Ryan Knutson won the bull riding at the NDRA rodeo, held at the 2021 N.D. Winter Show. The Watford City, N.D. resident grew up in South Dakota.

By Ruth Nicolaus

VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The last day of the N.D. Winter Show wrapped up with a North Dakota Rodeo Association (NDRA) event, and the man on top of the bull riding charts was a North Dakotan, too.

Ryan Knutson, Watford City, scored 82 points to win his event.

It was a good way to get the rodeo season started for the 26-year-old cowboy, as it was the first bull he’d been on since the NDRA Finals Rodeo in October.

The bull, owned by Bailey Rodeo Co. and named The Regulator, “came around into my hand and felt really good,” Knutson said. “That was a good one to get it started off again, and knock the rust off, anyway.”

Knutson hasn’t been neglecting his bull riding workouts, however. He’s been getting on the practice barrel, a device made for practice for bull riders, that can be controlled, and e’s been working out and riding horses bareback.

Knutson fits in his rodeo hobby with a full time job with the U.S. Forest Service at the Dakota Prairie Grassland, working with rancher permittees on implementing grazing programs.

He used to have a PRCA membership, but when work didn’t allow for too many days off, sticks mostly to NDRA rodeos, which are held in North Dakota and the surrounding states.

Knutson grew up near Brookings, S.D. and graduated from South Dakota State University in 2017 with a degree in range management.

Champions in the other events include bareback rider Clay Jorgenson, Watford City, N.D.

(83); tie-down roper Rex Treeby, Hecla, S.D. (9.7 seconds); breakaway ropers Sarah Morrisey, Ethrata, Wash. and Cassidy Smith, Huff, N.D. (2.4 each); saddle bronc rider Kaden Deal, Eagle Butte, S.D. (75); steer wrestler Clint Nelson, Phillip, S.D. (3.9); team ropers Chasyn Ystaas and Chad Ystaas, both of Dickinson, N.D. (4.9); barrel racer Allison Pauley, Honey Creek, Minn. (12.215 seconds); and Senior men’s breakaway roper Brendan Brinkman, Golden Valley, N.D. (3.0).

 

Results, N.D. Rodeo Association rodeo at the N.D. Winter Show –  March 14, 2021  

 

Bareback riding champion- Clay Jorgenson, Watford City, N.D.

1.      Clay Jorgenson, Watford City, N.D. 83 points; 2. Tucker Zingg, Crow Agency, Mont. 77; 3. Ben Kramer, Max, N.D. 76; 4. Andy Gingerich, Leola, S.D. 71.

Tie-down roping champion – Rex Treeby, Hecla, S.D.

1.      Rex Treeby, Hecla, S.D. 9.7 seconds; 2. Luke Mavity, Dickinson, N.D. 10.6; 3. Bodie Mattson, Sturgis, S.D. 11.2; 4. John Pfaff, New Salem, N.D. 12.1; 5. John Pfaff, New Salem, N.D. 12.3; 5. Chasyn Ystaas, Dickinson, N.D. 12.4; 6. Scott Halverson, Brookings, S.D. 13.0; 7. Chase Lako, Mandan, N.D. 13.0; 8. Jory Boote, Binford, N.D. 13.4.

Breakaway roping co-champions – Sarah Morrisey, Ethrata, Wash. and Cassidy Smith, Huff, N.D.

1.      (tie) Sarah Morrisey, Ethrata, Wash. and Cassidy Smith, Huff, N.D. 2.4 seconds each; 3. Brittany Gartner, Killdeer, N.D. 2.6; 4. Codi Sebastian, Dickinson, N.D. 2.7; 5. Brenda White, Oelrichs, S.D. 2.9; 6. Jackie Schau, Almont, N.D. 3.0; 7. (tie) Jessica Magilke, Solen, N.D., Alex Haines, Carrington, N.D., Dawn Carson, Grassy Butte, N.D., and Brandi White, Hazen, N.D. 3.1 each.

Saddle bronc riding champion – Kaden Deal, Eagle Butte, S.D.

1.      Kaden Deal, Eagle Butte, S.D. 75 points; 2. (tie) Kolt Ferguson, Ft. Collins, Colo. and Parker Kramer, Max, N.D 70 each; 4. JW Meiers, Mills, Wyo. 66.

Steer wrestling champion – Clint Nelson, Phillip, S.D.

1.      Clint Nelson, Phillip, S.D. 3.9 seconds; 2. Colton Hebert, Watford City, N.D. 4.6; 3. (tie) Jayce Doan, Hazelton, N.D. and Jason Reiss, Manning, N.D. 4.8; 5. Sterling Lee, Rhame, N.D. 5.5; 6. River Voigt, Killdeer, N.D. 5.9.

Team roping champions –  Chasyn Ystaas, Dickinson, N.D. and Chad Ystaas, Dickinson, N.D.

1.      Chasyn Ystaas, Dickinson, N.D./Chad Ystaas, Dickinson, N.D. 4.9 each; 2. Laine Gable, Marshall, Minn./Cole Stevens, Hammond, Wis. 5.3; 3. Tucker Dale, Ryder, N.D./Jesse Fredrickson, Upham, N.D. 5.8; 4. Nate Horner, Dawson, S.D./Jesse Dale, Timber Lake, S.D. 6.3; 5. (tie) Eli Lord, Dickinson, N.D./Cash Hetzel, Lemmon, S.D. and Brandon Knudsen, Marion, S.D. /Mitch Smith, Valley City, N.D. 6.4 each; 7. Bodie Mattson, Sturgis, S.D./Jace Engesser, Spearfish, S.D. 6.7; 8. Tanner Wznick, Stanley, N.D./Ethan Rodne, New Town, N.D. 7.4; 10. Layne Carson, Grassy Butte, N.D./Elliott Gourneau, Kennebec, S.D. 7.8.

Barrel racing champion – Allison Pauley, Honey Creek, Minn.

1.      Allison Pauley, Honey Creek, Minn. 12.215 seconds; 2. Carey Rivinius, Carson, N.D. 12.389; 3. Kennedi Lako, Mandan,  N.D. 12.420; 4. Haley Huls, Lennox, S.D. 12.428; 5. Kendra hoovestol, Almont, N.D. 12.522; 6. Lori Nelson, Towner, N.D. 12.604; 7. Courtney Presthus, Dickinson, N.D. 12.607; 8. Katie Fairfield, Valley City, N.D. 12.683; 9. Carrie Arntson, Lake Park, Minn. 12.703; 10. Jayda Miller, Bowman,  N.D. 12.729.

Senior men’s breakaway roping – Brenden Brinkman, Golden Valley, N.D.

1.      Brenden Brinkman, Golden Valley, N.D. 3.0 seconds; 2. Jim Graven, Minot, N.D. 3.2; 3. Shawn Knight, Beulah, N.D.; 4. John Grann, Sheyenne, N.D. 3.5.

 

Bull riding champion – Ryan Knutson, Watford City, N.D.

1.      Ryan Knutson, Watford City, N.D.; 2. Rawley Wilson, Swan Valley, Idaho; 3. Zac Peterson, Velva, N.D.; no other qualified rides.

** All results are unofficial.  For more information, visit www.NorthDakotaWinterShow.com.