The Black Hills Stock Show & Rodeo ® is the second largest event in the state of South Dakota following the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. An estimated attendance of 331,000 people attend the ten day event held annually the last weekend in January to the first weekend in February.
The stock show features 96 different agriculture driven events. Events such as the Ranch Rodeo, Sheep Dog Trials and Bronc Match are crowd favorites. Other events include a two-day horse, ten breeds of cattle shows and sales, the Cinch Trade Show, Buffalo Sale, World’s Smallest Rodeo, Sheep Shearing demonstration, Ag Leaders Round-Table Discussion, Ranch Horse Competition, AQHA Horse Shows, Commercial Heifer Show and Sale and much more.
The Tough Enough to Wear Pink program has inspired many gifts to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer at the John T. Vucurevich Regional Cancer Care Institute at Rapid City Regional Hospital. Through programs like Tough Enough, donations have enabled the purchase of an ultrasound machine, equipment for a cancer treatment procedure called Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and, most recently, towards the Tomotherapy program.
In addition to the TETWP night at the rodeo, the foundation hosts many “pink” events. The “Cowgirl Pink Champagne Brunch” takes place during the Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo. This is an opportunity for cowgirls and city girls enjoying the Stock Show, some of the toughest women around, to enjoy some pampering to benefit people even tougher: Those battling cancer. One-hundred percent of all the ticket sales and silent auction proceeds benefit equipment purchases and cancer programs at the Regional Cancer Care Institute, located at Rapid City Regional Hospital.
Another exciting fundraiser is the “Pink at the Rink” Rapid City Rush game. The local professional hockey team partners with the Regional Health Foundation to raise money for equipment and programs at the Regional Cancer Care Institute. The Rush team auctions off their jerseys after the game, raising thousands of dollars for the local cancer institute. In the last ten years, these events have helped the Rapid City community raise more than $850,000!
