Luck landed me at the Stockyards

Dec 14, 2024
Dec 14, 2024

Woster at Stockyards — Jim Woster pauses at the cattle pens at the Sioux Falls Stockyards. Woster worked at the stockyards from 1962 to 2004.
Submitted photo

Jim Woster

Associate Editor

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Jim Woster

I had the opportunity to reminisce a bit about my years at the Sioux Falls Stockyards with a couple long-time friends who were there also at that time. Doug Larson and Bob Oyen, both residents of Crooks, South Dakota, shared lots of memories from many years ago.

kAmsFC:?8 E96 `b J62CD E92E x C6A@CE65 >2C<6ED 7@C E96 $E@4<J2C5D[ x ?@C>2==J 2CC:G65 2E >J @77:46 23@FE cicd 2]>][ 2?5 @?6 @7 E96 7:CDE 9@8 2==6J 8FJD E@ 9@==6C 2 8C66E:?8 H2D s@F8] y62? w2F82C5[ H9@ >2?2865 E96 &$sp @77:46 =@42E65 ?6IE E@ >:?6 :? E96 32D6>6?E @7 E96 tI492?86 qF:=5:?8[ >@DE 2=H2JD 362E s@F8 2?5 x 2?5 925 E96 4@7766 8@:?8] p D2:?E[ E@ D2J E96 =62DE]k^Am

kAm%96 BF6DE:@? @7E6? 4@>6D FA C682C5:?8 9@H x H@F?5 FA 2E E92E 723=65 >2C<6E:?8 724:=:EJ[ 2?5 E96 2?DH6C :D D:>A=6] xE H2D E96 @?=J ;@3 @776C x 925]k^Am

kAm&?E:= >J =2DE J62C 2E $s$&[ 2EE6?5:?8 4=2DD 2?5 565:42E65 DEF5J E:>6 H6C6 ?@E 9:89 @? >J 52:=J E@ 5@ =:DE] p55 E@ E92E E96 724E E92E E96 3@DD[ w6?CJ[ >256 :E 4=62C E92E x D9@F=5 ?@E 6G6? E9:?< 23@FE “4@>:?8 9@>6” F?E:= x 8C6H FA 2 3:E[ @C H@C5D E@ E92E 27764E] (:?5 FA 2E E96 DE@4<J2C5D x 5:5[ 2?5 2D E96 D2J:?8 8@6D[ D@>6E:>6D 2 A6CD@? D:>A=J =F4<D @FE] x H@F=5?’E EC256 E9@D6 ce J62CD 7@C E96 H@C=5]k^Am

kAmx? E96 DA:C:E @7 5:D4=@DFC6[ x 5:5 92G6 @?6 :?E6CG:6H[ H9:49 >2J @C >2J ?@E 36 H@CE9 5:D4FDD:?8] p9[ H92E E96 964<] xE’D >J 4@=F>?[ 2?5 t5:E@C y2?6==6 :D 2 <:?5 2?5 F?56CDE2?5:?8 A6CD@?]k^Am

kAmp3@FE E9C66 H66<D AC:@C E@ 8C25F2E:@?[ E96 562? @7 E96 28 D49@@= 42==65 2?5 E@=5 >6 E92E 96 925 2CC2?865 2? :?E6CG:6H 7@C >6 7@C E96 2DD:DE2?E 4@F?EJ 286?E :? (:??6C[ $@FE9 s2<@E2] q6 2E E96 6IE6?D:@? @77:46 :? (:??6C ?6IE %F6D52J 2E `ib_ A]>][ 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmx H2D 64DE2E:4P “|J 9@>6 4@F?ECJP”[ x E9@F89E] “}@3@5J 6=D6 H:== 36 E96C6P x 92G6 2 ;@3[ 2?5 3@J H:== x 36 AC@F5 H96? x 42== E96 7@=<D 27E6C x’> 9:C65P {:76 :D 8@@5]”k^Am

kAmx 2CC:G65 2 3:E 62C=J[ 2?5 FA@? 6?E6C:?8 E96 tIE6?D:@? @77:46[ x H2D >@C6 E92? 2 =:EE=6 DFCAC:D65 E@ D66 2 J@F?8 >2? D62E65 :? 7C@?E @7 E96 56D<[ H62C:?8 2 C65 2?5 H9:E6 &$s 42A] (:E9@FE 96D:E2E:@? 2?5 ?@E >F49 A@=:E6?6DD[ x 2D<65[ “(92E 2C6 J@F 5@:?8 96C6n”k^Am

kAmw6 D2:5[ “x 2> 8@:?8 E@ 36 E96 2DD:DE2?E 4@F?EJ 286?E[” E@ H9:49 x D:>A=J C6A=:65[ “(6’== D66 23@FE E92E]”k^Am

kAm(96? E96 :?E6CG:6HD H6C6 4@>A=6E6[ E96 4@F?EJ 286?E D2:5[ “x 5@?’E <?@H H92E E@ 5@[ 76==@HD] x 92G6 ?6G6C 925 EH@ 42?5:52E6D E9:D 6BF2= :? @FC 5:D4FDD:@?]”k^Am

kAmw6 42==65 9:D DFA6CG:D@C 2E $s$& 2?5 D96 D2:5[ “v:G6 E96> E96 `_\BF6DE:@? BF:K]”k^Am

kAmw6 AF==65 @FE 2 7:=6 7C@> 9:D 56D<[ C6>@G65 EH@ BF:K D966ED 2?5 92?565 E96> E@ 9:D 42?5:52E6D] (6 2?DH6C65 E96 BF6DE:@?D[ 96 4964<65 E96> @77[ =@@<65 FA 2?5 D2:5 E@ E96 &$s r@J@E6[ “*@F’C6 9:C65]”k^Am

People are also reading…

Tractor Museum showcases farm history
Beware turkey bits, pieces
System continues to protect calf health, ranch profitability
Buckhouse cowboy known for strong work ethic
Morel-hunter search begins
Modern farm shops feature high-end components, aesthetic appeal
From the Backroads of Wisconsin's Past
Illinois town weighs data center
PBR: Unleash the beast veterinarian
Farmer volunteers key to containing field fires
Alternative fertilizers focus on feeding soil biology
Southeast Iowa family proud of farm longevity
Hunting access made easy
Global dairy supply outpaces demand in early 2026
Doing it differently: Nebraska farmer revolutionized corn harvesting

kAmx H2D E2<6? 2324<] “*@F D2:5 H6 H6C6 6G6?P x 8C6H FA @FE 96C6 2?5 <?@H E9:D 4@F?ECJ H6==P w@H 5:5 H6 5@ :? E96 E6DEnP”k^Am

kAm(96? 96 C6A=:65[ “*@F 3@E9 >:DD65 BF6DE:@? ?F>36C `_[” x H6?E E9C@F89 E96 C@@7] %92E :D[ F?E:= 96 E@=5 >6 E@ D:E 5@H? 2?5 D9FE >J >@FE9]k^Am

kAmw6 E96? H6?E @? E@ D2Ji “(96? x 8@E E@ BF6DE:@? ?F>36C `_[ E96 J@F?8 >2? 7C@> &$s HC@E6 5@H?[ ‘x’> D@CCJ[ x 5@?’E <?@H E96 2?DH6C E@ E9:D BF6DE:@?]’ *@F HC@E6 5@H?[ ‘?6:E96C 5@ x]’”k^Am

kAm%9:D >2J @C >2J ?@E 36 2 ECF6 DE@CJ] x’== =62G6 :E E@ E96 C6256C E@ 564:56] #682C5=6DD[ E96 >@C?:?8 27E6C 8C25F2E:@?[ x AF?4965 :? 2E E96 $E@4<J2C5D 2?5 E96 C6DE :D 9:DE@CJ]k^Am

kAmx 92G6 366? 2D<65 :7 x C6>6>36C >J 7:CDE 52J 2E E96 $E@4<J2C5D] *6D[ x 5@ – 2=>@DE 6G6CJ 56E2:=]k^Am

kAm(6 DE2CE65 2 3:E 27E6C e 2]>] 5:AA:?8 D966A[ H9:49 H2D 2 52:=J 6I6C4:D6] uC@> E96C6[ E96 DFA6CG:D@C E@@< >6 E@ @?6 @7 E96 42EE=6 D42=6D H96C6 x 2DD:DE65 :? J2C5:?8 E96 42EE=6 E92E 925 366? D@=5 2?5 H6:8965[ AFEE:?8 E96? :? A6?D 2DD:8?65 E@ E96 =@25\@FE 49FE6D]k^Am

kAm{2E6 >@C?:?8[ H6 3682? 5C:G:?8 E96 42EE=6[ 9@8D 2?5 D966A E9C@F89 E96 EF??6=[ H9:49 C2? F?56C #:46 $EC66E[ @G6C E@ y@9? |@CC6==] %92E EF??6= :D DE:== E96C6 2?5 7F?4E:@?2=[ 2=E9@F89 ?@ =@?86C :? FD6]k^Am

kAmu:?2==J[ 62C=J 27E6C?@@?[ x 96=A65 =@25 9@8D AFC492D65 3J r=@F896CEJ !24<:?8 r@][ @? C2:=C@25 42CD] %96 A=2?E H2D :? {@D p?86=6D 2?5 @A6C2E65 F?56C E96 3C2?5 ?2>6 @7 u2C>6C y@9?]k^Am

kAmxE H2D =@ED @7 H2=<:?8 2?5 =62C?:?8 2?5 >66E:?8 8FJD] (96? x 2CC:G65 2E >J C@@> 2E E96 *|rp 23@FE e E92E 6G6?:?8[ x H2D 2=C625J 46CE2:? E92E E96 J2C5D :D H96C6 x 36=@?865] q6EE6C =F4<J E92? 8@@5 :? >J 49@:46 @7 6>A=@J>6?E]k^Am

kAm~? E96 E@A:4 @7 “=F4<” :? 564:D:@?D H6 >2<6[ 23@FE `hfb[ 7:G6 J62CD 27E6C >J 525 5:65[ |@E96C |2C:6 3682? 2 5:D4FDD:@? C682C5:?8 96C @=56DE D@? C6EFC?:?8 E@ E96 72>:=J 72C>[ H9:49 H2D 36:?8 C6?E65] (6 H6?E D@ 72C 2D E@ >66E H:E9 96C 32?<6C[ 2?5 :E H2D 4=@D6 E@ 2 5@?6 562=] p== E92E H2D ?66565 H2D @FC D:8?2EFC6D]k^Am

kAm%92?< E96 {@C5[ 2?5 :E H2D AC@323=J w:> H9@ DE6AA65 :?[ x 564:565 E92E :E H2D 2? F?H:D6 >@G6] u@=<D[ x H@F=5 ?@E 92G6 >256 :E 5FC:?8 8@@5 E:>6D[ >F49 =6DD 562=:?8 H:E9 E96 5C@F89E @7 `hfe 2?5 E96 5:D2DE6C @7 E96 `hg_D]k^Am

kAm|F49 =:<6 =2?5:?8 2E E96 J2C5D[ @FC 564:D:@? E@ 7@C8@ 2 72C>:?8 @AA@CEF?:EJ 42? 282:? 36 2EEC:3FE65 E@ E92E E9:?8 42==65 “=F4<]” r=@D6 42== 7@C DFC6Pk^Am

kAmt?;@J E96 D62D@? 2?5 E92?<D 7@C H92E J@F 5@]k^Am

"When I arrived at my room at the YMCA about 6 that evening, I was already certain that the yards is where I belonged."