Custer Ranch Rodeo

04/27/2024

No Custer Ranch Rodeo again this year- we’re still looking for those extra four hours in our days 😁. There will be a gymkhana series at the arena this summer- watch the Custer Rodeo Club, Inc page for info.

02/04/2023

It's time for us to announce, however reluctantly, that there will not be a Custer Ranch Rodeo in 2023.

For 17 years we've persevered in what we fondly call the "next year business" of putting on ranch rodeos, and in turn this annual event has rewarded us with a sense of pride and fulfillment and, best of all, a community of ranch and cowboy friends -- including contestants, spectators, volunteers, and sponsors -- that we treasure.

BUT. This year it was time for us to take a realistic look at our obligations in life and prioritize them accordingly... and the ranch rodeo didn't make the cut.

We will miss seeing all of you this June and thank you for your support and so many fun memories since 2007. No promises on what the future holds but on our end, in the short term, we're sure hoping for more sleep and a cleaner house -- ha!

Until we meet again, friends, happy trails!

09/04/2022

The 2022 top cowgirl and top cowboy jackets are finished and officially shipped off to their worthy recipients -- Jill and Jace, special package en route to each of you -- be watching your mailboxes!

Top cowgirl: Jill Rigler
Sponsored by: RaeAnn Svedberg Insurance Agency
Top cowboy: Jace Hook
Sponsored by: Fink Quarter Horses
Embroidery by: Peak Embroidery

09/01/2022

A good photographer always manages to catch a few people in midair and Robyn Knodel Photography definitely did that this year! Some of our favorites...

08/27/2022

As you can gather from clicking on the NILE link below, the NILE ranch rodeo is different this year and anybody can enter! Individual ranch rodeos are NOT sanctioned and sending teams as in the past -- instead, for the first time this year, any team can enter a preliminary ranch rodeo Friday and (if they do well enough) advance to the NILE ranch rodeo on Saturday. We think it's a great idea! Share the news!

Mark your calendars! 📅

NILE Ranch Rodeo Entries will open ONE WEEK from today, Sept 1 at noon!

We've made some exciting changes to the ranch rodeo this year, so head on over to our website for the official rules: https://www.thenile.org/p/events/rodeo/ranch-rodeo-finals

08/24/2022

The Shan K***z State Farm Pony Race at Custer Ranch Rodeo... photos and results... finally! We didn't get to see as many ponies at Custer this year as we did in 2021... but those who showed up to race sure took it seriously. These were kids age 13 and under on ponies 13-1/2 hands or less. After a hairy turn coming around the first barrel the cream rose to the top... and Asher Blake took top honors on Popcorn, with Macie Irish not far behind on Annie Oakley. Thank you Robyn Knodel Photography for the great photos!

08/07/2022

Today is the last day of the Tom Curtin clinic at the Custer Arena. Auditors are welcome! The Custer Rodeo Club will be serving lunch from noon to 1.

08/02/2022

Here's the bad news. Our official photographer was not able to get any pics of the Stockman Bank / S Ranch Open Ranch Bronc Ride at Custer this year. A big storm blew through right before the broncs started, resulting in condensation in her camera lens... and so we have no photos of the broncs except a few taken with a phone camera that day. If anyone out there has photos/videos of the broncs and is willing to share, we would love to see!

That said, those of us who were there know it was an epic event! Sixteen bronc riders competed, with the top four scores in the long go coming back to ride a second bronc in the short go:

1st Sam Phipps 81, 81
2nd Hans Holmquist 76, 68
3rd James Borntreger 74, 67
4th Aaron Stene 72, 0

Laramie Haug 71
Lane Clemens 70
Riley Donnelly 70
Brodie Riggs 70
Clayton Spoelstra 67

Todd Dixon NS
Travis Goode NS
Cole Rehm NS
Brandt Boyer NS
Danny Marion NS
Addisyn Mothershead NS
Justin Plain Feather NS

This was the first time the S Ranch officially partnered with us in putting on the ranch bronc ride and their work made all the difference! The entire S crew was pitching in behind the scenes, from gathering and hauling the broncs to Custer to pushing up in the back pens. The broncs were produced by Kelly & Jolee Holmquist; chute boss was KC Verhelst; and pickup men were Kelly Holmquist, Brett Marshall, and Blaine Humble. Thanks to Braden Garwood, Tim Oswald, Dalton Davies, and Jacob Brenneman for donating handmade prizes for the short go winners. And thanks to those good Kelly Passes broncs -- they were the ones who really put on the show!

07/28/2022

How 'bout them cowgirls? People are always amazed by the working cowgirls who come to Custer to compete. In case you didn't know... working cowgirls are real, and we've got proof. These gals are legit. They can rope and ride right along with the guys at home, and they prove it when they get to town. With just four people to a team in Custer, there's no chance for anybody to hide behind their teammates. They have to bring it. And they do. Long live cowgirls!

Thanks to Robyn Knodel Photography for capturing some great photos of them this year.

07/27/2022

Among the last of their kind, and they're wearing the Custer Ranch Rodeo brand. We ordered these trophy stirrups in the spring, shortly before Basin Tack Co. announced they were putting their custom-stirrup-building business on pause. These stirrups (sponsored by Trail Creek Land & Livestock and given as the Team Stockmanship award) weren't finished on time for the ranch rodeo in June, but arrived in the mail just last week.

Now we are VERY proud to pass these trophy stirrups along to the Hooks Ranch team (Mike & Rachel Lloyd, Jace Hook, Cody Parsley) in recognition of their excellent, thoughtful, and intentional handling of livestock at the 2022 CRR. Watch for 'em in the mail, guys!

To Basin Tack, thank you for your contribution to working cowboy culture -- we know of many top hands who ride with your stirrups and we sure enjoyed working with you the last several years!

07/16/2022