Dacotah Stampede Rodeo: North Dakota cowboy following in father's bootprints

He might not have the natural ability of his legendary father, but the next generation of Gjermundsons looked like a natural at the Dacotah Stampede Rodeo Tuesday night.

Kane Gjermundson, the son of Four-Time World Champion Saddle Bronc rider Brad Gjermundson, won the saddle bronc competition with a score of 79 before a large crowd at the Brown County Fairgrounds.

However, unlike his dad, Kane said he has to work at his trade.

“For dad that just came natural. He was good at what he did,” Kane said. “I have to work at it.”

The elder Gjermundson was definitely unique in his riding abilities.

“I know a lot of people say, 'Your dad is one of the greatest. Brad was kind of one of a kind.' I realize he is one of a kind,” Kane said.

The 25-year-old from Marshall, N.D., said his famous dad has been a big help in his development and provides plenty of expertise.

The best advice his father has ever given him?

“Use your spurs and they'll reward you for it,” Kane said his dad told him.

For a while Kane wasn't sure he wanted to follow in his father's saddle shadow but is fast gaining confidence in his abilities in the arena.

“Now I just know I need to stick with it,” he said, “because I think I can do it, now.”

A quick diversion to Aberdeen resulted in a nice reward for Wacey Cody, who won the bareback competition. The cowboy from San Angelo, Texas, worked in Iowa this summer and is ready to head south to start school next week, but chose to hit a rodeo before going home.

“I just kind of decided to come up here and it paid off,” Cody said.

The cowboy with the long sideburns competed in both the bareback and saddle bronc divisions on Tuesday. While he likes them both, he said they are completely different.

“Saddle bronc riding is more of a rhythmic fluid-type mindset, where bareback riding is just grit and determination,” he said.

When asked whether it was his draw or his ability that helped him capture the bareback title with a score of 81, Cody responded, “I hope it was both. I know the horse was real good, but I hope I did my part, too.”

Preston Billadeau was happy with the steer he and his partner, Jared Bilby, drew in the team roping competition. The duo combined to bring the steer down in a winning time of 5.1 seconds.

“You need a steer that runs straight and one that's a little slower to win first,” said Billadeau of Parshall, N.D. “We made a good run. We had a good steer.”

Billadeau said that roping in a smaller arena like the one at the fairgrounds means you have to be on top of your game.

“In little arena's like this on short scores, you kind of have to be as fast as you can,” he said.