Boy’s Connection to a Stranger Forged in Ranching Lifestyle

dawson phillips

By Scott Feldman, Rapid City Journal

Dawson Phillips never met Lloyd Rypkema.

And yet Dawson, a 13-year-old boy from Winner, has read about Rypkema and is convinced the pair have a connection: that they are both “true cowboys at heart.”

Dawson wrote an essay this month in which he spoke of his own youthful but already deep love for animals, ranching and rodeo riding.

The seventh-grader at Winner Middle School who looks sharp in a cowboy hat wrote of working with 4-H programs, riding and caring for his horse, and tending to goats, cattle and sheep at the ranch owned by his parents, Marty and Roni Phillips.

He wrote about participating in rodeo events like team-roping and the flag race. He told about helping around his family’s farm by doing chores, and working with neighbors when they need a hand.

And finally, he wrote about Rypkema, who lived and breathed the cowboy lifestyle and was active in public service for decades before he died in 2010.

“Not knowing Lloyd and only having the chance to read about him, he seems like a true cowboy at heart,” Dawson wrote in his essay. “His active involvement in his community, the generosity in giving to individuals and his community a helping hand, proves he was a very kind and giving man.”

The touching words in Dawson’s essay won over the heart of Marv Rypkema, Lloyd’s son, who each year honors one young South Dakota rancher a free pony in memory of his father. This year, Dawson was selected as the winner of the fourth annual Lloyd W. Rypkema Memorial Quarter Horse Award.

“This is probably one of the best applications we have seen in four years,” Marv Rypkema said in an email this week.

Since 2012, one youth has been awarded a colt that carries the bloodlines of Lloyd’s favorite quarter horse stallion, named Black Cat Dancer, at the Black Hills Stock Show.

La Leche League to Meet Feb. 9

rachel vogt

By Dan Bechtold, Editor

A Tripp County La Leche League will hold its first meeting on Feb. 9 from 6-7 p.m. at the Methodist Church in Winner.

La Leche League is an international organization that promotes breastfeeding.

Rachel Vogt of Winner is a trained leader and urges women who want to learn more about breastfeeding  to attend. She says are babies are also welcome.

The group will meet the second Monday of every month at the Winner Methodist Church.

Rosebud Woman Sentenced for Two Second Degree Murders

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Rosebud, woman convicted of two counts of Second Degree Murder was  sentenced on January 20, 2015, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.

Crystal Red Hawk, age 37, was sentenced to 300 months in custody, 3 years of supervised release, and a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution will also be ordered.

Red Hawk, along with co-defendants Billy Ray McCloskey and Riley McCloskey, were all indicted by a federal grand jury on February 12, 2014, for First Degree Murder, Kidnapping, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, Interstate Transportation of a Stolen Motor Vehicle, and Larceny.  Red Hawk pled guilty to two counts of second degree murder on October 27, 2014.

The co-defendants in the case were both previously sentenced on October 27, 2014.  BillyRay McCloskey, age 24 from St. Francis, was sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment for two counts of first degree murder, and a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Riley McCloskey, age 21 from St. Francis, was convicted of two counts of second degree murder, and sentenced to 210 months in custody, 5 years of supervised release, and a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

South Dakota FFA Association Hosts Legislative Breakfast and Training

South Dakota Legislators met with District and State FFA Officers at the 2015 South Dakota FFA Legislative Breakfast and District Officer Training hosted by the South Dakota FFA Association on Wednesday, Jan. 21 and Thursday, Jan. 22 at the AmericInn in Fort Pierre, S.D.

Attending from the Winner FFA chapter were: Calah Covey, District IV president; Sydnie Peters, district reporter and Kayleb Brozik, district student advisor.

The purpose of the event was to promote the FFA’s mission of premier leadership, personal growth and career success by bringing together South Dakota’s governmental leaders with leaders of the South Dakota FFA.

Horstman Ready to Help Jacks

Zach Horstman knows he needs to be ready at anytime.

In his four seasons with the South Dakota State University men’s basketball team, Horstman has been called on in numerous situations.

A story in the Jan. 27 issue of the Mitchell Daily Republic featured the college basketball player from Winner.

“The biggest thing you learn is to stay ready because you never know when your name is going to get called,” Horstman said in the story. “I think that is something I bring to this team because when you get called on, they expect you to play well. I know not to get down on myself because I’m not playing and just stay ready to go help the team.”

Horstman, a former Mr. Basketball, has started 16 games for the Jackrabbits and played in all 22 games this season.

Forgey Breaks DWU record

Skylar-Forgey

Dakota Wesleyan track runner Skylar Forgey of Colome broke the school record for the 1,000 meter run at the Buena Vista University Invite on Saturday in Storm Lake, Iowa.

Forgey’s time was 3 minutes and 4.77 seconds besting the old DWU record of 3:08.18 by Gail McIntyre in 2009. Forgey’s time is just .77 seconds shy of qualifying for the NAIA national meet.

Warriors Rebound after Suffering First Loss

nick hossle parkston

Winner High School boys basketball team bounced back Saturday night to defeat Parkston following their first loss of the season on Friday.

The Warriors played an energized second half on Saturday as they defeated Parkston 53-46.
“We thought we responded nicely Saturday night. Playing two intense games on back to back nights was good for our student athletes,” said coach Brett Gardner. “We are  proud of the way we defended in the second half. Sam Naasz guarded their best player with his teammates help behind him and held him to 10 points.”

Brendan Harter led the scoring for Winner with 22 points.

Naasz pulled down 7 rebounds, Devon Leiferman and Harter, 6 each.

nick hossle parkston

 

leiferman mt vernon

 

The win streak for the Winner boys basketball team came to a halt Friday night as they were defeated by Mt. Vernon/Plainkton 68-63. The Warriors had won 12 consecutive games prior to Friday night and are ranked in the Class A poll.

Friday’s game was so close. With 3:27 left in the game, the Warriors  led 61-59 and then  Mt. Vernon  closed the gap with Winner leading 63-62. With 1:19 left in the game, a Mt. Vernon free throw tied the game 63-63.

With seven seconds left in the game, Mt. Vernon led 66-63.

Brendan Harter led the scoring for Winner with 28 points and Nathan Galbraith added 18.

galbraith mt veron

Lady Warriors Split Weekend Games

schuyler mt. vernon

Winner High School girls basketball team played tough back to back games Friday and Saturday.

Mt. Vernon/Plankinton defeated the Winner Lady Warriors 58-38 Friday night.

volmer mt. vernon

kelsey bertram parkston game The Lady Warriors bounced back Saturday night to defeated Parkston 64-54. Bertram scored 25 points to surpass 1,000 points in her high school career. The Winner senior was honored at the end of the game and presented a basketball.

Sydney Fritz added 22 points for Winner.

sherman parkston

Six Wrestlers Place in Aberdeen

Winner Area wrestling team placed 9th out of 16 teams at the Lee Wolf tournament in Aberdeen on Saturday.

Six Winner wrestles placed in the tournament:

  • Tyrel Haley took third place as he won 7-6 over Shea Krause of Aberdeen Central.
  • Kayleb Brozik placed fifth as he won 3-0 over Nick Christensen of Huron.
  • Colby Curtis and Jayden Schroeder both placed sixth. Curtis lost 9-1 to Austin Cihak of Aberdeen Central. Schroeder was pinned in 2:34 by Josh Lasley of Canton.
  • Ty Bolton took 7th place as he won 14-0 over Carter Canham of Miller/Highmore/Harrold.
  • Taylor Watzel took 8th place as he was pinned in 2:08 by Ryan O’Connell of Sioux Falls O’Gorman.

“I really liked the way the team came out and wrestled,” said coach Matt Chambers. “They came out ready to go every match and battled all day long. Six of the eight wrestlers were able to place in a very tough tournament,” said the coach.

Chambers added: “I still think we are a little inconsistent in some of our matches but overall the boys had a good performances on Saturday.”

The next action for Winner will be at the Big Dakota Conference meet in Ft. Pierre on Saturday, Feb. 7.

Harter Reaches 1,000 Mark

reed harter 1,000 pointsReed Harter scored his 1,000 career point in the basketball game with Marty last Tuesday in Colome.

The Cowboys won the game 90-71. Harter scored 37 points and made five 3-pointers. Holden Thieman added 26 points and Reid Rutten scored 11.

“This was really a fun, up and down game from the opening tip,” said coach Drew Weber. “We were able to play a solid first half and had a nice lead but Marty shot the ball well from deep to get back into the game,” said Weber.harter action shot