PIERRE, S.D. – In South Dakota, this winter it’s not Glen Campbell’s Rhinestone Cowboy, riding out on a horse in a star-spangled rodeo, but rather Rhinestone Plowboy, riding out in a plow on a snow-filled “roadeo”. The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) is excited to announce another round of outstanding winners in the sixth annual snowplow naming contest. The contest continues to spark creativity while providing an opportunity to encourage winter driving safety awareness for South Dakotans of all ages.
This year, four of the winning entries were submitted by elementary classrooms within the communities of Aberdeen, Hill City, Armour, and McIntosh. While preschoolers in Jones County successfully named their local Winner Area snowplow “Scoopy Scoopy Doo”, staff at Lantis Enterprises in Spearfish submitted the winning name of “Rhinestone Plowboy” for the Belle Fourche Area.
Merida Smith, of Lantis Enterprises, noted that participating in SDDOT’s contest is now officially part of the company’s annual “Snowplow Days” to promote winter weather preparedness. “We originally started entering a snowplow name simply as a fun way for everyone in the office to participate,” notes Smith. “While it may not be a traditional holiday, “Snowplow Days” perks up the entire office. Throughout the week, employees can submit as many name ideas as they’d like, and then the whole staff votes on a favorite to officially submit into the SDDOT contest.”
SDDOT staff voted on submissions once the contest closed to the public in mid-December. All named snowplows from the previous five contests are in active service within the SDDOT fleet across the state.
“I want to thank our SDDOT winter maintenance staff members for their dedicated efforts to keep our roads clear and travelers safe during winter weather,” said Transportation Secretary Joel Jundt. “We truly strive to be the primary resource for South Dakota travelers throughout the year, and I appreciate those who regularly use SD511 to guide their travel decisions, whether during the height of a winter storm or summer construction.”
2025-2026 snowplow naming contest winners:
Additional information is available on the SDDOT contest website at SDDOT Snowplow Contest. Over the next couple of months, the contest winners will officially meet and take photos with their locally named snowplow. Photos and local stories will be shared on the SDDOT contest page as well as on social media.