On December 8, 2024, the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in Las Vegas honored Pete Fredericks with a tribute video for competitors who passed away this year. Fredericks, who passed away at 87 on June 11, 2024, was a towering figure in the rodeo world, leaving behind a legacy of achievement and leadership.
A member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, Fredericks was introduced to rodeo at six years old by his father, who put him on his first saddle bronc.
While attending Dickinson State Teachers College in 1958, Fredericks co-founded the university’s first rodeo team, which placed third nationally in its inaugural year, launching intercollegiate rodeo in North Dakota. His impact extended far beyond Dickinson State University (DSU) as he helped establish the National All Indian Rodeo, providing a platform for Indigenous competitors nationwide.
Fredericks’ honors include induction into the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame (1999), the Indian National Finals Rodeo Hall of Fame (2011), the National Rodeo Hall of Fame (2012), and the Native American Hall of Honor (2017). A three-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier, Fredericks was known for his quiet strength, humility, and dedication to the sport.
“Pete Fredericks will forever be connected to the Rodeo Program at Dickinson State,” said Kyle Smith, Development Office for the DSU Heritage Foundation. “He and his wife Sylvia have made a lasting impact on the student-athletes at DSU with their commitment to supporting scholarships and being at Rodeo Team events.”
“Pete was a special guy to our program,” Smith added. “It was a very touching moment to see him remembered in Las Vegas and to know that he meant a great deal to the history of professional rodeo as well."
Watch Pete Fredericks '58 being honored at the 2024 NFR: https://youtu.be/e-CugYZluNQ.
_______
By: Debora Dragseth, Baker Boy Professor of Leadership, School of Business and Entrepreneurship, Dickinson State University
Comments