Area Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo competitors agree on two things. The rodeo is good and its fans are great.
"When you have people in the stands that know who you are, it makes you want to do better," Kennebec native Dawson Jandreau said.
The 22-year old, who competed in his fourth straight Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo Wednesday, has entered in loads of rodeos on the West Coast and Canada this year. Jandreau is ranked 30th in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association's saddle bronc world standings. He's made $18,963 in the event this year.
"Mitchell is a good place to start out and it fits the schedule," Jandreau said, adding he's headed west to Idaho after this weekend.
He said traveling can be tedious and always enjoys returning home to compete.
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"A bunch of my buddies that I played high school football with are coming to watch," he said, adding the rodeos closest to Kennebec he competes in are Mitchell, Clear Lake and Belle Fourche. "It's always good to come home where people support you."
Jeff Bertus, an Avon native who will be competing in the bull riding event Saturday, said he's returning because he enjoys it.
"It's my third year here and I hope to do better than last year," said Bertus, who placed with an 80-point go last July.
Along with Jandreau and Bertus, 17 other area riders compete. These competitors are spread out from Wednesday through Sunday. Area riders are competing in bareback riding, steer wrestling, saddle bronc, tie down roping, team roping, barrel racing and bull riding.
The Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo is nightly at 8 p.m. through Sunday.
