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Event winners

(Junior event participants are those under 18 years of age, while novice performers are under 16 years of age.

Bareback Lee Dunford, Menoken

Jr. bareback Tate Schwagler, Mandan

Calf rope Blake Eggl, Minot

Jr. calf rope (tie) Tanner Rutten, Redvers, Sask., and Tate Schwagler, Mandan

Sr. breakaway Brad Gjermundson, Marshall

Breakaway Brandi Guttormson, Sawyer

Jr. breakaway Jade Benson, Scoby, Mont.

Saddle bronc Wes Jensen, Mandan

Jr. saddle bronc Riley Knoll, Mandan

Barrel race Shausta Wickum, Minot

Jr. barrel race Christin Nelson, Bottineau

Novice barrel race Ellie Lou Johnston, Velva

Steer wrestle Marshall Harms, Malta, Mont.

Jr. steer wrestle Justice Johnson, Bismarck

Bull ride Dan Pahl, Edgeley

Jr. bull ride Tyler Thorson, Towner

Goat tie Bobbi Grann, Sheyenne

Jr. goat tie Lacey Grann, Sheyenne

Team rope AJ Zieman, Dickinson, and Kyle Jensen, Kenmare

Mixed team rope Jason Hill, Tioga, and Patrick Monson, Bottineau

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RUTHVILLE - It was a special weekend as hundreds flocked to Ruthville to commemorate the life of Ruthville founder Bennie Schimmelpfennig by participating in the 10th annual memorial rodeo that bears his name.

The two-day event featured 247 participants who competed individually and in teams in several categories including barrel racing, team roping, goat tying, steer wrestling, calf roping, breakaway, bareback, saddle bronc and bull riding. Nearly every town or county in the state was represented by at least one cowboy or cowgirl - Minot had 14 participants - along with several other states and Canadian provinces.

Schimmelpfennig founded Ruthville in 1935 and built and ran several businesses in the town including a gas station, grocery store, barber shop, bar, motel and restaurant. In the late 1980s, he leased the land to the Triple 'R' Saddle Club for use in rodeo events for 99 years. The price - $1.

Schimmelpfennig died in 2000.

"Dad was a fella that liked to see people have a good time and see activities going on in Ruthville," said Judy Rice, Schimmelpfennig's daughter. "That was his life's work - getting people to come to Ruthville and have fun."

And they did.

Wayne Johnson, a member of the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base, brought his wife Maria and their 1-year-old son Antonio out to see the show on Sunday.

"My wife, Maria, really likes the sport and we wanted to introduce Antonio to it so we decided to come out," he said. "It's been a fun day even if it is a little windy and cool."

"I'm originally from San Antonio so I grew up with this stuff," Maria added.

The couple's favorite events included the bareback and saddle bronc, but they also enjoyed watching the sheep-riding event for children - which Johnson hopes his son one day will participate in if he wants to and is old enough to partake.

Another couple who came out to enjoy the activities was Ernest and Shirley Hoelscher, who live just a few miles away from the rodeo site.

"We're neighbors so we thought we would come out and watch it all," he said. "It's been a nice Sunday getaway."

While many came to watch, others came to compete and more importantly win.

One of those was Casey Stone, who traveled nearly 1,200 miles from his home in Sallisaw, Okla., to compete in this weekend's event.

"It was a heck of a trip but it was worth it even if it is cold," he said.

Stone, who specializes in steer wrestling and team roping, travels across the nation competing in up to 60 events each year. Although he didn't win Sunday's event, he has qualified for the Roughrider Rodeo Association finals to be held Sept. 25-27 in Devils Lake.

But Stone wasn't the only one affected by the cool temperatures and rain.

"The rain we got on Saturday morning did a number on us - it really affected the times. They weren't near to what they would normally be, especially for the goat tie and calf-roping events, and none of the stock acts the same in those conditions so it was tough but we pulled through it," said Mary Carlson, secretary for the Roughriders Rodeo Association. "When you can get through a weekend event without an ambulance call, especially in this sort of weather, it's a good event."

Even with the weather, one would have surely been there.

"My dad would have loved today. If he was here he would have been in the thick of it going back and forth to see everything and visit with every one," Rice said.