SDHSRA Winter Directors’ Meeting
January 27^th, 2024
Everest Room, Summit Arena, Monument Event Center
Rapid City, SD

The Winter Meeting of the South Dakota High School Rodeo Association (SDHSRA) Board of Directors was called to order at 9:02 AM MST by President Lance Lesmeister.

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Tierney Breen, SDHSRA Student President.

Roll Call was taken by Secretary Penny Schlagel, noting that Student Body Vice President Tristan Spencer and Social Media Consultant Halie Ruff were absent.  All other board members and invitees were present.

President Lance Lesmeister called for Additions to the Agenda and National Director Dale Christensen motioned to add an Executive Session to the beginning of the agenda.  Justin Robertson seconded the motion and the motion carried.

No other additions were suggested and Scott Deal moved to accept the amended Agenda with Justin Heath seconding the motion.  Motion carried.

Justin Robertson made a motion to enter into Executive Session and Scott Deal Seconded the motion.  Motion Carried.  The SDHSRA Board of Directors went into Executive Session at 9:09 AM MST.

At 9:26 AM MST, Perry Moody made a motion to call the meeting back to order following Executive Session.  Scott Deal seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

Dale Christensen made a motion to accept the resignation of Carisa Shearer.  Ms. Shearer tendered her resignation verbally during Executive Session.  Perry Moody seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

Justin Robertson made a motion to appoint Bryce Chambliss to the vacant Southwest Regional Director’s position for the remainder of the 2024 rodeo season.  Scott Deal seconded. Motion carried.

Justin Robertson made a motion to waive the reading of the minutes from the SDHSRA Annual General Membership Meeting held September 30, 2023.  Shawn Reis seconded the motion.  Motion carried.  Minutes were approved.

Ann Sundermann, SDHSRA Treasurer, presented a detailed financial report detailing the flow of the money throughout the various accounts held by the SDHSRA.  While the amount of money in the SDHSRA accounts is large – $471, 002.08, all but $108,000 of the money is currently earmarked for specific activities including the Calendar Fund, Crisis Cash Management, General Membership, Money Market Account, Petty Cash, SDHSRF Checking in Pierre, Scholarships and Sponsorships. Extensive details were provided and questions were asked for; none were presented. Dale Christensen motioned to research how best to invest 10% of our yearly revenue to support a contingency fund.  Justin Robertson seconded that motion.  Motion Carried.   Nate Grueb motioned to accept the financial report.  Perry Moody seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

Dale Christensen, SDHSRA National Director and 2025 National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA) President presented the report from the NHSRA Mid-Winter Meeting in Branson, MO January 15-20, 2024.

• There are 5 Quantas Scholarships available in the amount of $10,000. Encourage Seniors to apply.
• Each state is awarded money for Merit Scholarships. 1/3 of them go unclaimed so please apply.
• Sponsorships:
  • Ram Rodeo and Bloomer have withdrawn as National Sponsors
  • Weatherby is still sponsoring the gun raffle which is a good fundraiser, SDHSRA getting $8 of the $10 per raffle ticket. If a local club would like to sell those tickets, get ahold of Dale.
• There will be a $20 videography fee for the NHSR. Your runs will be emailed/texted to you following your runs.  Stock runs will still cost $10/run.
• National High School Rodeo Finals.
  • 2024 & 2025 in Rock Springs, WY
    • Golf Carts
      • Had a difficult time getting golf cart supplier for the NHSR due to abuse in the past.
      • ONLY parents will be able to drive golf carts in Rock Springs this year.
    • Camping is limited. South Dakota is allotted 39 full-service camp sites.  All others are dry.  Those are unlimited.
    • Stalls – 1600 permanent and 600 temporary. Some stalls are on asphalt. Working on Stall Matt sponsor to rent to own the mats needed.
  • 2026 & 2027 in Lincoln, NE
  • 2028 & 2029 in Gillette, WY
• Rule Changes
  • States are allowed to use the point system that works best for them
  • Using PRCA Re-Ride Rules: stock must fall to knees. Judge must declare the re-ride.  Contestant doesn’t have to declare.
• Contestants are encouraged to tag the SDHSRA and NHSRA in their social media posts.
• Nationally, considering a required background check on directors.
• Dale will be the NHSRA President next year and the Mid-Winter Meeting will be held in Deadwood.
• Dale will be in Des Moines, IA for the entirety of the National Junior High School Finals Rodeo. Motion by Justin Heath and seconded by Perry Moody to fund Dale’s expenses for that event.

The Judges sub-commitees reported their current plans for judges:
• Cutting and Reined Cow Horse Commitee – Justin Heath and Marty Phillips
• Jim Wilkinson & Bruce Keller for Cutting
• Jamie Olson for Reined Cow Horse
• North and South Arena Commitee – Justin Robertson and Nate Grueb
• North Arena – Bruce Keller, Craig Miller and Darin Boots
• South Arena – Barry Knippling, Chuck Maher and Bailey Tibbs

Donna Curr presented the Calendar Report noting that we are right on track for sales compared to previous years with 6390 calendars sold and $100,522 deposited.  However, there are 202 contestants that have not met the calendar sales requirement.

Marty Phillips, Public Relations representative, reported on sponsorship recruitment and the rising cost of producing all aspects of the rodeo including all prizes and awards, using as an example the rising cost of the National Team Jackets that were $187 in 2019 and are now $315.  He said that while we are falling short of last year’s sponsorships there is money in the coffers to fund what is needed.

There was discussion on the formation of a committee to look into a Financial Mission statement for the organization.  Lance Lesmeister, Ann Sundermann, Scott Deal, Dale Christensen and Marty Phillips volunteered to meet and present at a later date.

Halie Ruff had a printed Social Media report which was reviewed.  It showed steady growth in engagement and following on all platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

The Queen Chair report was presented by Patsy Schoellerman.  She was planning to tweak the schedule slightly to avoid overlap with other events and was researching the use of the Duffy Center for interviews and modeling.  She and Penny Schlagel will meet to make those schedule changes.  Patsy also encouraged everyone to reach out and recruit potential Queen Contestants as entries are steadily dwindling.

A 10 minute break was suggested by President Lance Lesmeister at 10:15 AM MST.

The meeting was called back into order at 10:27 am MST.

Old Business

Dale Christensen reported on the plans for ground preparation at the 2024 SDHSRA Finals in Ft. Pierre, SD.

• Jay Brower from Wyoming who is the ground technician at many events, including the Cheyenne Frontier Days was hired to manage the ground at the Finals from June 10 – 16^th. We will work with him to make sure he has the equipment he prefers.

We moved on to the SDHSRA Finals Plans

• The schedule will remain the same with possible adjustments to Queen Contest.
• Announcers – Dale Christensen has contacted Sugar Ray Quinn and Terri Kissack.
• Livestock Committee Reports
  • Perry Moody and Lance Lesmeister are working on this.
  • Perry reported that Cheryl Syvertson and Madi Moody had a proposal for $14/run. Dale Christensen voted to accept this bid.  Jeremy Stevens seconded the motion.  Motion carried.
  • Timed Event Cattle
    • 2 bids were reviewed, both at $35/run.
    • One of the bids included the use of Dairy Cross cattle, which is against SDHSRA By-Laws, negating that bid.
    • Justin Pihl made a motion to accept the bid from Cody Woodward. Perry Moody seconded the motion.  Motion carried.
  • Cutting and Reined Cow Horse Stock
    • 350 head is needed. Justin Heath is currently looking for options.

Scott Deal, Dave McFarland and Toni Deal reviewed the Host Committees plans including:

• Construction of a new building to the north of the chutes.
• Vendor packets are ready to go out. Three new vendors have already reached out to Toni.
• Special Entertainment
  • Goat Roping
  • Tentative Chicken Roping
• Camping – Toni will let Penny Schlagel know when contestants can begin to call to reserve.
• Security – Justin Pihl reported on a couple of options, but is still waiting on a bid before a decision can be made.
• Sports Medicine – Patti Gilbert noted that they would have the Monument Sport Med Trailer and enough staff for all arenas. She did request a side by side in case they needed to get from one arena to the other in an emergency.
• Concessions
  • There will be options for concessions with the new building north of the chutes and a food truck as well. It was suggested that the food truck park by the cutting arena during that event.
• National Qualifier meeting still to be held on Sunday morning at the Ft. Pierre Youth Center.
• Admission Prices will stay the same as 2023.

Arena Directors

• Cutting: Justin Heath, Dale Christensen
• Reined Cow Horse: Justin Heath, Shawn Reis
• Timed Event – Brad McGirr (South Arena), Justin Robertson (North Arena)
• Rough Stock – Perry Moody, Lance Lesmeister

Penny Schlagel reported that the 2024 Saddles were all ordered and are on track to be delivered at the beginning of June.  Cow Creek Cedar will be building the saddle racks again this year.

Bull Fighters – Perry Moody had spoken to last year’s bullfighters and both were interested.  It was moved by Scott Deal and seconded by Justin Robertson to accept Austin Tilton and Darwin Thompson as the bullfighters for the 2024 SDHSRA Finals. Motion carried.

Pick Up Men – three pick-up men indicated interested.  As JJ Hunt and Joe Wishard have worked together it was motioned by Brad McGirr and seconded by Scott Deal to hire them for this coming year.  Motion carried.

New Business

Steve Sutton gave an overview of the plans for the 20X Rodeo held January 28^th, 2024.

The Regional SDSHRA online entry will open April 15^th and close on April 25^th, 2024.

Ann Sundermann and Penny Schlagel will review the options for online payments for practice and regional rodeos.

Justin Robertson made a motion to accept the applications for the SDHSRA Practice and Regional Rodeos.  Perry Moody seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

There were 4 nominations for the 2024 Legendary Honorees.  A vote was taken and Dan Curr and Gary Nixon were chosen.

Dale Christensen made a motion and Justin Heath seconded to approved the Region Transfer Requests.

Tierney Breen, RyLee Price and Avari Dorrance presented the Coats, Buckles and T-shirts for the 75^th Annual SDHSRA State Finals.  There was discussion around making t-shirts available for purchase by the public as it is the 75^th Anniversary.  The short-round shirts will be a strong blue with a white thread and the National Team shirts will be mint green with a white thread.  The Student Officers liked the Shea Michelle buckles.  Brad McGirr brought up the good working relationship we have with Tres Rios and suggested working with that company but to design a more modern looking buckle that the Officers were suggesting.

Discussion the membership of the NHSRA Scholarship Selection Committee to review the Merit Scholarship applications was had.  Ann Sundermann, Brad McGirr, Jeremy Stevens and Shawn Reis volunteered to make up that committee.

Ann has been reaching out to the practice rodeo secretaries to encourage them to use the ARTS program and online entry.  The cost to use that program is $400.  Dale made a motion and Perry seconded that motion to pay $200 of the $400 for the practice rodeos that were interested in using it.

Marty reiterated the importance of making contact with sponsors and invited everyone to the Sponsor Reception held from 4 pm – 6 pm encouraging attendees to reach out to those that might be interested in sponsoring.

Marty Phillips made a motion to adjourn the meeting.  Justin Pihl seconded that motion.  Motion carried.

The meeting was adjourned at 12:07 PM MST.

Clarification of Arena Directors added 2/13/24
Timed Event – Brad McGirr (South Arena), Justin Robertson (North Arena)
Clarification of Judges added 3/11/24