2024 Election Guide
Celebrating traditional American Values
in every town across our Great Nation
in every town across our Great Nation
“There’s nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse.” That quote hung on a gate on our family farm and ranch growing up. It wasn’t until years later that I realized who said those words: the Gipper himself, President Ronald Reagan.
We have two incredible events in late September in South Dakota that showcase just how much men and women can accomplish on “the outside of a horse.” On the last Friday in September, we celebrate the Buffalo Roundup at Custer State Park. And that same Thursday through Saturday, cowboys and cowgirls ride horses (and bulls) at the Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls. Our western heritage is celebrated on both sides of the state in just one weekend – I love it!
The Buffalo Roundup might be my very favorite event on the calendar every year. It’s quite a spectacle as 1,500 bison thunder through our beautiful Custer State Park. It’s also a celebration of America’s history.
Less than 150 years ago, there were fewer than 1,000 bison left alive in the United States. That number is over 500,000 today largely thanks to our state bison herd at Custer State Park. The legendary Scotty Philip started our state herd and became known as “the man who saved the Buffalo.”
When I was in Congress, I led efforts to name the bison as America’s National Mammal, and we got that bill passed in 2016. And I hold the years that I’ve helped round up the bison at our annual Buffalo Roundup among my most precious memories. About 20,000 visitors join us every year (we actually broke our record in 2023 at more than 22,500). If you haven’t seen it for yourself, you should join us next year!
The Governor’s Cup is the final event in the CINCH Playoffs – meaning it is the final opportunity to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo. This is the second year running that we’ve held this fantastic rodeo in Sioux Falls. Dozens of the best rodeo cowboys and cowgirls duke it out for a $1 million purse, making it “The Richest Rodeo in South Dakota History.”
Rodeo is our state sport in South Dakota, and I’ve prioritized bringing the biggest and best rodeo competitions to our state. In July 2020, the Professional Bull Riders rodeo in Sioux Falls was the first major indoor sporting event to take place with fans in the stands anywhere in the country since the COVID pandemic started. Freedom and rodeo go hand in hand, and folks across the country have found themselves coming back to rodeo because of its celebration of American values.
I hope you have the opportunity to enjoy one or both of these events - if not this year, then sometime soon! Our western heritage is such a beautiful symbol of the Freedoms that make America so special. We should take the opportunity to enjoy this heritage every chance that we get.