny Heid
Rick Sigvaldsen
Finals Pickup Men
Ryan Hanna
Lee Dunford
Finals Bullfighters
Justin Ward
Layton Woodbury
Rodeo of the Year
Wing Horse & Saddle Club
