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Office of Gov. Dennis Daugaard
500 E. Capitol Ave.
Pierre, S.D. 57501
605-773-3212
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, September 4, 2014
CONTACT: Jim Soyer at 605-773-5689 or Jim.Soyer@state.sd.us
Bowlers, Bull Riders And Wagon Train Coming
To Wessington Springs
PIERRE, S.D. – Wessington Springs will be offering four days of 125th anniversary events next week when the wagon train comes to town.
The events will begin the night before the wagon train’s arrival on Thursday, Sept. 11, with a calcutta of top area bowlers at 7 p.m. Local political candidates will be among those participating in the Bowling Bonanza at Starlight Bowling.
On Friday, Sept. 12, the wagon train will arrive and the annual Bull Bash will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the rodeo grounds. This will be the Territorial Bull Riding Finals Championship with additional $10,000 in prize money available. The event will be followed by a street dance featuring Dustin Evans and the Good Times Band. Funds raised will be donated for the replacement of the American Legion Building which was lost when a tornado hit Wessington Springs on June 18.
On Saturday, a local wagon train honoring the life of Kyle Evans will join the 125th anniversary wagon train on the trail. The wagon trains will travel together for two days. On Saturday night, both wagon trains will camp at Crow Lake and will be served a meal sponsored in part by the Wessington Springs Chamber. The public is invited to the campfire at 8 p.m. for music, storytelling and history by Gail Arnott, and Frank and Joe Pettrle. Special guest Doug Hansen, owner of Hansen Wheel, will also be present to talk about the art of building stagecoaches.
On Sunday night, the wagon trains will camp at Gann Valley.
Kyle Evans was the Centennial Troubadour during South Dakota’s 100th birthday year in 1989. He and his Company Cowboy Band created a special album about South Dakota which included songs such as “Celebrate the Century,” “These Dakota Lands,” “South Dakota You’ve Been Good to Me,” “That Great State of Mine” and “In Heaven on a Horse.” The album earned the Western Heritage Music Award from The National Cowboy Hall of Fame. Evans died in a highway accident in 2001.
Funds raised in the Bowling Bonanza Calcutta will go to the 1905 Opera House, which Evans supported and played at often.
For more details, call the Wessington Springs Area Development Corporation and Chamber Office at 605-539-1929.
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