South Dakota has always been famous for tough rough stock riders, and it isn’t just because of our ranching and rural roots. Much credit also needs to go to our legendary stock contractors and their dedication and commitment to a breeding program that produces some of the greatest bucking horses and bulls in the nation. Korkow Rodeos is one of those legendary contractors.

The Burke Stampede Rodeo Committee is so pleased to welcome back to the Burke Stampede Korkow Rodeos and the famous Anchor K brand as our 2021 stock contractors. It seems fitting that in this, our premier year of sanction by the Professional Rodeo Cow-boy’s Association (PRCA) and Women’s Professional Rodeo As-sociation (WPRA) that we should partner with one of the oldest and finest stock producers in the coun-try.

We would like our Stampede fans to have a peek at what goes into a rodeo production business of this caliber. In 1947, Erv Korkow produced his first rodeo in his hometown of Blunt, South Dakota. He continued to enlarge his opera-tion, buying more land and estab-lishing a breeding program for bucking horses and bulls. Erv joined the RCA (Rodeo Cowboy’s Association) in 1958 and had rodeo stock selected for the very first National Finals Rodeo in 1959 in Dallas, Texas and every NFR since then. He helped organize the South Dakota Rodeo Association (SDRA) in the mid-50’s and served as its first president for two terms. The word in the South Dakota rodeo camp has always been that the RCA patterned much of their for-mat in the early years after the SDRA. Bucking horses and rodeos were Erv’s passion but his first love was his family. Wife, LaFola, and sons, Jim, Don, and Ken were all involved in every aspect of their ranching and rodeoing lifestyle. Rodeo wasn’t just a way to make a living, it was a way of life for the Korkow family.

Jim bought the ranch and rodeo company when his father, Erv, passed away in 1993. The Anchor K ranch is located 20 miles east of Pierre, South Dakota, where they farm and ranch over 20,000 acres and produce 5th and 6th generation bucking horses and bulls. Jim’s wife, Carol, and their son, TJ, play important roles in keeping things running smoothly. Carol frequently is one of the rodeo timers and han-dles all the books and records for all operations at home. TJ is the head flankman and is incredibly knowledgeable about all the rodeo stock and their individual bucking styles – something all the cowboys appreciate. TJ’s sister Mistie is a PRCA rodeo secretary and will be the Stampede rodeo secretary. TJ’s wife Brie along with Carol Korkow will be our Stampede timers.

Korkow Rodeo accolades have been many. Erv was inducted into the South Dakota Rodeo Hall of Fame, the Casey Tibb’s Hall of Fame, and both he and Jim to the Fairman’s Hall of Fame. Two dif-ferent South Dakota Governors declared an “Erv Korkow Day.” In 2009, Erv was inducted into the Pro-Rodeo Hall of Fame in Colora-do Springs, Colorado. Then in 2017, Korkow Rodeos received the coveted Professional Rodeo Cow-boys Association “Remuda Award.” The Remuda Award is given to the PRCA Stock Contrac-tor that produces and provides the deepest and most level herd of high caliber bucking stock for the cow-boys to draw from at a rodeo.

Korkow Rodeos is proud of their deep legacy of providing stock to young cowboys and cowgirls. They have provided stock for the South Dakota 4-H Finals, the National High School Rodeo Finals, the Na-tional Intercollegiate Rodeo Finals, and numerous other youth rodeos. Every spring the Anchor K hosts their annual rodeo school. World Champion instructors teach the fundamentals of riding bareback horses, saddle bronc horses, bulls and fighting bulls. Many a cowboy has gotten their start at the Anchor K Rodeo School.

You might recognize the names of some of the outstanding horses and bulls that carried the Anchor K brand: Slippery, Queenie, Vidalia, Vanilla Twist, Fraid Knot, Paint Chip, Redneck, Booger’s Pet, and most recently the famed Onion Ring.

Korkow Rodeos and the Burke Stampede Rodeo have teamed up to make sure the Stampede legend for rip-roarin’, bronc stompin’ rodeo continues. You won’t want to miss the 2021 edition of the Burke Stampede Rodeo July 16th, 17th and 18th. Performances start at 7:00 PM at the Stampede Arena in Burke. Advance tickets are on sale soon at various business locations in Winner, Gregory, Burke, Fairfax, Platte, Wagner and Spencer, Nebraska.