By John Rittenhouse
The stage has been set for the fourth annual Rock County Sportsman's Show that takes place in Luverne High School Saturday, Feb. 10.
The event, which attracted 1,000 people last winter and has a goal to bring in 1,500 more individuals this year, will run from 10 a.m. through 6 p.m.
Nearly 60 exhibitors have made commitments to attend the 2001 version of the event, with the products and services offered being on display throughout the day.
Boats, campers and RVs will be on display outside the facility. There also will be indoor exhibits.
Nearly five hours of youth and adult seminars are on slate in the elementary school gym.
Main attractions for this year's show will be Gary Allen, a professional Missouri River fishing guide from Chamberlain, S.D., and Judd Cooney, a nationally recognized bow hunter from Pagosa Springs, Co.
Allen will round out the seminar schedule by offering tips and fishing tactics for the Missouri River from 2:45-3:45 p.m.
Allen also will have an exhibit booth on hand for the event.
Cooney, a man with Rock County ties, will put on two different seminars during the day.
A 1956 Luverne High School graduate, Cooney is an active outdoor writer and photographer who was inducted into the Rock County Hall of Fame in 2000.
He runs an elk and white tail deer hunting service.
After Cooney's appearance at the Rock County Sportman's Show, he will fly to Las Vegas, where he'll be inducted into the National Bow Hunter's Hall of Fame.
Cooney's first seminar will address wild turkey hunting, and it will run from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Cooney will offer an elk and white tail deer hunting seminar from 2 to 2:30 p.m.
Lon Hohenstein, Monty Gall and Dustin Kjelden will offer different seminars during the day.
Hohenstein's talk of ice fishing techniques opens the seminar slate from 11 to 11:30 a.m.
Gall will offer a plug fishing for walleye seminar from 12:30 to 1 p.m, which will be followed by Kjelden's lake fishing seminar from 1:15 to 1:45 p.m.
Nearly $2,000 worth of raffle prizes will be given away starting at 4 p.m.
Raffle tickets will be sold for $1 each during the day, and ticket holders need not be present to claim their prizes.
Along with all the seminars and exhibits, different Rock County community organizations will offer different food options during the show.
Tickets to attend the event will be $2, with children 5 and under admitted free.
All proceeds from the event will go to Big Buddies of Rock County, Hills-Beaver Creek-Steen Baseball Association, Patriot Partners, Steen Community Park Committee and the Hills Lions Club.