BISMARCK – The capital city kicked off the North Dakota Junior High 2021-2022 rodeo season this past weekend, August 6-7.

“I like this junior high association so much, because you really get to see the kids learning while they compete. The improvements they make and putting the pieces together is so fun to watch,” said rodeo mom Kelcie Hutchison.

Pole bending champion at her first junior high rodeo and placing 2nd on Sunday was 6th grader Cassidy Hutchison.

“My first junior high rodeo was fun, and I met a lot of new people. I competed in the poles, barrels, goats, ribbon roping, breakaway and team roping,” said Cassidy.

Placing 5th and 2nd in the barrels at the two-day rodeo, fourth in the team roping, and placing in the breakaway roping both rodeos, the newcomer, not so new to the arena, had a few things to say about practicing.

“Practicing a lot just through my whole life, I guess. The last couple weeks we have been doing a lot of fencing, but I have been competing since I was four years old,” added Cassidy.

Cassidy Hutchison Heading [Photo: Kathy Fredericks Johnson]

Rodeo is a lifestyle for the Hutchisons. Cassidy was eight years old when she entered her first team roping. Her dad, Jerome, was her first heeling partner. Older brothers, Hayden and Braden, have had their little sister following in their roping and riding footsteps since she could walk.

The Hutchisons’ father, Jerome, has been roping and riding his whole life and announces at a couple team ropings and youth rodeos, while running their family trucking company business. Their mother, Kelcie, has been swinging a rope and competing since she was a freshman in high school. The family moved to Watford City by way of Idaho in 2010 and spend some of the winter in Arizona. They both commented that raising kids in North Dakota is a great place to raise them. They added that the people are so good and family orientated.

Cassidy rode their family horse, Midnight, in the pole bending – a 15-year-old gelding that hadn’t been touched for three weeks. He needed a vacation before the season began.

Piglet is another family horse all of the Hutchisons use and is a 20-year-old mare. She is used in the breakaway, team roping, and tie-down events. Piglet’s resume hosts ‘ND Junior High Horse of the Year’ with Hayden.

Cassidy won the barrels aboard Jeff and Eva Hepper’s barrel horse known as Touche.

Cassidy said she loves to team rope and has goals for the future to be a good roper. The cowgirl’s weekend has her sitting at 2nd in the girls’ all-around standings.

Not to be outshined by his sister, Braden Hutchison, took home the boys’ all- around win on Sunday.

“Bismarck had some good bulls and nice stock. It was cool and had great people,” said Braden. “Being a rough stock rider and competing in the timed events get kind of hard,” explained the cowboy. ”The timing of everything and getting ready just gets a little challenging.”

Braden Hutchison Heading [Photo: Andersen Photography]

Somehow the Hutchinson family managed to assist and got the job done. Braden placed in the bulls, bareback riding, breakaway roping, and ribbon roping ending up the boys’ all-around champion on Sunday.

On the side, Braden cuts some hay and picks some bales. He said he enjoys dirt bike riding and boating from North Dakota to Arizona. This summer he has been doing a lot of fencing pastures and helping out around the place.

“Junior High rodeo allows me to do a lot of events and be around different people every year,” added Braden. The cowboy says his goals for the future are just to take everything in stride.

Rodeo mom Hutchison concluded, “Bismarck was run very well. It really is a great group of kids that support each other.”