Preparations will soon begin in earnest on the work needed to host hundreds of participants for this year’s 5th Annual Flandreau Rodeo Days. The award-winning event is set to take place again this year just across the street from Royal River Casino and Hotel on June 3 & 4th and will feature some fun events for the entire family. Among them, Marketing Director Brandi Olson told the Moody County Enterprise that this year’s event will feature pony rides for children from All God’s Critters. New vendors are also being added to the line-up.
The rodeo won Best New SDRA Rodeo of the Year in 2018 and Best SDRA Rodeo the following year. If you’ve not been yet, both contestants and spectators continue to say it’s an incredible experience and one worth making sure is on the calendar.
Organizers are still seeking community partners and strive to make this an event that benefits the entire community. Vendors are still being accepted as well as sponsors. Sponsors have an opportunity to get their logo on a banner in the arena, in the program, and on the large digital display along with receiving tickets to the rodeo. The hope is that it showcases the businesses throughout the community and encourages them to explore the area while here and to return again and again.

The event is one for the entire family. It all kicks off Thursday with Barrel Races starting at 7 p.m. Contestants can then compete in two separate rodeos (one unique rodeo each day) over the weekend. Vendor booths run each day from 11 a.m. through the end of each day’s events. The Children’s Activity Area will be open both Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. and will include inflatables, a petting zoo, and the previously mentioned pony rides. Children who want to take part in the Mutton Busting again this year should be registered online ahead of the weekend at www.flandreaurodeodays.com.
Slack kicks off each day at 11 a.m. The Mutton Bustin is scheduled for 5 p.m., Grand Entry at 6 p.m., and the riders take it from there. Two more sanctions were also added this year, so there will be more contestants and attendees this year. The event will conclude each night with free entertainment by Brianna Helbling at Royal River from 9pm-1am. Visitors do not have to attend the rodeo to come, all, Olson said, are welcome.
“It’s an amazing event for the community,” said Kole Latham, who helps manage the grounds, the stock and a lot of other things behind the scenes. “People love it, every summer when it rolls around, everyone asks when it is coming up so that they can bring their families. Rodeo is something people in Flandreau love to see and for us, it’s a family tradition. I know grandpa and everyone was involved when they had it in Flandreau before. When the tribe thought about doing this, when they struck this up, we thought, let’s run with this and help them in any way we can. We live and breathe rodeo and always have. We want to see it be a success and continue to have it because it’s an awesome event. It’s a good deal all around, really. It brings a lot of people to town.”
“A huge thank you to the Loiseaus, Lathams and Johanso’s,” said Olson. “They are a huge asset to the rodeos and we greatly appreciate it!”