SDHRA member, Sawyer Strand steer wrestling at the 2015 NHSFR on his horse, Howard – JenningsRodeoPhotography.com
story by Lily Weinacht
Winning the steer wrestling at the SDHSRA state finals in May earned 17-year-old Sawyer Strand his second trip to the NHSFR. The cowboy from Harrisburg, S.D., finished the short-go with a 7.66, which secured him sixth place in the world standings. Sawyer also competes in tie-down roping, team roping as the heeler, and cutting, which he qualified in for Nationals last year and placed eighth in the world standings.
“My mom grew up around horses and she did a lot of team sorting, so when I was younger, I got into 4-H and then high school rodeos and the SDRA,” says Sawyer. “My sister started cutting as a freshman and my mom wanted me to try it too. I really liked it! I think it’s exciting when you get a cow that will turn and run across the pen. But,” he adds, “steer wrestling is my favorite. Jumping off the side of a running horse is for the adrenaline junkies. I’m the first one of my family to do that event.”
Luke Branquinho, the 2014 WNFR steer wrestling champion, is Sawyer’s ultimate rodeo idol. “He’s been really fun to watch compete the last few years, and I really hope to meet him someday,” says Sawyer. “Todd Suhn taught me the basics at his clinic in Ogallala, Nebraska, the last two years and Jim Fanning, my hazer, helps me out too.” Sawyer’s mom, Cammy Larson, has motivated him as well, while she is also the seamstress of the family. “I rip up a lot of shirts steer wrestling, but my mom can fix most of them,” Sawyer explains. “For a two day rodeo I can go through three or four pairs of jeans and five or six shirts.”
Sawyer and his mom live on the edge of town, a cornfield springing up just beyond their backyard, and their horses in a nearby pasture. Sawyer’s sister, Shelby (19), is a sophomore at SDSU, where she is competing on the college rodeo team. “I miss having her around,” Sawyer admits. “We always give each other a hard time and wrestle around. Sometimes we’ll rope together if she’s home.” Sawyer inherited Shelby’s breakaway horse, a Si Olena mare named Smoke, who became his mount in the tie-down roping. His CD Light gelding, “Winston”, carried both Shelby and Sawyer to the NHSFR in cutting after they purchased the gelding from Winston Hansma in Texas. Sawyer’s steer wrestling horse, a PC Frenchmans Mark, “Howard”, was originally a team roping horse when the family bought him from Casey Wilson, but he picked up steer wrestling almost immediately.
A senior at Harrisburg High School, Sawyer hasn’t caught too bad of a case of senioritis, and admits he’ll miss high school. His wellness class is his favorite, from lifting weights to cardio workouts. He plays linebacker and offense line on his school’s football team, the Tigers, whose season is off to a very promising start, while he also throws shot put and discus on the track team.
Once he’s out of school for the day, Sawyer can be found doing homework, but it’s more likely he’s loading up his horses to go practice at a friend’s arena. However, every year, his family has a reunion in Pierre, S.D. “My uncle comes from Minneapolis (Minn.) and my grandparents come from Martin, and some of my cousins from North Dakota,” says Sawyer. “We all go pheasant hunting, and on weekends I’ll go out with friends and go deer hunting.”
As he approaches college, Sawyer plans to college rodeo, though he’d also like to become a farrier. “I want to go to college and get better at my competition, and then my dream is to eventually go pro and make it to the NFR!”
