The return of an old event, the Hunter and Jumper Show, will highlight horse competition at the 2009 Central States Fair, which begins today.

Horses will go through a course of six to 10 jumps in the show, which begins at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, in Bray Arena.

"It was part of the fair for many years but it hasn't been a part of the fair for 10 or 12 years," said Patty Larson, secretary of the South Dakota Dressage Society, which is hosting the show. "We're kind of revitalizing a show that we used to host there," she said.

Both Hunter classes and Jumper classes will be offered. The judge will be Linda Hake from Rochester, Mich.

"We'll have divisions from the lowest level for youngsters getting started and young horses all the way up to jackpot jumper class," Larson said.

Larson said the fair officials asked them to put on the show.

"They wanted to offer something new and exciting," she said. "This is obviously a very western and rodeo-oriented area for equestrian sports."

Along with the Central States Fair, the event is being sponsored by Riverdale Farm at Nisland, Eagle's Ride Equine Center at Piedmont and Dr. Linda Rabe of National American University.

Riverdale Farm, which breeds dressage and jumping horses, will furnish the jumps and many of the volunteers staffing the show, Larson said.

Meanwhile, horse events kick off at the fair today with the Central States Fair American Quarter Horse Association Show. The show is drawing horses from South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Nebraska, Wyoming and Colorado, according to Jill Swanhorst, horse event coordinator for the fair.

The show runs through Sunday, Aug. 23. Most events will be in Bray Arena but some will be held in the Pennington County Event Center.

The remainder of the horse event schedule:

Wednesday, Aug. 26: The Carriage Show & Horse Pull in Bray Arena. The horse pull demonstration will be at 10 a.m. and the carriage show will be at noon.

Thursday, Aug. 27: Ranch horse competition, beginning at 8 a.m. Swan horst said there were more than 70 entries as of late Wednesday, with entries still coming in.

Friday, Aug. 28: open jackpot team roping, beginning at 9 a.m. in the event center.

Saturday, Aug. 29: Hunter/jumper show, 1 p.m., Bray Arena.

Open 4-D jackpot barrel race, starting at 9 a.m. in the grandstand arena.

Contact Steve Miller at 394-8415 or steve.miller@rapidcityjournal.com.