Each year, North Dakota’s high school champions are recognized with an exhibit at the state’s Rodeo Hall of Fame

Next in a series of stories revolving around the upcoming National Junior High School Rodeo Finals, set for later this month at the S.D. State Fairgrounds
 
North Dakota is known for the rugged badlands in the beautiful Theodore National Park, its Western heritage and cold, long winters. Even though winter limits the number of practice days available to our rodeo athletes; North Dakota produces competitive, successful athletes from 20 National High School Rodeo Champions to PRCA World Champions Brad Gjermundson and Wayne Herman. In 1950, North Dakota formed its first rodeo club and became affiliated with the National High School Rodeo Association. The first North Dakota High School rodeo was held in 1953. Over the years the NDHSRA has grown, and now includes more than 180 members. The high school rodeo season consists of six fall rodeos and seven spring rodeos plus state finals, which is held each June.
To help promote and grow the sport of rodeo in North Dakota, a Junior High Rodeo Division (NDJHRD) was organized in 2004. The first rodeo was held in the spring of 2005. The NDJHRD has expanded to include more than 120 members with 10 rodeos held throughout the year plus state finals held in May. Another avenue to promote our associations was created this year. North Dakota has harsh winters which prohibit our kids from practicing during the winter months if there is not an indoor arena close by. So, the NDJHRD and the NDHSRA boards teamed up to host a free practice weekend in an indoor facility. The practice was held in the center of the state and was available to students from fifth through twelfth grade who were members or individuals interested in competing in rodeo events.
The NDHSRA and NDJHRD officers feel it is important to recognize our members and sponsors. A yearly calendar is created to display group pictures of members and national qualifiers along with a listing of all our generous sponsors. Our sponsors are also recognized on Facebook throughout the year and are announced at every rodeo. Our sponsors love to dress our athletes for success by providing state shirts and national jackets and shirts.

Our State Champions are recognized at The North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame (NDCHOF) in Medora, N.D. Our youth’s hard work and achievements are part of the history of North Dakota, so the NDCHOF created displays to showcase our associations. Every year NDHSRA and NDJHRD state champions are recognized at the NDCHOF season premier and the champions’ action photos are displayed for the season. It is a perfect way to showcase our youth alongside North Dakota greats!
We also acknowledge our seniors’ hard work and dedication in and out of the arena by awarding scholarships. The Pass the Hat Foundation was created to help our rodeo kids as they begin the next chapter of their lives. Seniors submit an application to be considered and are interviewed by the foundation board during the State Finals weekend.
The Pass the Hat Foundation awards over $8,000 in scholarships to 15 recipients before the short go at state finals. Plus our North Dakota families award Bud Sperry and Kelby Indergard Scholarships making more than $15,000 in scholarships given to our seniors!
North Dakota is a big rodeo family always looking to bring people together and have fun, which showed in Lebanon, Tenn., at the 2017 NJHFR. After days of heavy rain, the North Dakota kids made the best of it and started a big mud slide and mud football at the North Dakota campsite. This attracted kids from all over the country to join in! The kids made a lot of new friends and memories and made the best out of a very wet week in Lebanon. A unique event was started a few years ago by NDHSRA contestants a cowboy prom. It has become a tradition at the state finals that the kids love to take part in. Cowgirls dress up in their prom dresses and cowboys dust off. A Grand March is held where couples are announced with a big dance to follow. It is fun to see all the contestants looking sharp.
Another fun event for the contestants to join in on is grand entry themes at the NDHSRA and NDJHRD state finals.
Each performance has a grand entry theme where contestants dress up to have a little fun. Past themes have been “Outlaws,” “Hawaiian,” “Gender Bender” and the short go is always “Tough Enough to Wear Pink.”
Also during the short go grand entry seniors are recognized as they sport their graduation gowns.
The lessons learned and memories made in Junior High and High School Rodeo is priceless but the most important of all is the forever bond made with our North Dakota Rodeo Family. North Dakota legendary.