2016 Favorites

Not an end of year portfolio, but probably my 25 favorite frames from 2016 (at the moment anyways).

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kenny Podzimek of Avon, plays with his boys Parker (6), center, Palmer (4), back, and Bode (2) prior to the welcome home ceremony for the 155th Engineer Company at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City. Members of the 155th spent the past 11 months on a mission in Kuwait. (Matt Gade/Republic)

Mateo Hotchkiss, 3, dives into a puddle of water on his sled in front of his sister Ana, 6, while sledding down the amphitheater hill at Lake Mitchell on Sunday in Mitchell. (Matt Gade/Republic)

Trudie Hofer (8), right, and her sister Elsie (6), left, dump leaves on to their sister Lindy (10) while Katie Ahlers (10), second from left and Audrey Hofer (12) rake leaves for their pile to play in earlier this week. (Matt Gade/Republic)

Three-year-old Paxton Harris tries squeezing out all of the flavored ice in his Freezie during the Armour vs. Redfield game in the first round of the Class B state amateur baseball tournament on Thursday at Cadwell Park in Mitchell. (Matt Gade/Republic)

Students at Mitchell Technical Institute practice on the power poles on Tuesday morning along the northeast side of campus just south of Interstate 90. (Matt Gade/Republic)

McCook Central senior Anne Mayrose, left, reacts after saying she got some of the goats hair in her mouth while she and senior Cara Rabenhorst try to get the goat the students nicknamed “Gilbert” into the kennel while taking the goat to various business in Salem as part of their “Get the Goat” fundraiser on Wednesday morning as part of the McCook Central school’s FFA activities as part of National FFA Week. (Matt Gade/Republic)

Friends, family and supports came out as the 155th Engineer Company was welcomed home on Saturday, June 2 during a welcome home ceremony held at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City. The 155th spent the past 11 months on a mission in Kuwait. (Matt Gade/Republic)

The mane of Moriah’s horse Patrone is braided up during a practice back in May at the family’s practice arena on the family’s ranch near Chamberlain. Braiding the hair prevents the dally (wrap the rope around the rubber covered saddle horn) from getting caught in the hair and tearing it out. (Matt Gade/Republic)

Chris Richards applies the hot horseshoe to Cactus causing smoke to rise on his hoof while tending to horses back in April at Cedar Ridge Equestrian Center north of Renner. Richards is a Farrier based out of Hurley serving clients in a 50 mile radius. (Matt Gade/Republic)

Savanna Glaus, left, and her sister Moriah practice their team roping on one of their calves at the family’s practice arena back in May near Chamberlain. (Matt Gade/Republic)

Ashley Reiners keeps score under the shade of an umbrella for the singles competition on Wednesday during the first day of the South Dakota State Trap Shoot at the trap shooting range near the Davison County Fairgrounds on the west end of Mitchell. (Matt Gade/Republic)

Wade Leusink, of Maurice Iowa, is seen in the reflection of the rodeo clown competing in the bull riding competition on the Saturday, June 4 in Crooks. (Matt Gade/Republic)

Parkston Mudcats’ Jeff Harris (8) celebrates a run scored after sliding into home plate during a game against the Vermillion Grey Sox in the first round of the Class B state amateur baseball tournament on Thursday at Cadwell Park in Mitchell. (Matt Gade/Republic)

Parkston’s Dillan Thuringer (44) and Parkston’s Brady Albrecht (2) scramble for a loose ball with Clark/Willow Lake’s Noah Huber (45) during a game on Saturday at the Corn Palace in Mitchell. (Matt Gade/Republic)

Dakota Wesleyan Head Coach Jason Christensen and the Tiger bench and fans celebrate a basket late during the first round of the NAIA Division II women’s national tournament against Haskell Indian Nation University on Wednesday morning at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa. (Matt Gade/Republic)

The Kernels head out onto the field for the start of their game against Yankton on Friday night at Joe Quintal Field in Mitchell. (Matt Gade/Republic)

South Dakota State University wide receiver Connor Landberg (18) makes a one-handed touchdown grab over the arm of Western Illinois defensive back Xavier Rowe (6) in the first half of the Jackrabbits game against the Leathernecks in a Missouri Valley Conference game on Saturday at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings. (Matt Gade / Republic)