A longtime stable on the east side of Sioux Falls has earned national recognition for its work to introduce newcomers to Arabian horses and build a community around the breed.
Rugged Cross Stables was the runner-up for the Arabian Horse Association’s Discovery Farm of the Year for 2025.
It’s owned by Tyler and Courtney Tjeerdsma and provides lessons to riders of all ages, summer camps for kids and competition training for both horses and riders.
“We serve people who have never touched a horse before to national competitors,” said Courtney Tjeerdsma, who grew up showing horses at a national level.
The stable is a familiar sight to drivers along Arrowhead Parkway just east of Veterans Parkway with its large white barns, outdoor riding arena and dozens of horses grazing in the large pastures.
Tyler Tjeerdsma opened Rugged Cross Stables almost 12 years ago as a place to board horses. After the couple met in 2018, Courtney, who grew up in Brandon and got a degree in equine science and management at the University of Kentucky, began expanding the offerings…