American Western Arts Showcase

20th Annual American Western Arts Showcase at Annie Oakley Festival

Darke County Fairground, Greenville, Ohio

Greenville, OH – Entrepreneur and professional whip artist Gery L. Deer and thrown weapons expert, Kirk Bass, of Xenia, will lead a full troupe of Wild West arts experts during the 2023 American Western Arts Showcase at the Annie Oakley Festival, July 28-29, 2023 at the Darke County Fairground in Greenville, Ohio. The event is free and open to the public.

Presented in the spirit of the stage-style Wild West shows of the late 19^th Century, each production will include some detailed history of how these arts came to be and who still practices them today. In addition to performing, Gery Deer is also the show’s producer and chief backer.

“This is a one-of-a-kind show in this region,” Deer says. “We have some of the best Wild West arts entertainment anywhere in the Midwest with real practitioners of each skill,” says Deer, who started the event in Jamestown, Ohio, in 2002. “These are talented performers with genuine ability, no fakery, no tricks. Everything you see in our show is real and all of our shows are in 3-D and high definition!”

Champion knife thrower Kirk Bass, of Xenia, Ohio, is co-producer of the event. He and his daring wife Melodee are among the performers to take the open-air stage for a series of western arts perform the suspenseful Bass Blades impalement show, and much more.

Whip marksmanship competitions headline the afternoon show beginning with the Whip Speed and Accuracy Exhibition Competition, the world’s first Bullwhip Fast Draw contest. Plus, there is a brand new contest taken straight from the big screen.

In the spirit of Dr. Jones’ proficiency, this year’s Showcase competition will include a special “blind fast draw,” where whip artists must mimic the move used in the film to turn, draw their holstered whip and shoot at a target with speed and accuracy. In 1981, a fedora-wearing, leather-clad archaeologist threw the crack heard around the world when he “whipped” a pistol from the hand of a jungle guide. At the beginning of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” Indiana Jones demonstrated his skills with the holstered fast-draw of a 10-foot bullwhip, all while having to spin around to take aim first.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0ohlktSN-E]

“With the popularity of Indiana Jones among western performers, particularly whip artists, it’s odd this hasn’t been done before,” says Deer, who holds multiple, national whip speed and accuracy titles and is the director of The Whip Artistry Studio, the only permanent whip training facility in America.

The event is sponsored by GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd., The Whip Artistry Studio and the Annie Oakley Festival Committee. All performances are family-friendly and presented on the grounds of the Annie Oakley Festival. For links to the festival and sneak previews of the performers plus more information go online to ohiowesternarts.org.

Production video from a few years ago showing some of the events

Whip cracking, trick roping, knife throwing exhibitions going on throughout the day as well as educational sessions to learn about the Wild West Arts and how these performers are working to keep them alive today.

FULL SCHEDULE

Friday:

• Space opens at 10 AM.
• Informal workshops, practice, and demonstrations throughout the day.

1:oo PM American Western Arts Showcase Performance

• Bass Blades Knife Impalement Show
• Gery L. Deer  – The Whip Artistry Studio Show
• Special Guests and More!

4:00 PM American Western Arts Showcase Performance

• Bass Blades Knife Impalement Show
• Gery L. Deer  – The Whip Artistry Studio Show
• Special Guests and More!

Saturday:

• Space opens at 10 AM.
• Informal workshops, practice, and demonstrations throughout the day.
• Contest Practice

12:00 PM American Western Arts Showcase – Whip Marksmanship Contests