FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 30, 2005

CONTACT: Kate Kelley, (605) 722-4558 or casaadm@rushmore.com 

Expo Draws Horse Enthusiasts

PIERRE, S.D. – The Northern Hills Area Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) brings the excitement of a major horse trade show to Rapid City. The Black Hills Horse Expo, April 8-10, is a fundraiser for CASA and provides a comprehensive horse industry exposition in South Dakota. 

“The Black Hills Horse Expo has become an incredibly popular event in South Dakota,” said event organizer Kate Kelly. “Thousands of visitors – cowboys, cowgirls, horse lovers and their families – from across the country check out the exhibits, attend the clinics and enjoy the entertainment.”

The three-day expo, held at the Pennington County Event Center, is jam-packed with educational seminars and clinics. Nationally recognized horse trainer Julie Goodnight will present horsemanship clinics for all riding disciplines. The expo also features English and Western clinics, breed demonstrations, a Stallion Showcase, a petting zoo and other children’s activities. Tommie Turvey Jr., a world class entertainer, movie stuntman and horse trainer, brings excitement and thrills with edge-of-your-seat trick riding to the Equine Extravaganza, the expo’s evening entertainment. 

The expo runs Friday 5:30-9:30 p.m., Saturday 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and 7:30-9:30 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Visit www.TravelSD.com or www.BlackHillsHorseExpo.com for ticket information and more details.

The Black Hills Horse Expo has been designated a “Great Shoulder Event” by the South Dakota Office of Tourism. The Office of Tourism provides assistance to event coordinators and supports promotional efforts for designated events in order to boost visitor spending and to increase the economic impact in host communities. The Great Shoulder Events campaign is one component of the 2010 Initiative, which includes doubling visitor spending to $1.2 billion by 2010.

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