Our Story
Kelly, Judy, Kyle, Ashley, Logan, Maci, and Tenley
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Kacey, Kristie, Tate, & Callen
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Kevin & Tara
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How it all began...
It was the morning of July 1st 1974 when the phone rang at the Abrahamson house, it was Darrel Meyer of the Figure 4 Rodeo Company asking for help with the Mandan 4th of July Rodeo. Jim, Clarice and the three boys loaded up the car and went to Mandan, Jim worked the out gate and the boys, Kevin, Kelly and Kacey worked the unsaddling chute and anywhere else they were needed. The Rodeo bug had bitten, from then on the family followed along with the Meyers’ to rodeos throughout North Dakota, helping in anyway. Encouraged by Steve Tomac, PRCA Bullfighter/Barrel man, Kevin started bullfighting in 1979, as bullfighters were in short supply.
In the fall of 1984, Kacey returned home from down south where he was custom combining. That fall, Kacey helped Ray Fettig from the Fettig Rodeo Co. with his bulls at the Roughrider Rodeo Finals in Devils Lake; and, while returning home Ray was not happy with the way the bulls bucked. Kacey told Ray ‘if you ever want to sell your bulls, we’ll buy them.’ That December Ray called and asked if he was serious about buying the bulls and in the spring of 1985, 12 rodeo bulls made their home at the Abrahamson Ranch; such bulls as Snickers, Zebra Dunn, Double 00, and Times Square. After Jim and Clarice returned home from a trip, Jim noticed, what were normally cows in the pasture; these had horns, at the time he was not happy with the boy’s purchase; but then became Abrahamson Rodeo Company’s biggest fan. Throughout 1985, they sub-contracted with the Figure 4 Rodeo Company and Northern Rodeo Company (Larry and Delton Wirtz from Outlook MT), doing numerous rodeos throughout North Dakota and Montana. To save money, Kelly started bullfighting that same year, after attending the Korkow Bullfighting School in South Dakota where he was taught by PRCA bullfighter Alan Olson. Two additional sets of bulls were purchased in 1986 and 1987 from Freddy Cordell of Childress, Texas. Bringing on board, Desperado, Red Pepper, Pee Wee, and 1989 bull of the year Little Brother.
The 90s had arrived, after several years of sub-contracting; Figure 4 handed over the prime contracting duties to the Abrahamson’s. They continued with the existing rodeos; such as Watford City, Towner, and Ray. Which they still travel to today, plus added new ones along the way including, Stanley, Maddock, and Medora. Then, Roughrider Rodeo President, Walter Piehl, urged Kelly to hang up his suspenders and red hat and put his time into marketing their rodeos. Committees across North Dakota were calling Abrahamson Rodeo Co. to bring a rodeo to their town where arenas were non-existent. To take care of this, in 1994 Abrahamson Rodeo Company purchased a portable arena. Kelly, with the help of Wayne Eckroth, designed and had a set of six bucking chutes built. Through the years, they helped many rodeo committees establish rodeos by starting with a portable arena and building it from the ground up. Some of those committees went on to purchase and build their own arenas, and still have rodeos today.
When the Abrahamson Rodeo Company started, they were focued on rodeos in western North Dakota, but now the bulls buck in eastern towns as well, like; Fessenden, Maddock, Forman, and Lisbon. In addition to rodeos, the Abrahamson's have started producing bullaramas as well as bulls and broncs throughout the state of North Dakota along with WEstern Edge Bullriders and Kling/Headings Broncs.
If you ask the Abrahamson’s about their rodeo business and why they keep looking for new rodeos; they say the people. We have met so many people since the day we started who have become great friends and mentors. The rodeo committees have been great to work with, and it’s nice when we pack up to leave and they pat you on the back saying, “See you next year!” As well as the crew we work with. In the beginning, there was the Figure 4 Rodeo Company’s crew and Larry Wirtz was a stock contractor at that July 4th rodeo at Mandan in 1974. Alan Pennington had been one of our pickup men since Figure 4 folded their flag for good and Alan along with Kacey have been finals pickup men in the Roughrider Association throughout the years. Ron Torgerson announced rodeos for us throughout the 80’s and 90s and he once said, “Abrahamson Rodeo is a family run, family oriented organization; other families gather at the city park, the Abrahamson family gathers at that weekend’s rodeo. We have spent many weekends together and have enjoyed everyone”. Fettig broncs were featured at the Figure 4 rodeos we worked and are still bringing award winning horses to our rodeos today. Austin Mosser started traveling to rodeos with the Abrahamson’s when he was 3 years old, and in 2003, Austin broke out the grease paint and started bullfighting at Roughrider and NDRA rodeos where he went on to fight at the Roughrider Finals. He has retired from bullfighting, but he and his wife Jenn help out at Abrahamson Rodeos wherever needed. They are considered part of the family. The Abrahamson's tip their hats to their "crew", which are alwasy ready to step up and help out. We have been very fortunate to work with outstanding rodeo personnel through the years from contractors to announcers and these friendships will last a lifetime and mean the world to us.
Kelly has always been willing to open his rodeo arena to young cowboys who have the dream to bullfight; he has seen them as tall, short, slow, and fast and always has an encouraging word to help them get started. They have since started the Abrahamson Rodeo Co. Bull riding, Bullfighting, and Clown school held every March for the past 11 years. This three day school features top instructors including PBR bullrider Benni Paulson, PRCA bullfighter Al Sandvold, and PRCA funny man Cliff “Hollywood” Harris. With the increase in students every year, the instructors bring along advisors including Riley Blankenship, Zac Peterson, Nate Jestes, and Kaleb Barrett, just to name a few. The school fills every year with a waiting list of anxious cowboys wanting to learn from the best.
In 2012 the Abrahamson’s along with the Lake Region Rodeo Association came together to develop a rodeo with a twist, they started the Lake Region Rodeo Association NDRA Shoot Out. The three days of rodeo consists of two one-day NDRA rodeos and on Sunday the finale ends with the Shoot Out featuring the top six contestants in each event gunning for winner take all. This has become an anticipated event featuring contestants from as far away as Texas as well as Canada.
2021 has brought the Abrahamson Rodeo Company to another level. They started the Small Town Showdown Bullriding Series. This bullriding series featured three events, Wells County Fair, Upper Missouri Valley Fair, and Buckin' in the Bakken, where cowboys ride at all three events to be eligible to win a $2000 bonus and a buckle. There is also a Barrels & Breakaway Jackpot in Medora, ND that invites the ladies to run at $4000 in added money. With these events on the books for 2021, they will be even busier with something new events in 2022.
The Abrahamson Rodeo Company is all about family working side by side. You will find Kelly, in front of the chutes, as chute boss, he will be hooking flanks, telling the cowboys who the first gunner will be, telling Kyle to get flanking, and Tate to start loading. Kevin is a jack of all trades from trucking, loading stock, promotional work, and handling the advertising duties. Kevin's wife Tara helps out where needed. Kacey started out loading and flanking bulls, but when a pickup man was needed, he saddled his horse and has been the pickup man since 1992. In 2008, Kacey handed over the flanking duties to Kyle who is also in charge of the bloodlines and breeding program at the Abrahamson Ranch. He started his own pen of bucking bulls at age 13 when he flew to Tyler, Texas and with the generosity of Alvin Jones he was able to buy off spring from Sky King to Bodacious. He has taken over the business logistics of the rodeo company and works with the committees to produce a top notch event. Kyle's wife Ashley helps in the rodeo office and is also a competitor in the breakaway roping. Maci has been putting her own brand on a pen of bucking bulls earning Bull of the Year accolades as well as handles the timing duties. Tate works the back pens, sorting, loading the chutes, and working behind the scenes. Kacey has handed the main pickup men duties off to Callen who also competes in the team roping. He has started Abrahamson Mini Broncs to get the youth started in roughstock. Kristie is the rodeo secretary as well as handles advertising and marketing. Judy will help time when needed, but her main duty is babysitting Tenley, the newest addition to the Abrahamson family. After Jim's passing, Clarice has now become Abrahamson Rodeo's #1 fan and hasn't missed a rodeo.
Rodeo has provided us a bond for our family as well as an opportunity to make and develop friendships that will
last a lifetime. We are thankful for everyone who has continued this journey with us.
It was the morning of July 1st 1974 when the phone rang at the Abrahamson house, it was Darrel Meyer of the Figure 4 Rodeo Company asking for help with the Mandan 4th of July Rodeo. Jim, Clarice and the three boys loaded up the car and went to Mandan, Jim worked the out gate and the boys, Kevin, Kelly and Kacey worked the unsaddling chute and anywhere else they were needed. The Rodeo bug had bitten, from then on the family followed along with the Meyers’ to rodeos throughout North Dakota, helping in anyway. Encouraged by Steve Tomac, PRCA Bullfighter/Barrel man, Kevin started bullfighting in 1979, as bullfighters were in short supply.
In the fall of 1984, Kacey returned home from down south where he was custom combining. That fall, Kacey helped Ray Fettig from the Fettig Rodeo Co. with his bulls at the Roughrider Rodeo Finals in Devils Lake; and, while returning home Ray was not happy with the way the bulls bucked. Kacey told Ray ‘if you ever want to sell your bulls, we’ll buy them.’ That December Ray called and asked if he was serious about buying the bulls and in the spring of 1985, 12 rodeo bulls made their home at the Abrahamson Ranch; such bulls as Snickers, Zebra Dunn, Double 00, and Times Square. After Jim and Clarice returned home from a trip, Jim noticed, what were normally cows in the pasture; these had horns, at the time he was not happy with the boy’s purchase; but then became Abrahamson Rodeo Company’s biggest fan. Throughout 1985, they sub-contracted with the Figure 4 Rodeo Company and Northern Rodeo Company (Larry and Delton Wirtz from Outlook MT), doing numerous rodeos throughout North Dakota and Montana. To save money, Kelly started bullfighting that same year, after attending the Korkow Bullfighting School in South Dakota where he was taught by PRCA bullfighter Alan Olson. Two additional sets of bulls were purchased in 1986 and 1987 from Freddy Cordell of Childress, Texas. Bringing on board, Desperado, Red Pepper, Pee Wee, and 1989 bull of the year Little Brother.
The 90s had arrived, after several years of sub-contracting; Figure 4 handed over the prime contracting duties to the Abrahamson’s. They continued with the existing rodeos; such as Watford City, Towner, and Ray. Which they still travel to today, plus added new ones along the way including, Stanley, Maddock, and Medora. Then, Roughrider Rodeo President, Walter Piehl, urged Kelly to hang up his suspenders and red hat and put his time into marketing their rodeos. Committees across North Dakota were calling Abrahamson Rodeo Co. to bring a rodeo to their town where arenas were non-existent. To take care of this, in 1994 Abrahamson Rodeo Company purchased a portable arena. Kelly, with the help of Wayne Eckroth, designed and had a set of six bucking chutes built. Through the years, they helped many rodeo committees establish rodeos by starting with a portable arena and building it from the ground up. Some of those committees went on to purchase and build their own arenas, and still have rodeos today.
When the Abrahamson Rodeo Company started, they were focued on rodeos in western North Dakota, but now the bulls buck in eastern towns as well, like; Fessenden, Maddock, Forman, and Lisbon. In addition to rodeos, the Abrahamson's have started producing bullaramas as well as bulls and broncs throughout the state of North Dakota along with WEstern Edge Bullriders and Kling/Headings Broncs.
If you ask the Abrahamson’s about their rodeo business and why they keep looking for new rodeos; they say the people. We have met so many people since the day we started who have become great friends and mentors. The rodeo committees have been great to work with, and it’s nice when we pack up to leave and they pat you on the back saying, “See you next year!” As well as the crew we work with. In the beginning, there was the Figure 4 Rodeo Company’s crew and Larry Wirtz was a stock contractor at that July 4th rodeo at Mandan in 1974. Alan Pennington had been one of our pickup men since Figure 4 folded their flag for good and Alan along with Kacey have been finals pickup men in the Roughrider Association throughout the years. Ron Torgerson announced rodeos for us throughout the 80’s and 90s and he once said, “Abrahamson Rodeo is a family run, family oriented organization; other families gather at the city park, the Abrahamson family gathers at that weekend’s rodeo. We have spent many weekends together and have enjoyed everyone”. Fettig broncs were featured at the Figure 4 rodeos we worked and are still bringing award winning horses to our rodeos today. Austin Mosser started traveling to rodeos with the Abrahamson’s when he was 3 years old, and in 2003, Austin broke out the grease paint and started bullfighting at Roughrider and NDRA rodeos where he went on to fight at the Roughrider Finals. He has retired from bullfighting, but he and his wife Jenn help out at Abrahamson Rodeos wherever needed. They are considered part of the family. The Abrahamson's tip their hats to their "crew", which are alwasy ready to step up and help out. We have been very fortunate to work with outstanding rodeo personnel through the years from contractors to announcers and these friendships will last a lifetime and mean the world to us.
Kelly has always been willing to open his rodeo arena to young cowboys who have the dream to bullfight; he has seen them as tall, short, slow, and fast and always has an encouraging word to help them get started. They have since started the Abrahamson Rodeo Co. Bull riding, Bullfighting, and Clown school held every March for the past 11 years. This three day school features top instructors including PBR bullrider Benni Paulson, PRCA bullfighter Al Sandvold, and PRCA funny man Cliff “Hollywood” Harris. With the increase in students every year, the instructors bring along advisors including Riley Blankenship, Zac Peterson, Nate Jestes, and Kaleb Barrett, just to name a few. The school fills every year with a waiting list of anxious cowboys wanting to learn from the best.
In 2012 the Abrahamson’s along with the Lake Region Rodeo Association came together to develop a rodeo with a twist, they started the Lake Region Rodeo Association NDRA Shoot Out. The three days of rodeo consists of two one-day NDRA rodeos and on Sunday the finale ends with the Shoot Out featuring the top six contestants in each event gunning for winner take all. This has become an anticipated event featuring contestants from as far away as Texas as well as Canada.
2021 has brought the Abrahamson Rodeo Company to another level. They started the Small Town Showdown Bullriding Series. This bullriding series featured three events, Wells County Fair, Upper Missouri Valley Fair, and Buckin' in the Bakken, where cowboys ride at all three events to be eligible to win a $2000 bonus and a buckle. There is also a Barrels & Breakaway Jackpot in Medora, ND that invites the ladies to run at $4000 in added money. With these events on the books for 2021, they will be even busier with something new events in 2022.
The Abrahamson Rodeo Company is all about family working side by side. You will find Kelly, in front of the chutes, as chute boss, he will be hooking flanks, telling the cowboys who the first gunner will be, telling Kyle to get flanking, and Tate to start loading. Kevin is a jack of all trades from trucking, loading stock, promotional work, and handling the advertising duties. Kevin's wife Tara helps out where needed. Kacey started out loading and flanking bulls, but when a pickup man was needed, he saddled his horse and has been the pickup man since 1992. In 2008, Kacey handed over the flanking duties to Kyle who is also in charge of the bloodlines and breeding program at the Abrahamson Ranch. He started his own pen of bucking bulls at age 13 when he flew to Tyler, Texas and with the generosity of Alvin Jones he was able to buy off spring from Sky King to Bodacious. He has taken over the business logistics of the rodeo company and works with the committees to produce a top notch event. Kyle's wife Ashley helps in the rodeo office and is also a competitor in the breakaway roping. Maci has been putting her own brand on a pen of bucking bulls earning Bull of the Year accolades as well as handles the timing duties. Tate works the back pens, sorting, loading the chutes, and working behind the scenes. Kacey has handed the main pickup men duties off to Callen who also competes in the team roping. He has started Abrahamson Mini Broncs to get the youth started in roughstock. Kristie is the rodeo secretary as well as handles advertising and marketing. Judy will help time when needed, but her main duty is babysitting Tenley, the newest addition to the Abrahamson family. After Jim's passing, Clarice has now become Abrahamson Rodeo's #1 fan and hasn't missed a rodeo.
Rodeo has provided us a bond for our family as well as an opportunity to make and develop friendships that will
last a lifetime. We are thankful for everyone who has continued this journey with us.