DEADWOOD - The Days of '76 gets under way today and will mark the 86th year of the Deadwood event. The rodeo at '76 has traditionally brought together some of the best cowboys in the country to compete and this year is no different.

"This is the most historic rodeo in South Dakota going back to the early 1920s," said Jim Thompson, who announced the rodeo for 30 years before cutting back his schedule in recent years. "It has always drawn the best cowboys. To win at Deadwood is a big deal."

Steer roping will take center stage today beginning at 8:30 a.m. with 19 of the top 20 ropers in the world entered in the event. Timed event slack takes place on Wednesday beginning at 8 a.m. and continues Thursday. Barrel racing slack is scheduled for noon on Thursday with the first rodeo at 6 p.m.

"We have top cowboys in every event and every cowboy in the Badlands Circuit will be here," event organizer Jon Mattson said.

Friday is highlighted by a parade at 1:30 p.m. and the rodeo at 6 p.m. with the same two events happening at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. The final rodeo is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.

The rodeo has grown from three days to its current six days with the addition of events, and the increased number of cowboys that come to take part. The positive response has come in the form of five consecutive PRCA Midsize Outdoor Rodeo of the Year awards for the Days of '76, and four PRCA Small Outdoor Rodeo of the Year awards before that. Those awards are voted on by the cowboys prompting new categories to be added because of Deadwood's consistent dominance in winning the rodeo of the year award.

Attendance has continued to climb with Thompson estimating it has doubled over the last 10 to 15 years.

Improvements have steadily been made to the rodeo and its grounds throughout the years.

"Years ago we replaced the chutes with wood material to make it look more authentic and picturesque, we redid the VIP boxes five of six years ago, and last year we remodeled the grandstand," Mattson said.

New to the rodeo this year will be Burch bucking stock which will include Blood Brother, Mullen Hill, Sacred Sunday, Pinball Wizzard, Three Bees, Broken Cuddle and Wild Woman.

The purse for the rodeo - which is the main draw for the cowboys who compete - has grown over the years and will be around $137,000 this year with $50,000 of that coming from Deadwood.

While the Days of '76 rodeo is not as big as Cheyenne's Frontier Days Rodeo which is going on at the same time, it does not hurt for participants.

"When we moved the rodeo to be at the same time it worked really well. The cowboys are able to compete at both because it is less than a five hour drive," Mattson said.

Big names will headline several events led by Decatur, Texas' Trevor Brazile who is a world champion in three events and Billy Etbauer, of Edmond. Okla., who sits atop the saddle bronc leaderboard.

"Every major cowboy that has mattered has been here," Thompson said.

This will be the last year for Miles Hare to be one of the bullfighters. Hare has worked the Deadwood rodeo for the past 20 years along with Alan Olson. Hare has been a PRCA bullfighter for over 30 years having worked the Houston livestock show for 31 years and in 1977 he was the youngest bullfighter selected to work the National Finals Rodeo. This will also be the last time that Dave Bald Eagle will be participating in the parade and a grand entry at the Days of '76 Rodeo.

Planning for the event is a yearlong process for a committee of 20 people from all over the Black Hills who meet monthly until June and July when meetings are held weekly.

"It is a great rodeo because of the history, tradition and parade," Mattson. "It is really the whole thing, and it is our 86th year."