Sutton Rodeo Inc.

06/01/2026

Congratulations Shorty Glen Garrett! You’ve been on a heater, keep it rolling!

05/15/2026

05/12/2026

05/11/2026

Day #12 of 100 Days — Celebrating 100 Years of Sutton Rodeo History!

The Sutton Family, 2nd and 3rd generations:

Jeannie married Owen Kearns. They had five children; Francis, Dorothy, Janet, Edith & Edwin (Buddy).

Elsie married Swen Nystrom, of Fairbank Township. They had three children; Norman, Robert & Marvin.

Edith married Geoff Garrett, they had five children; Ina, Roger, Glen, Jean, & Alice.

Florence married Martin Teigen and lived in Aberdeen. They had one son Tom.

John married Mildred Hansen of Lead, South Dakota. They had four children. John Jr. “Matt’’, Lois, Thelma and Kenneth.

James Sutton married Flossie Nystrom, of Fairbank Township. They had four children Delores, James Jr. (Jim) and Lyle, & Lorraine.

Raymond Sutton married Buelah Cass, of Garner Township. They had three children, Alice, Buena Rae, and Raymond Jr. (Ray).

Pictured: Sutton Family 1936

05/08/2026

Day #11 of 100 Days — Celebrating 100 Years of Sutton Rodeo History!

Along came the dreaded Dirty ’30s.

The early 1930s brought extremely difficult times to the ranch. A devastating combination of drought, falling prices, and relentless grasshopper infestation forced the ranch to make significant cuts.

In August of 1933, an entire train load of horses was sent to the Chicago Market for sale. The massive shipment, being one of the largest of its kind, made headlines in Chicago newspapers and marked a major turning point for the operation, resulting in the sale of most of the ranch’s stock/draft horses.

Pictured: Part of herd that went on the Chicago shipment. I wish it was better quality to have a better idea of the horse's structure and head count, but you can tell there is a large number in the corral.

05/07/2026

Day #10 of 100 Days — Celebrating 100 Years of Sutton Rodeo History!

How about those COWGIRLS!

The Sutton daughters were not only talented horsewomen, but hardworking ranch hands as well.
Most of the documented horse stories and photographs feature Jeannie and Elsie, likely because they were older and already in their late teens before moving to Huron, SD to attend high school.

During the summer months, the Missouri River provided the only reliable water source on the ranch. One of the children’s many responsibilities was gathering the herd horseback and driving the cattle back to the riverbanks for water, no small task on the open range.

It's fascinating to think about being a young woman, ranching on the prairie during this time. I also love to see all of the details in these photos; the attire, vehicles, livestock, even the family cat and dog pictured at the house.
I'm so glad this time has been documented. You can see they worked hard but also had much joy!

Pictured:
1) Elsie & Jeannie
3) Florence
4) Edith
5) Raymond, Edith
6) Edith
7) Jeannie & Elsie
8 Raymond, Florence, Edith
9) Family at the house
10) Florence
11) Jeannie & Elsie
13) Florence

Thank you Nancy Sutton for sharing these photos with us!

05/05/2026

Congratulations Carson!
You are a vital part of the Heartland Events Center and make a tremendous impact on tourism in Grand Island!
We are honored for the opportunity to work with you on the Rodeo Grand Island event and look forward to many more years to come!
Congratulations on your well deserved honor!