ProRodeo Sports News - July 27, 2018

2018 INDUCTEES

Black Hills Roundup

After 99 years, the Black Hills Roundup is headed to the ProRodeo Hall of Fame.

Photo courtesy Black Hills Roundup

South Dakota rodeo hits 99 with Hall celebration

BY SCOTT KANIEWSKI W hen the Black Hills Roundup in Belle Fourche, S.D., reconvenes in 2019 it can do so with an added moniker. Not only will the 2019 edition mark its 100th anniversary, it also will mark the first time the rodeo will be a ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductee.

10,000-15,000 parade attendees during rodeo week in the town of about 6,000. The 2018 Black Hills Roundup (July 1-4) had more contestant entries and ticket sales were strong, Crago said. The parade had more than 200 entrants. “The biggest thing was feeling like we stepped up and got something done, letting all the fans know who didn’t know that we were inducted,” he said. “It seemed like the crowd thought it was awesome that they were at a (Hall of Fame) rodeo. We advertised it a little bit that we were going to be inducted. The feedback on it was huge.” The historic rodeo, which is 100 percent volunteer-run, also boasts that President Calvin Coolidge attended in 1927. Having such a distinct, historic rodeo, the committee made sure to recognize past committee members, bringing them into the arena at one of the performances. Crago, who is in his first year as chairman, was the arena director for nearly a decade before and understands and appreciates the rodeo’s heritage. “I’ve had a lot of the past, older people who’ve been involved and retired and moved on, and talked to a lot of them since we’ve been inducted,” Crago said. “They think it’s pretty dang cool. From the get-go, I’ve given the credit to them as much as to the current committee – 99 years of us putting it on. The support from the past committee people has been pretty cool.”

“The 100th coming in was pretty outstanding anyway,” Black Hills Roundup Chairman Clay Crago said. “Being able to come into the 100th being in the Hall of Fame is just a cool feeling, and not only for the committee now, but for all the committee members who still come to the rodeo and have a little something to do with it is pretty neat.” The Black Hills Roundup started when 15,000 people gathered in a field in Belle Fourche to raise money for WorldWar I in 1918. At the time, the population of Belle Fourche was 1,410. The next year marked the first time the rodeo took place. It’s been going on ever since. “The board and committee put a lot of time and effort into it,” Crago said. “It’s pretty special to us to see the recognition and get into the Hall of Fame.” The big number of people to attend continues today, with an estimated

ProRodeo Sports News 7/27/2018

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