| February 2011-BH Stock Show and Rodeo |
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You can always count on seeing plenty of livestock when you head to the Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo. But you also count on seeing plenty of kids there too.That's something the Stock Show aims for and it makes them Committed to Kids. Whether it's the petting zoo giving kids an up close and personal look at animals they might not otherwise get, or watching animals in action, or learning something, the Black Hills Stock Show hopes to be an enriching experience for the younger set.
Ron Jeffries says, "Of course Monday, we've got the sheepdog trials going on. There's nothing better than watching these dogs chase the sheep in a pattern in a timed event. Kids really enjoy that. We've got the petting zoo. We've got a number of different activities like the world's smallest rodeo, the stickhorse rodeo. We've got the African exhibit that ended the other day, but was one of the events we put on particularly oriented towards kids, with free admission for children." Jeffries says while most of the ag businesses here are family oriented, he says it's important to get the city kids through the doors to learn something as well. Jeffries says, "We the thing about city kids, it's important to know where your meals come from. Milk does come from the store but it starts on the ranch. So does all your burgers and everything else you get at the burger joints downtown. We'd like you to come in and learn a little about the animal industry and have a chance to have some up close encounters in the petting zoo. It will be something fun for you." And some of the lessons learned here are equally important to kids no matter where they're from. They got a lesson to remember at Monday's electric safety demonstration. Joe Connot says, "You know, that's pretty good. Just look at the expressions on the little kid's faces. That's something they'll remember and take home with them that if this happens to me, that's what's going to happen." And Jeffries says some of their work here at the Stock Show continues far into the future. Jeffries says, "We put a lot of time and effort into developing scholarships, both the Black Hills Stock Show Foundation, Central States Fair Foundation and Chamber of Commerce, work to bring scholarships together so kids have an opportunity to earn those scholarships and go on to college." Black Hills FOX salutes the Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo, committed to kids. Jack Caudill |
