Former rodeo queen made history, now documenting it
By Justin R. Lessman
It seems fitting the person compiling the definitive history of Jackson County youth involvement in the Minnesota High School Rodeo Association competed in the very first MHSRA State Finals Rodeo in 1956.
That person is Jackson County’s own Gwen Fleace.
Fleace, of rural Round Lake, is in the process of documenting local youth involvement in the MHSRA for the Jackson County Historical Society. It’s a history that began with Fleace nearly 70 years ago and continues to be written today.
The first MHSRA State Finals Rodeo took place at the Plum Creek Ranch near Walnut Grove in 1956. One Jackson County contestant competed there — Gwenlyn Pigman atop her horse, “Sally,” Pigman being just one of seven girls in competition. Pigman won the barrel race and finished third in pole bending, then was crowned rodeo queen.
“This organization has grown so much and made many changes and additions since that time,” Fleace — the former 1956 rodeo queen — said of the MHSRA. “Jackson County has over the years had many young people who have represented Minnesota on the Minnesota state team in national competitions.”
Not surprisingly, Fleace was among the first, competing as a part of the Minnesota team at the National High School Rodeo in Reno, Nev.
“During the early years, there was only the high school state finals, which was the road to national competition,” Fleace said. “Even as other things have changed and improved over 69 years, so has high school rodeo. There are now regional rodeos, which can carry some points into the state finals.”
Other changes include the addition of a junior-high division, with its own national finals. More events have been added to the competition, as well.
“There are more competitors, there are added events and the younger kids come into the high school division with some rodeo experience,” Fleace said.
As part of her work documenting the history of Jackson County youth involvement in the MHSRA, Fleace is compiling a list of names of Jackson County contestants who rode in state finals rodeos from the first in 1956 through the present year of 2025. The names include several national qualifiers, including Arlys Pigman, Marjorie Pigman, Rolland Kutzbach, Dennis Meyerdirk, Cindy Voss, Carolyn Rogers, Pattie Fleace, Sonja Dahlin, Ian Fleace, Tanner Marie Christoffers and Sadie Hotzler. The list also includes three MNHSRA rodeo queens — Fleace herself, Dahlin and Barb Sodemann.
“Jackson County has had many very good rodeo contestants over the past 69 years,” Fleace said. “We have had three MNHSRA rodeo queens. We have had three men who have served on the state board of directors for this organization.”
Though Fleace has done much toward compiling the definitive history of Jackson County youth involvement in the MHSRA, she acknowledges more is yet to be done.
“This is a work in progress at this time,” she said, adding though she has taken great pains to record all of the names of Jackson County competitors, she may be missing some.
She encourages those who may be able to fill in blanks to contact her to help.
“This is a project that is still in process,” she said. “I am planning to do more research and then submit my story to the Jackson County Historical Society.”
It seems fitting the person compiling the definitive history of Jackson County youth involvement in the Minnesota High School Rodeo Association competed in the very first MHSRA State Finals Rodeo in 1956.
That person is Jackson County’s own Gwen Fleace.
Fleace, of rural Round Lake, is in the process of documenting local youth involvement in the MHSRA for the Jackson County Historical Society. It’s a history that began with Fleace nearly 70 years ago and continues to be written today.
The first MHSRA State Finals Rodeo took place at the Plum Creek Ranch near Walnut Grove in 1956. One Jackson County contestant competed there — Gwenlyn Pigman atop her horse, “Sally,” Pigman being just one of seven girls in competition. Pigman won the barrel race and finished third in pole bending, then was crowned rodeo queen.
“This organization has grown so much and made many changes and additions since that time,” Fleace — the former 1956 rodeo queen — said of the MHSRA. “Jackson County has over the years had many young people who have represented Minnesota on the Minnesota state team in national competitions.”
Not surprisingly, Fleace was among the first, competing as a part of the Minnesota team at the National High School Rodeo in Reno, Nev.
“During the early years, there was only the high school state finals, which was the road to national competition,” Fleace said. “Even as other things have changed and improved over 69 years, so has high school rodeo. There are now regional rodeos, which can carry some points into the state finals.”
Other changes include the addition of a junior-high division, with its own national finals. More events have been added to the competition, as well.
“There are more competitors, there are added events and the younger kids come into the high school division with some rodeo experience,” Fleace said.
As part of her work documenting the history of Jackson County youth involvement in the MHSRA, Fleace is compiling a list of names of Jackson County contestants who rode in state finals rodeos from the first in 1956 through the present year of 2025. The names include several national qualifiers, including Arlys Pigman, Marjorie Pigman, Rolland Kutzbach, Dennis Meyerdirk, Cindy Voss, Carolyn Rogers, Pattie Fleace, Sonja Dahlin, Ian Fleace, Tanner Marie Christoffers and Sadie Hotzler. The list also includes three MNHSRA rodeo queens — Fleace herself, Dahlin and Barb Sodemann.
“Jackson County has had many very good rodeo contestants over the past 69 years,” Fleace said. “We have had three MNHSRA rodeo queens. We have had three men who have served on the state board of directors for this organization.”
Though Fleace has done much toward compiling the definitive history of Jackson County youth involvement in the MHSRA, she acknowledges more is yet to be done.
“This is a work in progress at this time,” she said, adding though she has taken great pains to record all of the names of Jackson County competitors, she may be missing some.
She encourages those who may be able to fill in blanks to contact her to help.
“This is a project that is still in process,” she said. “I am planning to do more research and then submit my story to the Jackson County Historical Society.”
