Youth athletes compete in softball and baseball tourneys, along with rodeo

[ASFN Admin]

The heat didn't stop what was a busy athletic weekend in Watertown.

The 51st Eastern Dakota 4-H Regional Rodeo and the Watertown Baseball Association's South Forty Specialties took place on Saturday and Sunday, July 11-12, 2026 at Derby Downs and Foundation Fields, respectively.

The weekend events also included the Watertown Junior Olympic Softball Association's 28th JO Classic youth slowpitch tournament at Koch Complex on Saturday, July 11.

Here's highlights from each of the weekend events:

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Eastern Dakota 4-H Regional Rodeo​

More than 200 cowboys and cowgirls, many from northeastern and north central South Dakota, competed in full rodeos each day. Contestants who place in the top four in an event (either day) qualified for the South Dakota 4-H Finals Rodeo Aug. 14-16 at Fort Pierre.

All-around Cowboy and Cowgirl winners on Sunday included Brady Meyer of Huron (Senior Boys) and Cooper Faehnrich of Clear Lake (Senior Boys Reserve), Anya Hemmer of Dell Rapids (Senior Girls), Brynn Sippel of Pierpoint (Senior Girls Reserve), Sawyer Williams of Plankinton (Junior Boys), Reo Lammers of Henry (Junior Boys Reserve), Jaylen Pivec of Jordan, MN (Junior Girls) and Baylee Rostyne of Wessington Springs (Junior Girls Reserve).

All-around winners on Saturday were Meyer (Senior Boys) and Faehnrich (Senior Boys Reserve), Rylen Frericks of Frankfort (Senior Girls), Ella Fagerhaug of Wessington Springs (Senior Girls Reserve), Wyatt Fagerhaug of Wessington Springs (Junior Boys), Eldin Alsleben of Bath (Junior Boys Reserve), Pivec (Junior Girls) and Madison Helfrich of Winner (Junior Girls Reserve).

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Event winners included:

• Seniors (Sunday) — Mason Hunter of Huron, tiedown roping; Beau Hemmingson of Bradley, ********; Meyer, steer wrestling and bull riding; Adysyn Wiesner of Clear Lake, barrels; Frericks, breakaway roping; Tallie Czmowski of Webster, pole bending; A. Hemmer, goat tying; Sippel, ribbon roping; and Faehnrich and Ace Lammers of Henry, team roping.
• Juniors (Sunday) — R. Lammers, goat tying and breakaway roping; Tatyn Hins of Huron, ******** steer; Caleb Anglin of Shakopee (MN), catting riding; Myles Donnelly of Elk Point, flag race; Grace Saienga of Miller, goat tying; Hannah Donnelly of Elk Point, barrel racing; Pivec, flag race; Rostyne, pole bending; Kinzie Zimmerman of Viborg, breakaway roping; and W. Fagerhaug and Williams, team roping,
• Seniors (Saturday) — Faehnrich, steer wrestling; Jack Saienga of Miller, tiedown roping; B. Hemmingsen, ********; Shannon Laurent of Prior Lake (MN), pole bending; E. Fagerhaug, ribbon roping; Addison Locke of Corona, goat tying; Wisener, barrel racing; Frericks, breakaway roping; and Frericks-Sippel, team roping.
• Juniors (Saturday) — Brecken Grav of Dell Rapids, cattle riding; W. Fagerhaug, breakaway roping; R. Lammers, goat tying; Hins, ******** steer; Alsleben, flag race; Pivec, pole bending; Hazel Leddy of Burbank, flag race and breakaway roping; Helfrich, barrel racing; and W. Fagerhaug and Williams, team roping.

Complete results will be posted on https://sd4hrodeo.org/regional-rodeos/.

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J.O. Classic​

Six teams captured division championships in the 20-team JO Classic.

Fort Thompson won the 12-and-under boys division, followed by the Watertown Dragons. Duane's Floor Covering of Watertown won the 14-and-under boys division, followed by the Sioux Falls Blaze.

Girls division champions were the Watertown Storm, 10-and-under; Watertown Molengraaf Farms, 12-and-under; NCA Thunder of Eureka, 14-and-under; and Watertown Velocity, 16-and-under.

Runner-up in the girls division included the Willow Lake Pirates, 10-and-under; Wurth Elektronik of Watertown, 12-and-under; RCI of Watertown, 14-and-under; and L&R Auto of Watertown, 16-and-under.

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South Forties Specialties Baseball​

The Watertown Arrows Purple won the 11-and-under division championship in the first South Forties Specialities Baseball Tournament.

Tea won the 10-and-under division and Harrisburg the 12-and-under division.

Seventeen teams competed in the tourney.

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: [email protected]

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Youth athletes compete in softball and baseball tourneys, along with rodeo

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