The Wild West is still alive and well, at least for one day every year in Custer State Park in South Dakota.
This is where the Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup takes place as cowboys take to the Great Plains and herd up about 1500 buffalo and drive the great animals into corrals. This year’s event will take place on Sept. 27, 2010.
The largest herd of buffalo in America is rounded up by cowboys on horseback while thousands of spectators watch the action and soak in the atmosphere of the “Real America.” The animals are rounded every year to get them ready for the buffalo sales in the autumn.
After the buffalo are herded, the spectators can then view the calves be vaccinated and the animals get branded. Some of the buffalo are sold each year because there’s only adequate winter pasture to feed about 1500 of them.
Custer State Park is the largest of its type in the country as it features over 70,000 acres of rolling pastures which stretch all the way to the fabulous Black Hills Mountain Range.
As well as the popular roundup, there is also a yearly Buffalo Roundup Arts Festival. This is a three day event that takes place at the close to the Peter Norbeck Visitor Center and State Game Lodge.
This event showcases numerous crafters and artisans from the local community. It also offers food stalls and exhibit booths.
For more information on the event and the park, visit http://gfp.sd.gov/state-parks/directory/custer/default.aspx and www.custersd.com/index.php
