A group of concerned people met at Duffy's Cafe In Fort Pierre on February 2, 1955 to form a South Dakota Rodeo Association. There was much concern over the judging at that time, the inability for cowboys to be able to write checks, etc. It was decided by vote at that meeting to call the new association the South Dakota Amateur Rodeo Association and it would be open to any South Dakota Amateur Cowboy. It was decided to have a point award system and to give awards at the end of the year.
At an April 20th meeting in 1956, it was decided to drop the "A" signifying amateur in SDARA. From that time forward the official name has been South Dakota Rodeo Association. In 1956, 89 cowboys and cowgirls paid their membership dues.
