South Dakota High School Rodeo Association Rules and Regulations
Activity Approval Form…
SDHSRA Rodeo Safety Policy…
SDHSRA Mission Statement…
SDHSRA Financial Mission Statement…
SDHSRA Investment Policy…
Regional Rodeo Secretary Job Description…
Regional Rodeo Host Site Criteria…
State Finals Host Site Criteria…
SDHSRA Constitution & Bylaws…
Articles of Incorporation…
SDHSRA Ground Rules…
SDHSRA Refund Policy…
Out of State Membership Policy…
Turn Out Rule and Eligibility Requirements…
Regional Map – Updated 9/24/22
Scoring (Regional and State Points)…
AN AMERICAN SPORT FOR AMERICAN YOUTH, DEVOTED TO GOOD HORSEMANSHIP, SPORTSMANSHIP, AND SCHOLARSHIP
The South Dakota High School Rodeo Association is incorporated as a nonprofit organization under the incorporate laws of the State of South Dakota. The purpose for which is to promote High School Rodeo at the highest level on a state and national scale. For a yearly fee of $10.00, adult membership is open to anyone over the age of 18 who is not competing in SDHSRA. The Association Board of Directors are listed at sdhsra.com.
ELIGIBILITY
Students must be in good standing; not ruled undesirable for misconduct at school. Students must be under 20 at the first of the High School Rodeo year August 1, 2025, and are or have been enrolled in the 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade the school year preceding the high school rodeos the contestant is entering. As a minimum requirement, the student must be passing 70% of classes taken to be eligible to compete, even if they have graduated in the middle of the year or have attended school half days. Student must reside in or physically attend school in South Dakota. An online school based in South Dakota does not qualify. If student does not meet these criteria, he/she must then qualify for and complete the out-of-state membership process. Transfer requests will be reviewed by the SDHSRA Board of Directors. Out-of-state transfers into the State of South Dakota must follow the transfer policy. It can be found on sdhsra.com.
Each contestant must have completed their NHSRA membership before a regional entry blank can be submitted.
In the team roping, you must enter with a partner, or you will not rope. There will be no pairing of teams in the team roping.
Contestants who enter an event at a Regional Rodeo are expected to participate in the event or events entered. A contestant will qualify to compete in an event at the South Dakota State High School Rodeo Finals held in Ft. Pierre, SD on June 16 – 20, 2026 by earning a minimum of three points in that event at Regional Rodeos. Points will be earned on a basis of ten points for 1st to one point for 10th in each go-round. A contestant will bring cumulative points from their three best Regional Rodeo go-rounds to the State Finals. Points earned at the Regional Rodeos plus points earned at the South Dakota State High School Rodeo Finals will determine national qualifiers. Awards given at the South Dakota State High School Rodeo Finals will be based on high point totals. The contestant must qualify in each individual event to compete in that event at the State Finals. Events cannot be picked up or traded. There will be one Queen contest held during the State Finals Rodeo.
At the completion of the SDHSRA season, 1st through 4th place year-end point earners will be eligible to enter the NHSRA Finals in Lincoln, Nebraska, July 19 – 25, 2026. Only the winning Queen will compete at the NHSFR. Should any of the first four points winners choose not to compete at the National Finals for any reason, 5th – 8th place point winners will be allowed to roll up for national competition, beginning with the 5th place point earner in that event.
Any contestant that has been injured and has received medical care at a hospital or urgent care facility must have a doctor’s release before the contestant is allowed to resume competition. Additionally, if a contestant has presented a doctor’s release to draw out, he/she must present another doctor’s release to resume competition. (NHSRA rule). There are to be no trade outs and no refunds once a contestant has entered a Regional Rodeo unless the refund policy is followed exactly and approved.
To ensure equitable distribution of contestants at the Regional Rodeos, it is necessary for the Board of Directors to divide the state into Regions based on location of attending school. The Secretary, as directed by the Directors, must approve any alteration of these boundaries. In the event there is still unequal distribution of contestants, the Board of Directors will review the entries and make further distribution. An approval to transfer between regions must be obtained yearly and will only be granted when team roping with a partner from another region, for custody issues or because a sibling is transferring due to one of the first two issues. Member must contact a Director from the Region they are transferring to and from, secure their approval and relay this information to the State Secretary. February 15th, 2026 is the deadline for Region Transfers.
Regional Map – Updated 9/24/2022
NORTHWEST REGION
All contestants attending High School in:
Belle Fourche Bison Harding County Dupree Eagle Butte
Faith Isabel Lemmon McIntosh Newell
Spearfish Sturgis Takini Timber Lake
Will enter either or both the:
Buffalo Rodeo Dupree Rodeo
June 5– 7, 2026 June 12 – 14, 2026
NW Region Directors are:
Justin Pihl Jeremy Meeks
11768 Bullock Rd PO Box 44
Buffalo, SD 57720 Lantry, SD 57636
605-641-0148 605-890-2185
SOUTHWEST REGION
All contestants attending High School in:
Bennett County Crazy Horse Custer Douglas Edgemont
Hill City Hot Springs Lakota Tech Lead/Deadwood Little Wound
New Underwood Oelrichs Pine Ridge Red Cloud
Rapid City Central Rapid City Stevens Wall
Will enter either or both the:
Wall Rodeo New Underwood Rodeo
June 5– 7, 2026 June 12 – 14, 2026
SW Region Directors are:
Justin Robertson Bryce Chambliss
15980 E Hwy 44 15991 Pioneer Road
Caputa, SD 57744 New Underwood, SD 57761
605-484-0305 605-209-1838
RIVER REGION
All contestants attending High School in:
Chamberlain Colome Gettysburg Gregory/Burke Highmore/Harrold
Faulkton Jones County Lower Brule Lyman Kadoka Area
Kimball Miller Mobridge/Pollock Philip Pierre
Platte/Geddes St. Francis Stanley County Sully Buttes Tiospaye Topa
Todd County/ Trail City White River Winner
Will enter either or both the:
Kadoka Rodeo Winner Rodeo
June 5– 7, 2026 June 12 – 14, 2026
River Region Directors are:
Shawn Reis Justin Heath
24874 333rd Ave 29161 324th Ave
Reliance, SD 57569 Colome, SD 57528
605-680-9727 605-840-5052
EAST REGION
All contestants attending High School in:
Britton/Hecla Canton Clark Frederick Groton
Huron Langford Leola Madison Sisseton
Webster Wessington Springs White Lake Yankton
Any school East of Hwy 281
Will enter either or both the:
Huron Rodeo Watertown Rodeo
June 5– 7, 2026 June 12 – 14, 2026
East Region Directors are:
Brad McGirr Perry Moody
20177 Hwy 37 23970 398th Ave
Huron, SD 57350 Letcher, SD 57359
605-354-0974 605-770-0853
EAST AND WEST DIRECTORS AT LARGE
The East Director at Large, representing the East and River Region:
Jeremy Stevens
20450 365th Ave
St. Lawrence, SD 57373
605-870-3714
The West Director at Large, representing the NW and SW Region
Nate Grueb
PO Box 570
Dupree, SD 57623
605-200-0208
NATIONAL DIRECTOR
Dale Christensen
PO Box 497
Kadoka, SD 57543
605-488-0410
SDHSRA SECRETARY/TREASURER
Amy Johnson
13625 Rabbit Creek Pl
Reva, SD 57651
605-890-2162
APPROVED PRACTICE HIGH SCHOOL RODEOS
An approved SDHSRA practice rodeo is NOT a qualifying or eliminating rodeo. These are available to enter in addition to the Regional Rodeos though no points will be awarded. A contestant may enter as many as he or she wishes and is not restricted by Regional Boundaries. However, participation is NOT required. All contestants must be a current 2025-2026 NHSRA and SDHSRA member to enter. A separate entry is required for each practice rodeo. These can be found on sdhsra.com.
INSURANCE AND FEES
The NHSRA provides the contestant accident insurance for all state high school rodeo associations. All high school contestants who rodeo under the NHSRA must be covered by NHSRA insurance.
Of the $194.67 membership fee:
$74.00 – contestant accident insurance premium
$46.00 – NHSRA membership
$15.00 – NHSRA Times subscription
$2.00 – Western Horseman subscription
$43.00 – SDHSRA operating expenses
$14.67 – NHSRA credit card processing fees
LATE FEES
Membership postmarked November 2nd to January 1 – $125.00 in addition to the $194.67 = $319.67
Membership postmarked January 2nd to February 15th – $250.00 in addition to the $194.67 = $444.67
Last possible day to join is 3/1/2026.
QUEEN CONTEST
Only 9th, 10th, and 11th grade contestants are eligible to compete in the SDHSRA queen contest and there will only be a queen contest at the SDHSRA State Finals. If reigning queen is competing, she will not make appearances the other queen contestants are not asked to make.
LOGO PROTECTED
Any Member, State, Competing Region, Parent, Sponsor, Rodeo Committee or other wishing to use the SDHSRA logos must receive written permission from the SDHSRA Executive Secretary before use is allowed. This covers the service marks, trademarks, or logos of which the SDHSRA is the exclusive owner and has exclusive rights to the use in any form.
ATTENTION:
ALL STUDENTS MUST PROVIDE A CURRENT REPORT CARD TO THE REGIONAL RODEOS. They will be unable to participate if their report card is not furnished and will be disqualified from competition.
Home-schooled students must have completed the year’s course work and present a year-end report card, regardless if the program is an ongoing program. A year-end report must be completed.
CALENDAR FUND RAISING PROJECT
All contestants are required to sell SIX calendars by March 1, 2026. Money and sales stubs must be postmarked by March 1, 2026 and sent to Donna Curr, Calendar Chairperson. All members who have not sold the 6 calendars by March 1st or have not returned any unsold calendars by March 1st will be placed on an inactive list and will not be allowed to participate in any Practice, Regional, or State Finals Rodeo in South Dakota for the current year.
If you have any questions regarding the Calendar Project, contact:
Donna Curr
PO Box 36
Scenic, SD 57780
605 433-5483 (H)
605-454-2234 (C)
curr@gwtc.net.
Any SURVEY OR QUESTIONNAIRE for SDHSRA student, adult members or Board of Directors must first be brought before the Board of Directors for approval.