story by Don Reichert
1988 was a good year for National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association cowboys from South Dakota. Saddle bronc riding winner was Eudell Larson, New Underwood, South Dakota. The steer wrestling was won by National College of Business student, Cory Ferguson, Enning, South Dakota. Winning the bareback riding and the all-around championships in 1988 was Ken Lensegrav from Meadow, South Dakota, riding for Montana State University.
This month Eudell Larsen is in the spotlight with Ferguson and Lensegrav in future National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Alumni stories.
1988 NIRA Saddle Bronc Riding winner Larsen competed for Western Dakota Tech, Rapid City, South Dakota where he majored in Ag Business Management and Welding.
During Eudell Larsen’s college rodeo career he was the Great Plains NIRA Region Saddle Bronc and All-Around Champion in 1987, ‘88 and ‘89 and the Bareback Riding Champion in 1988. Nationally he was the 1987 NIRA Rookie of the Year and in 1988 the Saddle Bronc Champion, 6th in the Bareback Riding, and Reserve All-Around Champion. In 1989 he placed 3rd in the Saddle Bronc Riding and was 4th place All-around Cowboy.
Larsen qualified for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo five times rodeoing in the Badland Circuit (Saddle Bronc Champion in 2000)and the Mountain States Circuit (Saddle Bronc Champion in 1992 and Saddle Bronc Champion and All-around Cowboy in 1993). He has numerous championship buckles from the South Dakota Rodeo Association and the Northwest Ranch Cowboys Association and many reserve championships in the same associations.
He has coached the Dickinson State College rodeo team at Dickinson, North Dakota since 2009. Previously he was assistant rodeo coach at National American University, Rapid City, South Dakota for 12 years, where he was twice named the Great Plains Region Rodeo Coach of the Year. Every year of coaching, he has had competitors at the College National Finals Rodeo. Currently In the region, his men’s team is first and his women’s team is fifth. He has 10 competitors in the top 8 of their events with 3 of the top 4 in the region saddle bronc standings.
Eudell and his wife, Marilyn, and sons Kail 17, Taik 14, and Quaid 20 are avid hunters. Eudell and Marilyn are certified 4-H instructors specializing in archery and muzzle loading rifles. Kail and Quaid have qualified for and placed high in national 4-H muzzle loading rifle and archery competition.
Eudell loved saddle bronc and bareback riding and felt it was a real privilege to college rodeo.
