Tatum Ward, Cheyenne River Sioux
Tatum Ward 2021 INFR Barrel Racing Champion. (Photo Courtesy of Facebook)
By Clara Caufield,
Native Sun News Today Staff
During the 2021 Indian National Finals Rodeo (INFR) held Oct 19 to 22nd in Las Vegas. Tatum Ward, 23 year old Cheyenne River Sioux cowgirl who hails from White Horse, South Dakota realized the dream of every Indian barrel racer – she “won the gold”.
Tatum comes from a well-known rodeo family on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation – her father Teeter, bronc rider, Uncle Todd, steer wrestler and Cousin Bill, bull rider who were all fierce competitors. She credits them and her whole extended family, especially her little sister, with being a “wonderful support system behind me”.
Horseback since she was two years old, Tatum, started competed in barrel racing beginning at age twelve, a tough competitor. Some highlights of her career include: 2012 Jr. INFR champion; 2015 Great Plains Rodeo Association champion and qualifying for the South Dakota High School Finals.
This year several challenges “stood against” her, Tatum said. She suffered a fractured ankle, concussion and pneumonia and her horse was also injured. The week before the finals, she was still in the grip of pneumonia, yet determined to compete, the goal “not to fall off her horse.”
Tatum has been riding an eight year old mare “CC” for four years, one she finished herself. The 2021 INFR was the first ‘big” show for that horse, but Tatum reports that “CC” took care of her. “She covered up for my mistakes” the new champion remarked.
Ward is also a breakaway roper and future goals are to seek a championship in that event, hoping to become an “All-Around” champion, a very difficult feat.
When not on the rodeo trail, she works as a dental assistant at the Cheyenne River Sioux Dental Clinic at Eagle Butte. She makes her home on the family ranch outside of White Horse, South Dakota.
Other 2021 INFR champions include: Bareback – Jayco Roper: ( Oklahoma); Steer Wrestling (Nolan Conway (Blackfeet) ; Break Away – Danielle Lowman (Arizona); Saddle Bronc – Cole Elshere (North Dakota); Tie Down – Dontre’ Goff (Oklahoma); Team Roping – Erich Rogers and Aaron Tsinigine
Bull Riding – Cannon Cravens All Around Cowboy – Erich Rogers ( AZ); All Around Cowgirl – Kassidy Dennison (Navajo) and All-around cowboy AarronTsingine (Navaho).
Junior Champions are: Barrels – Taliyah Crook – Kingman, AZ; Jr. Breakaway – Wawa Ben – Peridot, AZ; Jr. Bulls – Tahj Wells – Browning, MT; Sr Team Roping – John Boyd / Howard Begay and Sr Breakaway – Troy Crawler – M – Morley, Alberta, Canada.
Native Sun News Today congratulates all of these champions.
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November 5, 2021