RAPID CITY - Local martial arts fans will get an opportunity to see some of the area's best, Saturday, when the 2008 Martial Arts Open takes place at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City.

Josh Usera, owner of the Dynamic Martial Arts dojo in downtown Rapid City, said the event is designed to give local competitors some experience.

"The tournament is to give these people something to do," Usera said. "They are training hard in their respective dojo, so it's just a good opportunity for them to get to meet each other, workout and compete against each other and have fun."

The event is not sanctioned by any organization or league, Usera said.

"This is an open martial arts tournament, that means there is not a league, there's not an organization that we are a part of," he said. "Local martial arts clubs can put on events if they want, it just so happens we happen to be the one that puts on a lot of the events in this area."

Usera said there will be several different styles of martial arts displayed at the event, including tae kwon do, arnis, which is a form of stick-fighting, karate, kung-fu and ju-jitsu. Participants will compete in 70 divisions. There will be 16 grand champion awards handed out at the end of the day.

"Everyone's competing for first, second and third and then the first-place winners are competing against each other for the appropriate grand champion award," Usera said.

The event, which is set to begin at 10 a.m., is expected to bring in about 100 competitors from five states.

"Usually we get people from North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska and South Dakota. Every once in a while we may dip into Colorado or Iowa or something," Usera said. "But, again, since it is not a sanctioned event or anything, if they're available, if their schedule works out, they come. I expect with Easter I might not get as many out-of-town people, at least people who might normally spend the night will probably not come. I'll get Gillete, Wyo., Pierre, a few people from Sioux Falls, possibly North Dakota. I'll get some from northwestern Nebraska, like Chadron."

Usera said there is one difference in this meet, compared to meets held in the past. Points earned by competitors on Saturday will carry over to two other events which will be held later this year. Following the third tournament, competitors with the most accumulated point totals will be awarded a prize.

"I haven't decided whether it will be a cash award or just a big trophy. We will have three awards, a youth award, a teen award and an adult award," Usera said "So for this area it is our first time doing this. In bigger cities, bigger states, it's pretty common to see something like that. A lot of the martial arts in this area is pretty small, there just is not a lot going on. So I'm tying to push it a little bit and try to spark the interest and camaraderie for all the martial arts clubs and stuff."

Usera said this scoring change will favor athletes who may not take first place, but who do well and compete in different categories.

"The guy who is really showing his diversity in competing in a lot of different events, he may end up with the big award at the end of the year," Usera said. "So that's the only thing that's really new. I want to see people motivated throughout the year."

Winning is not always the name of the game in the martial arts, Usera said, which is why Saturday's tournament is a good opportunity for competitors.

"In the martial arts, more so than in many other sports, where competition isn't the emphasis, it's more for your own personal benefit, such as fitness and self defense," Usera said. "Some people have that competitive drive, so this is a great opportunity to get away from their own students, their own classmates and compete against other people. If they win, they feel good, because they are competitively driven. That keeps them working hard in the gym."

If you go:

What: 2008 Martial Arts Open

When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday

Where: Rushmore Plaza Civic Center

Admission: Will be charged at the door: $5 for adults, $2 children 12 and under