Congratulations Matt!

Josh Rivinius has grown up in the cowboy world.  Like most cowboys he started at a young age in Little Britches and took part in the different levels of competition which eventually let him to the Professional Cowboys Association.  He competed in barebacks, steer wrestling and roping events.

The South Dakota rodeos that have been blessed to have Josh work for are; The Corn Palace Stampede, Rodeo Rapid City/Black Hills Stock Show, Central States Fair, Rapid City, Brookings PRCA Rodeo, Clear Lake PRCA Rodeo and Days of 76 Rodeo in Deadwood.

He has also worked the Badlands Circuit Finals in Minot, ND for 14 years; The Tour Finale in Omaha in 2007 and 2008; and the Rams Finals in 2012 and 2015.

Josh and his wife Gwen reside on a ranch in Elgin, ND with their son Otto and baby daughter born during the 2019 Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo.  

Congratulations Josh!

Lyle Swenson has been named the Parade Marshal for 2019.  He was born in Pipestone, MN in 1935 and moved with his family when he was a child to Mitchell.  He attended school in Mitchell and graduated from Mitchell High School in 1953.

He served as Davison County Deputy Sheriff from March 1961 to January 1965 and as Sheriff from January 1965 to March 1997.  He was appointed by President Bill Clinton to the position of US Marshal for the District of SD, beginning March 5, 1997.  After the election of Republican President George W. Bush, Swenson retired in 2002.

Even after retirement, he has continued to remain busy working for Western Woods for several years and then working as a consultant with Zuercher Technologies, a SD based computer records software company for public safety agencies.  He remained with them until the company was sold in 2018.  He now spends most of his free time at the Carnegie Resource Center going through old newspapers and any other donated items and cataloging them for future reference.

In 1989, Swenson was sworn in as President of the National Sheriff's Association in Honolulu, HI.  He was extremely honored to have Mayor Bud Williams present to swear him in.

He has been involved with or served on numerous committees and organizations over the years.  He was a Captain with the Mitchell Volunteer Fire Department from 1958-1993.  He served as President of Sons of Norway in 1983-1984; Mitchell Area Historical Society in 1991-1993.  He has been a member of the Mitchell Area Chamber of Commerce, Masons, El Riad Shrine, Yankton Scottish Rite, Mitchell & Sioux Falls Lions Clubs.  He served on the Lions District 5-SE Cabinet State Pin Vice Chairman & Chairman.  He served on the Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo Committee from 1983-1997 and was the Chairman of the Buckle Committee from 1985-1997.

No matter where he went or who he talked to over the years, he has always promoted his hometown of Mitchell, SD.  He and his wife Irene will celebrate their 60th anniversary in January of 2020.  They have two children and three grandchildren. 

Congratulations Lyle!