Deadline approaching for Memorial Quarter Horse Award

The deadline to apply for the 2018 Lloyd W. Rypkema Memorial Quarter Horse Award is fast approaching.

Each year, a registered quarter horse colt carrying bloodlines from Rypkema’s horse program is awarded in his memory to a young person involved in agriculture in the Black Hills.

An application is attached to this article on rapidcityjournal.com. Applications are also available at Triple R Tack, 625 Century Rd., Rapid City; by contacting Marv Rypkema at mryp0830@gmail.com or 343-5847; Mary (Rypkema) Hoffman at hoffmom1@gmail.com; or Jim or Joni Hunt at rafter@lakotanetwork.com.

Applicants must be 12 to 18 years old. The deadline to apply is Jan. 21.

Rypkema, who died in 2010, was a Pennington County commissioner and member of the Rapid City school board besides being a rancher and supporter of the Black Hills Stock Show & Rodeo and the Central States Fair.

For the past few years, his family has given away a colt to a youngster, aged 12 to 18 from one of several area states, who pens the best essay on why they want to own the colt and how they would care for it.

Last year’s winner, for example, was then-12-year-old Sierra Hilgenkamp of Wall, whose essay relayed her already extensive experience caring for cattle and horses on her family’s ranch.

The colt is from the bloodline of one of Rypkema’s favorite quarter horses, Devil Cat Dancer, sired by Frost Flash, out of Sapphire Flit with Frenchman’s Guy.

This year’s colt is a palomino filly and will be presented during the 2018 Black Hills Stock Show Horse Sale on Jan. 27.