Annie Oakley Western Arts Showcase
GREENVILLE, OHIO – JULY 26, 2013 – Wild West performers headlining the 11th Annual Annie Oakley Western Arts Showcase are gearing up for five live performances during the Annie Oakley Festival in the upper level of the Darke County Fairground Coliseum. Whip artists, trick ropers and other Wild West art experts who have appeared shows like America’s Got Talent and The Bonnie Hunt Show will be on hand to perform at 7 p.m. on Friday July 26 at 7 p.m. on Saturday the 27th 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. with two more shows at Noon and 2 p.m. on Sunday the 28th. Each show is free with regular admission.
The event started out as a gathering of whip crackers in May of 2002 at the family farm of the founder and producer of the event, nationally known writer, entertainer Gery L. Deer. Deer expanded the event a year later to include trick roping, knife throwing and much more and moved it to the grounds of Annie Oakley Days Festival. Participants have the opportunity to learn from some of the best names in the business while sharing their skills to entertain the public.
Deer is an award-winning whip artist who has spent a quarter century performing, competing and teaching whip artistry. “We’re happy to be back at Annie Oakley Days for our tenth year of precision whip artistry, knife throwing and fancy trick roping,” says Deer, who is also the managing director of The Whip Artistry Studio, bullwhip training center inJamestown,Ohio. “I’m grateful that we have the opportunity to show the public genuine Wild West arts that require talent and skill, not to mention years of practice.”
This year, the event will feature the National Whip Artistry Speed & Accuracy Competition! A speed and accuracy contest modeled after the original Wild West Arts Club events but with some interesting twists and turns! In addition to the standard timed targeting whip contests, the speed switch contest requires the competitors to use BOTH hands in precision targeting. Entry fee is $20 per person. Prizes include custom-made nylon whips, certificates for events and lessons at The Whip Artistry Studio and much more!
Each performance showcase will also feature champion knife thrower Kirk Bass, of Xenia, who teams up with wife Melodee in the suspenseful Bass Blades impalement show. Bass is a certified thrown weapons instructor with the International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame and the assistant director for the Western Arts Showcase events.
According to Deer, the best show to see will be on Saturday evening. “We pull out all the stops on Saturday, with Wild West arts exhibitions during the afternoon performance and a longer, variety show in the evening.” For the 9th year at the festival, Saturday night’s extended program will be hosted by The Brothers & Co. Entertainers music and variety group fromJamestown,Ohio. Often compared to The Statler Brothers or Oak Ridge Boys, the group offers audiences a brilliant combination of four-part vocals and Vaudeville-style comedy and variety routines.
All performances are family friendly. For more information go online to www.ohiowesternarts.org or call (937) 902-4857.
Note: The Annie Oakley Western Arts Showcase is a production of GLD Enterprises & Productions as a hired performance by the Annie Oakley Festival Committee.