Saddle up! Bismarck State College (BSC) is adding rodeo to its athletic program and competing in the Great Plains Region of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association.

Starting this fall, the BSC Men’s Rodeo team will compete in bareback, saddle bronc, bull riding, tie down and steer wrestling. The BSC Women’s Rodeo team will compete in barrel racing, goat tying and breakaway roping. Both teams will compete in co-ed team roping, and the teams will practice and board their horses at JT Family Equine south of Bismarck, which has indoor and outdoor arena facilities. The rodeo season runs both fall and spring with 10 rodeos and a finals.

Taking the reins for the BSC Rodeo team is Jon Peek, a competitive multi-event rodeo cowboy with a career spanning more than three decades. He previously coached rodeo from 2008 to 2011 at New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, N.M., and also coached the Grand Canyon Region Women’s Team to a championship in 2011.

In 2011, Peek headed to North Dakota to tackle new challenges. He has nurtured the upcoming generation of rodeo athletes by hosting clinics and encouraging youth at junior high and high school rodeos.

Peek’s passion for rodeo was nurtured through his upbringing and competitive brothers, Josh and Jerimiah, raised in Pueblo, Colo. That passion, along with his family, spurred him to accept the head coach position at BSC.

“We love this community. We want to encourage our youth to stay in North Dakota and take advantage of an excellent education at Bismarck State College while keeping on the winning track of rodeo. Let’s take North Dakota to the College National Finals Rodeo,” says Peek.

BSC previously had a rodeo club from 1971 to 2001. In 1971, the team consisted of 14 rodeo athletes. BSC – at that time Bismarck Junior College – was one of 100 colleges that made up the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association.

Prospective rodeo athletes are encouraged to reach out to Jon Peek at jon.peek@bismarckstate.edu.