OCTOBER 24, 2022:
The 33rd Annual Casey Tibbs Foundation Tribute Dinner will be held Nov. 5, 2022, and a limited number of tickets are still available.
Casey Tibbs South Dakota Rodeo Center Executive Director Kalyn Bergeson says the Tribute Dinner is an opportunity for friends and families in the ranching and rodeo communities to celebrate and honor the accomplishments of South Dakota cowboys, cowgirls, families and animals. She says each year, the nominee’s photos and biographies are added to the permanent “Wall of Fame” located in the Rodeo Center.
This event is an annual fundraiser for the Casey Tibbs Rodeo Center in Fort Pierre. For ticket information, contact the Casey Tibbs SD Rodeo Center at 605-494-1094 or go to www.caseytibbs.com.
Nominations for the 2023 Tribute Dinner are being accepted until June 1, 2023.
The Casey Tibbs Foundation will be honoring the following nominees this year:
Rodeo Cowgirl Great: Roxee Holloway
Roxee Holloway grew up a cowgirl in a ranching and rodeo family near Eagle Butte, SD, area. Her granddad, John Sr. started Holloway Rodeo Company in the 1960’s, and she has always helped her parents, Johnny and Sharyn with the rodeo business.
Roxee started riding around the age of 4 and began participating in rodeos at 5. Roxee participated in every event she could as she always went for the All-Around Cowgirl title. Roxee won the state 4-H junior barrel racing championship in 1978. Roxee qualified for the National High School finals, and went on to college rodeo. She was Rookie Cowgirl of the SDRA in 1979. In 1979 and 1980, Roxee won the Barrel Racing and All-Around Championships in the Great Plains Indian Rodeo Association (GPIRA), and went to the Indian National Finals both those years.
In 1981, Roxee began her career as a pickup “woman” alongside her Dad Johnny. She picked up for Holloway Rodeos every weekend, as well as for other contractors when time allowed, until 2006, a total of 25 years. Roxee picked up at 4-H and high school rodeos as well as college rodeos, SDRA, NRCA, and GPIRA rodeos throughout her career. The highlight of her career was being selected as the only woman to ever pick up at the NARC World Finals in El Paso, Texas, in 1988.
Rodeo Cowboy Great: Monte Melvin
Monte Melvin was born August 31, 1953, in Canning, SD, to warren & Donna Melvin. Both Monte’s parents rodeo’d most of their lives- his dad worked all the events and his mom (the daughter of Bill Maher, a rodeo contractor) was a trick rider and barrel racer.
Monte had no choice but to rodeo. Monte’s dad would come in the house and ask the kids if they wanted to work or practice in rain, snow, or shine. The answer was always “run ‘em in!”
Monte attended college at SDSU and NCB on rodeo scholarships. While competing at the collegiate level, Monte turned pro. Monte recalls his favorite rodeos being Cheyenne and Deadwood and sees one of his biggest accomplishments in rodeo winning the Bull Riding and the All-Around in the Badlands Circuit in 1975 and 1976.
Monte married Teri Sutton in 1974. Teri passed away in 1978 from cancer. Monte married his current wife, Teresa, who was a successful barrel racer, in 1980 and in that same year, he was stepped on by a bull. Monte has three children: Ashley, Hallie, and Cash, along with three grandchildren. Monte’s number one passion in life, other than his family and friends, has always been rodeo.
Monte and Teresa currently run a horse operation in Hermosa with their daughter, Hallie, and her husband, Leo.
Past Rodeo Great: Delbert F. (Pete) Longbrake
Delbert “Pete” Longbrake was born on June 27, 1932, on Rattlesnake Creek in rural Ziebach County, SD; the son of Delbert & Marrietta Longbrake and a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.
When Pete was about 14 years old, he watched Chauncey Mandan ride a bronc at Faith to win the rodeo. After seeing that bronc ride, it’s what he wanted to do. He started riding all the rough stock events. He also team roped, calf roped, and steer wrestled; but bronc riding was his passion.
Pete lived in the Dupree area all his life except for his time in the military, from January 1953 to January 1955, when he spent 14 months in Korea.
Pete won many championships in the SDRA, NRCA, AAIAA, GPIRA and NOTRA. He started competing as a teenager and rode his last competitive bronc in 1973 (McInerny’s Curly Wolf aka Frontier Airlines, 5-time Bronc of the Year), and competed in the NOTRA until 1987. He traveled with many area bronc riders and helped numerous young bronc riders get started.
Pete and Lee Crowser started C & L Rodeos in 1972, producing amateur and youth rodeos. After Lee’s passing in 1989, Pete continued with Longbrake Rodeos and transitioned into a partnership with his son, Bud.
Sons, Delbert, Jake, and Bud, living in the Dupree area, rode rough stock and concentrated on Bronc’s. Daughter, Charlie, Kaycee, WY, also rodeoed and competes still. Pete has 11 grandchildren and a host of great-grandchildren that are carrying on Pete’s rodeo legacy.
Rodeo Promoter: Dave Dahl
Since 1974, Dahl created nearly 60 high performance saddles per year, which are shipped to top competitors all over the world, from Canada to Australia. He says his favorite part of creating his trademark saddles is watching the cowboy’s success once they walk out his door.
Dave’s saddles have been used by top riders including: Cody DeMoss, Clay Elliot, Chuck Schmidt, Jake Watson, Tom Reeves, Jeff Willert, Toas Muncy, Zeke Thurston, Cort Sheer, Wade Sundell, Kyle Whitaker, and many, many more. In 2021, eight of Dave’s saddles were used during the NFR. Along with contributing to wins for some of the nation’s top cowboys, Dave has won titles of his own during his rodeo career, including the 1967 NIRA Saddle Bronc Championship and the 1968 SDRA Saddle Bronc Championship.
Dave Dahl is still going strong, creating saddles out of his shop in downtown Ft. Pierre at the age of 77. He looks forward to making his 2000th saddle in the coming year.
Ranch Cowboy Family: The Gordon & Janet Good Family
The Good Family Ranch was established by Alfred and Peggy Good in 1936. It was purchased by the Gordon and Janet Good Family in 1977. A cow/calf operation and a small herd of mares are a part of their ranch operation. A large barn was constructed in 1979, which has made it possible for rodeo event practice and horse training year-round. All ages come to the Good Family Ranch to practice on a regular basis.
The Goods are proud of an array of awards including: Gordon Good, Badlands Hazer of the Year; 8 State High School Steer Wrestling titles held by Allen, Darin, Carson, and Denton; numerous World Titles in Little Britches, Jr. High, 4H and High School Rodeos.
The Goods enjoy all who come to practice year-round, noting that memories and friendships made every day are a priority to them.
Rodeo Animal Athlete: Captain’s Darkie (Doc) owned by Nikki and Kristi Steffes
Doc was an incredible athlete and a talented multi-event rodeo horse, ridden by both Nikki and Kristi Steffes. He won state and national high school championships in barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, and all -around honors. He won two SD AQHA Horse of the Year titles. He finished in the top ten pole bending averages at four National High School Finals Rodeos. At the collegiate level, he won five Central Rocky Mountain Region barrel racing, three goat tying, five all-around championships, and was named the CRMR Horse of the Year three times.
Doc carried Nikki to two College National Finals Rodeo all around championships, and he was the National Intercollegiate AQHA Horse of the Year in 2008. In his career, he qualified Nikki and Kristi for eight SD State Finals Rodeos, eight NHSFRs, five CNFRs, as well as state 4-H Finals, National Little Britches Finals Rodeos, and Shawnee International Finals Youth Rodeos. He helped both Nikki and Kristi win a Ford F250 Pickup and Nikki a trailer at the Elks Youth Championship Rodeo. Doc holds an incredible amount of rodeo championship titles, all attributed to his intelligence, heart, and fire in rodeo arenas. He was truly an amazing animal athlete.
Doc enjoyed retirement on the Steffes Ranch until he passed away in the summer of 2015.
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Acronym Key:
- National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA)
- National Finals Rodeo (NFR)
- South Dakota Rodeo Association (SDRA)
- Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA)
- Great Plains Indian Rodeo Association (GPIRA)
- Indian National Finals Rodeo (INFR)
- College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR)
- Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR)
- Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA)
- South Dakota High School Rodeo (SDHSR)
- National High School Rodeo (NHSR)
- Northwest Ranch Rodeo Cowboy Assn (NRCA) SD, ND, WY, MT & NE
OCTOBER 4, 2022:
Tickets are now on sale for the 33rd Annual Casey Tibbs Foundation Tribute Dinner to be held Nov. 5, 2022, at the Casey Tibbs South Dakota Rodeo Center in Fort Pierre. Advance tickets are required for this event.
Each year, the Casey Tibbs Foundation pays tribute to six individuals who have exemplified and contributed to the sport of rodeo in South Dakota. These individuals are nominated into six different categories, based on specific criteria, before going through a selection process. The Casey Tibbs Foundation is pleased to announce the 2022 honorees are:
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Past Rodeo Great: Pete Longbrake
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Rodeo Cowgirl Great: Roxie Holloway
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Rodeo Cowboy Great: Monte Melvin
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Rodeo Promoter: Dave Dahl
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Ranch Cowboy Family: The Gordon & Janet Good Family
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Rodeo Animal Athlete: Captain’s Darkie- Owned by Nikki Steffes
The honoree’s photos and biographies are added to the permanent “Wall of Fame” located in the Mattie Goff Newcombe Conference Center of the South Dakota Rodeo Center.
Individuals may purchase tickets by phone or in person through the Casey Tibbs South Dakota Rodeo Center in Fort Pierre. There are a limited number of tickets and, in years past, tickets have sold out quickly.
For more information, contact Kalyn at the Casey Tibbs South Dakota Rodeo Center at 605-494-1094 or 605-222-3499.
SEPTEMBER 12, 2022:
The Casey Tibbs Foundation is pleased to announce that the 33rd Annual Casey Tibbs Foundation Tribute Dinner will be held on the evening of Saturday, November 5, 2022, at the Casey Tibbs South Dakota Rodeo Center in Fort Pierre. Advance tickets are required for this event.
Each year, the Casey Tibbs Foundation pays tribute to six individuals who have exemplified and contributed to the sport of rodeo in South Dakota. These individuals are nominated into six different categories, based on specific criteria, before going through a selection process. The Casey Tibbs Foundation is pleased to announce the 2022 honorees are as follows:
-
Past Rodeo Great: Pete Longbrake
-
Rodeo Cowgirl Great: Roxie Holloway
-
Rodeo Cowboy Great: Monte Melvin
-
Rodeo Promoter: Dave Dahl
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Ranch Cowboy Family: The Gordon & Janet Good Family
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Rodeo Animal Athlete: Captain’s Darkie- Owned by Nikki Steffes
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