The art of Wild West shows, once again gaining popularity, lives on in Oklahoma. Experts and beginners alike come from all over the world to learn and compete at the Will Rogers Wild West International Expo in Claremore. The event is co-sponsored by the Wild West Arts Club, headquartered in Las Vegas, and Will Rogers Heritage Trust of Claremore.
Trick ropers and rider, gun spinners, knife throwers and whip crackers share their expertise and at the same time compete for titles in their respective events.
Bennett-Watt Entertainment has captured this famous event in its newest addition to its award winning High Definition (HD) travel documentary TV and DVD series “Discoveries…America.”
“Different types of people come here for different reasons,” said Mark Allen, WWAC national director. “Some are just enthusiasts, they don’t perform, they just always wanted to learn how to do this … other people are performers at various levels and are very well known … every year we have contests for the Guinness Book of World Records — like, who can swing the biggest loop and who can do the most Texas skips …”
At the 2006 Expo, Charlie Keys of Wisconsin won first place and set a new world record in the men’s big loop with a loop length of 107 feet, two inches.
Two women attending the Expo from Sweden came to learn trick roping and how to crack a whip. They said there’s no cowboys and cowgirls in Sweden, so they came to the USA to learn these skills.
Allen said, “Most of these skills came from the working cowboy. They got a little bored just trying to loop everyday the same thing, so one guy said I can do a fancier swing or I can loop it over the top or underneath … that’s how trick roping developed. They’d get to the end of the trail drive or roundup and they’d show off these skills to each other. This is primarily how wild west shows and rodeos came about.
This special segment in “Discoveries…America, Oklahoma” highlights a variety of demonstrations and competitions in many venues of wild west arts including trick roping, trick riding, knife and tomahawk throwing, gun spinning quick draw shooting, whip cracking and mounted trick shooting. (For more information on the Wild West Arts Club, go to www.wwac.com.)
“Discoveries…America, Oklahoma” is a collection of video essays about the people of Oklahoma past and present. Special segments include cattle roundups, National Memorial and Museum in Oklahoma, resurgence of the American buffalo, making of chili rellenos, roadside sculpture artists, tour of Will Rogers Museum, Apache Rattlesnake Festival and Will Rogers Wild West International Expo.
The “Discoveries…America” series provides a fresh look at America in the 21st Century. Filmed entirely in Widescreen Digital High Definition (HD), the series chronicles history, people, culture, travel and locations unique to each state in the United States. Subjects range from cowboys, musicians, historians and artists to casinos, cliff dwellings and space centers. Video essays delve into cultural traditions, political history and lifestyle trends, and provide portraits of national parks, monuments and people of interest.
Production of the complete “Discoveries…America” series continues through 2006 and will ultimately include 51 of the 60-minute shows for HD broadcast and DVD. The programs are broadcast nationally on HD Cable network INHD2 (see www.INHD.com). Each program is also available on DVD.
“Discoveries…America” DVDs retail for $24.95 each. They are encoded to play in all regions and are playable on most DVD players internationally. To order DVDs for wholesale, retail or promotional use, to order stock footage from the shows or discuss corporate commercial sponsorship for broadcast, contact Bennett-Watt Entertainment, Inc., 13021 244th Ave. SE, Issaquah, WA 98027, or call 800-327-2893 or visit Bennett-Watt website www.discoveriesamerica.com.