Delicious Homemade Food
Breakfast served all day Lunch and dinner options Dessert
Gluten Free & Lactose Free Options 627 North River Street, Hot Springs, SD • Open Daily 6 a. m.-2 p. m.
Heaven Scent Bakery
• Breads
• Donuts & pastries
• Pies
• Cheesecakes
• Cookies
• Cakes & We do wedding cakes
Large selection of Gluten Free items.
627 North River Street, Hot Springs, SD 605-515-3225 contact @ heavenscentbakery. info
The year she turned 40, Sharon won the 1981 South Dakota Old Timers Rodeo Queen and All-Around Cowgirl contests.
“ I just turned 40, so they wanted to see my birth certificate,” said Sharon,“ I didn’ t look 40, but I was anyway. I went to a lot of old timers rodeos, competed in the barrel racing and breakaway roping. When you win the queen contest, it’ s your job to go around to these rodeos and promote rodeo. Of course, they have you run around the arena, carry a flag, that kind of stuff.”
In the Boots and Saddle Club of Rapid City, Sharon learned a lot of speed events like musical chairs, baton races, scoop shovel races and saddle relays.
“ You start with one horse, and you run to the next one about halfway around the track, take the saddle off, put it on the other horse and just hold the strap.
“ You didn’ t have time to tie it because you wanted to be the fastest time. So you get on the horse, hold that, run to the next horse, then saddle that one up, do the same thing and ride it home,” said Sharon.
For musical chairs, they put tires in a circle, and everyone had to canter their horses while the music played.
“ I had one that would just canter in one place. As long as you cantered, you weren’ t disqualified. If I could, I put two tires between me, and then when the music stopped, I’ d always get a tire. They did that until there were two people left, and then they’ d race it off. You had to race from here to there and jump in a tire,” said Sharon.
As for the horse shows, Sharon joined the South Dakota Quarter Horse Association. She competed in all of the events to qualify for the all around title.
It was during this season that Sharon worked with her favorite gray quarter horse, Jamie Doolin. Jamie Doolin was raised to be a racehorse, and Sharon bought and retrained her when she was just about three.
“ We placed in every event, either first, second or third,” said Sharon.
They also won the South Dakota Quarter Horse All- Around Champions in 1981.
“ Jamie learned so fast. She could read my mind, and I could read hers. That’ s why we won so many events. She could just do anything. She could do the slow events, and she could do the fast events. It didn’ t matter to her. Put on a different bridle or a different saddle, she knew what class was going to be next. I’ ve never had a horse like Jamie,” said Sharon.
Sharon raised two babies from Jamie Doolin and sold them at a nice profit. However, around the time she was 15, Jamie Doolin developed arthritis, and Sharon had to sell her as a trail riding horse.
On her quarter horse gelding, Little Schmacko, Sharon won the all-around buckle for the Center of the Nation Quarter Horse Champion as well.
12 Down Country Roads June / July 2026