It seems like it was a marathon but after counting it out, it was only about 6 weeks. I can’t believe what we can pack into such a short amount of time.
A trend of the summer was rain. Seems odd in South Dakota but I know that everyone was grateful for the moisture.
We started the muddy madness at Crystal Springs Rodeo in Clear Lake South Dakota. I rodeoed most of the summers of my life and I do not remember the water like it was there this year. The photos? Perfection!
So thankful for the committee at Crystal Springs who have turned into wonderful friends that open their home to us during the event. It was fun having our pals Garrison (Starched) and Logan (videographer) tag along with us. Add this rodeo to your list if you’ve never been: an electric atmosphere that’s one of a kind!
We were home for about 3 days and thought we should hit the road west for the Black Hills Roundup. An amazing place to be to celebrate our country’s birthday! We had beautiful weather but just like I stated before, wouldn’t be complete without some puddles. I got to spend some time side by side miss Janie, who was working on the video feed for the roundup. You all know me, I love a fast friend. Oscar got to tag along for this trip and he’s an old seasoned rodeo dog for sure. We made it thru 3 perfs before the rains come but when they showed up, they came in full force! After the bull riding was finished up on the 4th, I was the getaway car right outside the fence. Clay jumped in and we headed to our next stop: Bigfork, Montana.
We laid over in Billings and made the rest of the trip on Wednesday July 5th. There is something about western Montana in the summer (*sigh*). One of my favorite places to be and even better place to rodeo. They pack the place, it’s incredible! We snagged some good food and some family time. Clay’s brother Caleb roped and his parents joined us for the weekend.
16 hours home. Home to try our hand at some more senior photos and a new rodeo, The Burke Stampede. Such a nostalgic place for me; Burke is where my first youth rodeo was. How fun to come back in a different light but still enjoy what we do out on the prairie in South Dakota! Thanks to Burke for trying us out this year.
We rounded out july with senior sessions daily, that included, downtown Sioux Falls, private creeks, wildflowers, barn lofts, swimming with horses, outrunning thunderstorms (check out the clouds), and the best sunsets with some of the best young adults that are getting ready for their best year yet!
But wait! There’s more.
Up next: Watertown PRCA, a couple weddings, Baker MT, Range Days Rapid City, and the Nebraska State Fair.
Hang on.
-Ty (& Clay)