While PRCA bronc rider Cole Elshere has earned accolades in the arena, it’s the family ranch in South Dakota that truly defines his passion and purpose.
His family’s history in the South Dakota plains traces back to 1895, when his great-great-grandfather homesteaded in the Milesville, SD, area under the Homestead Act. However, the Elshere family had been ranching even prior to President Abraham Lincoln’s signature on the settlement legislation.
While most of the family stayed in Milesville, Cole’s father, Andy, forged his own path near Faith, SD, where Cole grew up. Elshere Herefords was established in 2012, and today, Cole and Andy manage the ranch together with their families, while Cole continues to compete on the rodeo circuit. Now a four-time qualifier to the National Finals Rodeo, Cole balances his demanding rodeo schedule with ranch responsibilities.
Riding through college
Cole earned a full-ride scholarship to attend Gillette College in Gillette, WY, as a member of the rodeo team. But his time in the arena began way before college.
“I started going to 4-H rodeos when I was 8,” Cole recalled. “I watched my cousins Ryan and J.J. ride broncs when I was little and just wanted to follow their lead.” He competed in all the events, but bronc riding was always where his heart was. By the time he entered high school, bronc riding had become his clear focus, carrying him through college.
“I was on a horse all the time as a kid,” Cole told WLJ. “So I understand horses and the nature of them. I understand what a young horse is thinking, so it helps me if I draw a younger horse at a rodeo.”
Although initially majoring in architectural engineering at Gillette College, Cole quickly realized his heart was in ranching and changed his degree to business. He set his sights on finding his way back into the cattle business while still excelling in the arena. With Gillete only a 3.5-hour drive away from home, Cole was able to go back any weekend he wasn’t competing to help with the ranch.
“Rodeo has its ups and downs, but I’ve always been able to come home on my days off and get something accomplished, whether it was building fence or doing something else on the ranch,” he said.
Cole planned his first major investment in the business: 20 bred heifers he planned to come home and help calve out. But shortly after making the purchase, an injury landed him in surgery, forcing him to sit out the calving season and leaving Andy to handle the calving on his own. It wasn’t the season Cole envisioned, but it further deepened his appreciation for his dad’s help and dedication as a ranching partner.
“I’m just so proud of him,” Cole said, “as hard as he works, and always trying to think outside the box and not being afraid to change something.”
He added, “My dad always says, ‘We’re never stuck in the rut because we’re always hitting them sideways.’ We definitely make mistakes on the ranch, but we’re always trying to move forward and make things better.”
While still keeping the family ranch a priority, Cole’s college rodeo career took him all the way to the College National Finals Rodeo. Along the way, he met Kyndra, a fellow rodeoer who would later become his wife. Today, the two are raising their daughters, Everley and Edelle, on the family ranch.
Balancing rodeo and ranching
Balancing the demands of competing at more than 100 rodeos a year with the work at Elshere Herefords is a team effort—one Cole is thankful to share with his wife and family, whose support makes it all possible.
Elshere Herefords runs about 200 head of registered Hereford cows and 700 head of commercial black cows bred to Hereford bulls. The ranch strives to produce Hereford bulls that produce top-notch F1 black baldy heifers and steers.
Cole and Andy operate the ranch as a 50/50 partnership, with Andy keeping a close eye on day-to-day operations while Cole travels for rodeo. Their goal from the beginning was simple: raise bulls for their own program. But as their herd developed, it became clear they needed a bull sale of their own. The ranch holds an annual bull sale in the winter, selling bulls tailored for efficiency and ideal crossbreeding performance. The Elsheres focus on producing rugged, low-maintenance bulls with strong performance and a good hair coat. They also emphasize pigment, calving ease, milk production and docility.
As Cole has traveled the country competing, he’s had the opportunities to bring new ideas home to the ranch. “There’s always something to pick up and learn from,” he said. “Every rancher does stuff different, especially in different areas of the country, so being able to keep that all in the back of your mind and utilize it at home is a great advantage.”
One such example Cole shared was hauling cattle to Nebraska to put them on turnips and radishes during one winter, an idea that was borrowed during his time on the road.
Along the way, he’s also built a network of fellow ranchers and ag professionals, creating a community of support across the country.
This past season, Cole faced an unexpected challenge: a neck fusion surgery in May that put a pause on competing for six months. While the procedure meant stepping away from rodeo, it also gave him the rare gift of time at home.
“I’ve been getting to do a lot more ranching and spend every day at home with the girls,” he said.
Once Cole undergoes a follow-up CAT scan, he will have a clearer timeline for getting back in the arena—something he fully intends to do. However, as one of the oldest full-time professional bronc riders still competing, he’s discovered how much he values the ranching life. “It’s going to be a very easy transition for me from rodeo into ranching full time,” he noted.
As he looks ahead to resuming competition, Cole shared his appreciation for the life he’s said he’s been lucky to live.
“I’m just thankful that the Lord has blessed me to be part of a family operation and spend time with family every day,” Cole said. “I’m so thankful that we all enjoy this lifestyle. I feel very blessed to be able to do something I love, whether it is rodeo or ranching.” — Anna Miller Fortozo, WLJ managing editor
