ProRodeo Sports News July 9, 2021

STOCK CONTRACTOR

PRCA ProRodeo file photo

Jim Sutton Jr. Award-winning stock contractor BY TRACY RENCK T his is a well-deserved honor for Jim Sutton Jr. Sutton is the patriarch of Sutton Rodeo, and he and his wife, Julie, have a six-generation family operation still running strong. Sutton Rodeo is based a focus on production and innovation. Jim began the Black Hills Stock Show Rodeo in 1978, a rodeo nominated 15 times for PRCA Indoor Rodeo of the Year, winning the award in 2002 and 2003. Sutton originated the Wrangler Bullfights and

the Bailey Bail-Off. He is famous for his pageantry and colorful rodeo openings, including the openings at the NFR in 1995-96. Sutton has been nominated four times for Stock Contractor of the Year. “I put up with 20 of the best bullfighters in the world for 20 years, I thought that was a pretty good feat,” Jim said. The roots of the Suttons in the rodeo business can be traced to 1926 when the Edwin Sutton family – Jim’s grandfather – began producing rodeos on their home ranch in Sully County, S.D. James H. Sutton Sr. took Sutton Rodeo to the next stage in the 1950s when he entered a partnership with Erv Korkow. As one of the first members of the Rodeo Cowboys Association, Sutton/Korkow stock performed at the first NFR in Dallas in 1959. James was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1982. “I don’t know anybody else I would rather follow,” Jim said. In 1968, James ( Jim) Sutton Jr. became a partner with his dad, forming Sutton Rodeo Company.

“This is the greatest thing to happen to me in rodeo. I have been inducted into a half dozen halls of fame, and if there’s one I wanted to be in, this would be it.” – JIM SUTTON JR.

in Onida, S.D.

Now, Jim is headed into the prestigious ProRodeo

Hall of Fame.

“This is the greatest thing to happen to me in rodeo,”

said Sutton, 86.

Jim and Julie were the recipients of the 2017 PRCA Donita Barnes Contract Personnel Lifetime Achievement Award. Sutton Rodeo has had three PRCAHorse of the Year awards: saddle bronc horse DeepWater in 1979, bareback horse Big Bud in 1985 and saddle bronc horse Chuckulator in 2012. Chuckulator also was the top saddle bronc horse of the 2012 National Finals Rodeo. Sutton Rodeo stock has been selected to perform at every NFR but one since the NFR’s inception in 1959. “This is something I really appreciate,” Sutton said. “I’ve been inducted into a half dozen halls of fame, and if there’s one I wanted to be in, this would be it. This is the best award I have ever received.” Jim and Julie took the company to the next level with

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