RAPID CITY, SD — Hot on the heels of the Stock Show, the Sports Show regularly calls in patrons from across the region to Rapid City from the 13th and 15th to get an up-close and personal look at what coordinator Ami Scull-Larson calls “Big boy toys”: hunting kit, RVs, boats, and off-road vehicles, as well as many other curios, with a reticle aimed sportsmen in particular. However, the Show grew this year in scope, with the introduction of over 20 new vendors, and an appearance by Airstream of South Dakota, the state’s exclusive vendor of the iconic campers.
The event marks the 44th year of the Sports Show, and another in a busy tradition of rapid teardown and setup during the six-day gap marking the end of the Stock and beginning of the Sports. “This is the season where everything moves fast,” said Craig Baltzer, Executive Director of The Monument. “There’s very little downtime between the Stock Show and the Black Hills Sports Show—we go from dirt on Saturday to boats on Tuesday and keep pushing forward. The Sports Show fills the entire facility, transforming the building almost overnight and showcasing just how flexible the complex truly is. It’s a great mix of repeat clients and first-time visitors, and that steady stream of people coming to town is exactly what we’re here to support”.
“they kind of have it down to an art,” says Scull-Larson on what she describes as a relatively quick vendor setup two days prior to doors opening. “that’s really where the Shriners help me out the most as they man that process they make sure that everything’s going in order, and in the right spot. It’s actually pretty cool how easy it goes”.
The event features local vendors and over 100 displays, featuring specialized activity areas for kids, such as the Buck Room in the upstairs area, and opportunities to meet live birds with the Black Hills Raptor Center, as well as a “Ladies Lane”, featuring a focus of cosmetics, snacks, and more family-oriented vendors. Additionally, an archery competition hosted by Black Hills Archery and the Traven Bies Memorial Best Buck Or Bull Contest, hosted by South Dakota Youth Hunting Adventures, allows hunters to show off some of the seasons’ best antlers for potential prizes. Probably the most significant event of the Show comes in the form of auctions held by SD Youth Hunting Adventures. “We have a very loyal following of supporters, and so we gather and we have a live auction of about 38 items, and a silent auction of about 50,” said Scull-Larson, “and we continue just to raise money for South Dakota youth hunting adventures, as well as our conservation grant program also [sic], so it’s a very jam-packed weekend”.
The event is a not-for-profit affair, with children under 12 being allowed in for free, and all ticket proceeds going to South Dakota Youth Hunting Adventures, Rapid City Cosmopolitan Club and The Naja Shriners Transportation Fund.
