Roping for more: DSU's Jade Boote earns prestigious Sonny Sikes Pioneer Award

Written by: Rachel Goslinga, Dickinson State University Athletic Communication Specialist

When talking about college rodeo, there is one name that sticks out: Sonny Sikes. Sikes, who competed and won national titles in team roping and tie-down roping, had a dedication and passion for college rodeo. And because of his passion and lasting legacy for rodeo, the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) started the Sonny Sikes Pioneer Award in his honor in 2013. The 2021 recipient of the award was Dickinson State University (DSU) senior, Jade Boote.

"Receiving the Sonny Sikes Award is a huge honor," stated Boote. "Mr. Sikes is the epitome of what I strive to become in college rodeo - from competing to helping and leading others. Being awarded the Sonny Sikes Award was the highlight of my time during the College National Finals Rodeo."

The award, which includes a $2,000 scholarship, is awarded to a student director based on their leadership in the sport - along with an essay on what it means to be a pioneer for the sport of college rodeo.

And with this award comes gratitude. Boote, a senior, business education major at DSU, knows the support system she has, both in and out of the arena, helped her achieve this accolade in more ways than one.

"Being on the DSU rodeo team has helped shape me into I am today," said Boote. "Chip Poland, Eudell Larsen and Cameron Morman have all been huge supporters of me from the beginning and have done all they can to help me achieve my goals! It truly takes a village and I'm proud to have an amazing one. Without the help of all these people, including my parents and teammates, I would not have had the success I had down in Casper inside the arena and to achieve many things in my roping career at the professional and amateur levels!"

This past weekend, Boote competed in the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) where she roped three calves. In her first go, she tied for eighth with a 2.8 second run. She followed with a 12.4 second run and a 12.0 second run due to 10.0 point broken barrier penalties in her final two runs. However, even with the two broken barrier runs, she roped her way into the final short go grouping as she caught all three calves during her previous runs. Although Boote ended her final go without catching a calf, she ended her CNFR performance catching three out of four total calves – something she hasn't done all spring.

"Not having roped a calf all spring at our college rodeos made it difficult," said Boote. "But getting three calves roped and making the short go amongst the toughest ladies in the nation is just a blessing!"

Although Boote fell short in the final go during the CNFR, she understands the bigger picture is much bigger than just rodeo – and that's her teammates and support system who helped her get to this point.

"The DSU rodeo team is like a big family," continued Boote. "We are always there for one another and the support is so amazing. I knew that from the first day of practice a couple years ago. The best decision I have ever made was to come to DSU and earn my degree and compete in rodeo."