Jim Sutton; 1935-2026

James Louverne Sutton Jr. was born to James and Flossie (Nystrom) Sutton April 20, 1935, in Hughes County, SD. He grew up on the Sutton Ranch beside the Missouri River and was educated in Sully County rural schools, Onida High School and South Dakota State University (SDSU).

High school sweethearts, Jim, and Julie (Nelson) Sutton were married in June 1953. They lived in Brookings, while Jim was attending SDSU to play basketball and rodeo. Their daughter, Teri, and son, Steve, were born there.

He joined the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps and served as a second lieutenant in the artillery at Ft. Sill, OK. Jim received a degree in animal husbandry at SDSU, where he was an all-conference basketball player for two years and was the national free-throw champion for percentage shot.

The Minneapolis Lakers drafted Jim and he attended their preseason training camp. However, he believed following his father and grandfather in the ranching business made more financial sense than a basketball career.

In 1968, Jim and Julie joined Jim’s father, James, in creating the Sutton Rodeo Company. Edwin Sutton, Jim’s grandfather, produced the first rodeo on the home ranch in 1926. Their daughter, Tanya, was born while living at the ranch. They supplied stock from their Agar, SD, ranch to rodeos across South Dakota and the Northwest. By the late 1970s, the Suttons were raising more than 90% of their own bucking stock and developed a breeding program that is one of the best in the business.

The program produced three Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Horse of the Year winners: saddle bronc horse Deep Water (1979), bareback horse Big Bud (1985) and saddle bronc horse Chuckulator (2012). Chuckulator also won Top Saddle Bronc Horse of the National Finals Rodeo in 2012. The program also earned Sutton four nominations for PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year, with Sutton Rodeo stock selected to perform at every National Finals Rodeo since it started in 1959 but two.

Jim and Julie won the PRCA Donita Barnes Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017. The award was created to recognize PRCA members who have dedicated their lives to the rodeo industry for their commitment, work and contributions. Jim and Julie were perfect candidates for this honor.

Jim served as director and past president of Miss Rodeo America and on the PRCA Executive Council as rodeo committee representative. He valued the friendships made with rodeo committees, personnel and sponsors. Jim was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame Class of 2020 for Stock Contractor. Jim is past president and director of South Dakota American Quarter Horse Association and National American Quarter Horse Association.

Jim is preceded in death by his parents, James and Flossie; wife, Julie; daughter, Teri; and siblings, Delores, Lorraine and Lyle. Jim and Julie enjoyed 68 years of marriage. They were blessed with children, Teri (Monte) Melvin, Steve (Kim) Sutton, Tanya (Todd) Yackley; grandchildren, Amy (Steven) Muller, Blake (Kayla) Yackley, Brent (Roz) Sutton, Sasha Yackley, Brice (Alyssa) Sutton and Wayne Yackley (Rozlynn Murrow); and great-grandchildren, Shaden Muller, Shally Muller; Jett Yackley, Nathan Nelson, Lakyn Yackley, Tracen Yackley, Wesley Yackley; Sid and Scottie Sutton; Briggston, Bevin Bertsche; Ruby Sutton, Stella Sutton, Waylon Sutton; and Vera Jo Yackley.

In lieu of flowers, Jim would like memorials sent to SDSU Athletic-Rodeo/Basketball, Casey Tibbs Hall of Fame, Ft. Pierre, SD, and ProRodeo Hall of Fame, Colorado Springs, CO.