Youth Rodeo Competitors Compete in Rapid City
The Badlands Little Britches Rodeo held a weekend of youth competitions at the James Kjerstad Event Center.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Rodeo
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The Badlands Little Britches Rodeo held youth competitions at the James Kjerstad Event Center in Rapid City, with contestants aged five to 18 competing in barrel racing, roping, and pole bending. The weekend also featured a Halloween costume contest.
Why it matters
The events give young riders points toward qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo through the National Little Britches Rodeo Association. The association sanctions youth rodeos across the country.
The national finals draws over 1,600 youth competitors, with eligible contestants between the ages of five and 18. The extraction does not report the number of riders who competed at the Rapid City event.
The players
National Little Britches Rodeo Association
The national association sanctions youth rodeos across the country and runs the national finals that draw more than 1,600 competitors each year.
Badlands Little Britches Rodeo
The Kadoka-based chapter hosts youth rodeo competitions in South Dakota and has also held events in neighboring states.
The details
Contestants competed in barrel racing, roping, and pole bending during the weekend. The Badlands chapter, which is Kadoka-based, has previously held competitions in Billings, Montana, Wyoming, and Dickinson, North Dakota.
Timeline
Oct. 31, 2026: Youth competitions held at the James Kjerstad Event Center in Rapid City.
March: The Badlands chapter returns to Rapid City.
Nov. 20-22: Badlands Thanksgiving rodeo runs, with a silent auction and raffle.
Season Trajectory
Youth rodeo qualification runs through sanctioned regional events that feed into the National Little Britches Rodeo Association national finals. The association's finals move to the OG&E Arena at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds in 2026.
Riders earn points at franchise events that count toward qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo. Families planning around the Thanksgiving rodeo can expect a silent auction and raffle during the Nov. 20-22 event.
The takeaway
Youth rodeo qualification follows a points-based path from regional events to national finals, so attending sanctioned events during the season is how young competitors build toward nationals.
What happens next
The Badlands Little Britches chapter returns to Rapid City in March, and the Thanksgiving rodeo runs Nov. 20 through 22.
Further reading
For more on youth competition, see Rodeo coverage across the region.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KNBN NewsCenter1.
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