Rapid City Rodeo

The history of Sutton Rodeo Company parallels the growth and development of rodeo for nearly the entire 20th century and beyond.

In 1926, the Edwin Sutton family began producing their own rodeos on the home ranch in Sully County. Originally the rodeo was just a pleasant pastime when a group of people got together on a Sunday. However, Edwin saw a possibility for profit and joined with George Fairbank to begin a touring rodeo. The Depression shut down the productions and they did not begin again until the mid-forties.

James H. Sutton, Sr. took Sutton rodeo to the next stage in the 1950s when he entered a partnership with Erv Korkow. As one of the first members of the RCA, Sutton/Korkow stock performed at the first National Finals Rodeo at Dallas, Texas in 1959. The Company won Bull of the Year with “Baldy” in 1961 and had Reserve Champion horses “Snake River” in 1962 and “Yellow Jacket” in 1964. James was the first Stock Contractor to be inducted in the PRCA Hall of Champions in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1982.

In 1968, James Sutton, Jr. became a partner with his dad forming Sutton Rodeo Company and the tradition continued. Sutton Rodeo had three PRCA Horse of the Year awards, “Deep Water” in 1979 and “Big Bud” in 1985 and “Chuckulator” in 2012, Top Saddle Bronc of the World and WNFR. Sutton Rodeo stock has been selected to perform at 55 of the 57 National Finals Rodeos. Jim, along with wife Julie, took the company to the next level with a focus on production and innovation. Jim began the Black Hills Stock Show Rodeo in 1978, a rodeo nominated fifteen times for PRCA “Indoor Rodeo of the Year” winning this award in 2002 and 2003. Jim originated the Wrangler Bullfights and the Bailey Bail-Off. He is famous for his pageantry and colorful rodeo openings, including the openings at the NFR in 1995-96. Jim has been nominated four times as “Stock Contractor of the Year”. Jim’s wife Julie, an experienced rodeo secretary and NFR timer, oversees publicity and advance promotion.