http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYNn98HT5MU
Cody, Wyoming – December 29, 2011. The Russian music and dance ensemble, Barynya, (Russian: Барыня) founded and led by Artistic Director, Mikhail Smirnov, will be the featured entertainment for the Russian Nights International Night Banquet, Auction & Awards event, scheduled for Thursday evening January, 19th, 2012  during the 2012 Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) “Sheep Show™” Convention in Reno. Each year, WSF conducts an International Night featuring a sheep and mountain game hunting region of the world. The event includes stunning décor, themed cuisine, authentic themed entertainment, and an International Awards program. The 2012 Russian Nights event, sponsored by The Hunting Consortium, is just one of the many exciting evening banquets, breakfasts, luncheons and auctions to be held during the Sheep Show™ at the Silver Legacy Resort and Casino and Sporting Expo at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.

Established in 1991, Barynya is world renowned as the premier Russian folk ensemble. Barynya presents Russian, Cossack, Ukrainian, Russian Jewish, and Russian Gypsy traditional dancing, music, songs, and virtuoso performances on instruments including the balalaika, balalaika-contrabass, and garmoshka. Barynya has been invited to perform at some of the most prestigious cultural venues in the United States, including Carnegie Hall in New York City, the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, the Smithsonian Institute of America in Washington D.C. , the United Nations in New York, and the Russian Embassy in Washington D.C.

Barynya is globally recognized and boasts an impressive client roster of dignitaries, politicians, celebrities and organizations from around the world. The group performed at the black-tie Gala after the Liberty Medal was presented to former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev by President George H.W. Bush in 2008.

Barynya also performs annually at the Russian Nobility Ball for the Russian Nobility Association in New York. Members of the ensemble have been invited to perform at many film premier and celebrity parties, including the official post-Grammy Award parties in New York and for private events hosted by Barbara Walters, Elton John, the Rolling Stones, and Tommy Hilfiger.

The three-day WSF Convention and Sporting Expo is open to the public, Thursday through Saturday, January 19-21 at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center. Show hours are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday.

Daily Expo admission is only $10 with $5 off coupons available at Reno-Sparks Cabela’s, Scheels, Sportsman’s Warehouse, and Scolari’s Food and Drug Company stores. As an added incentive to attend the show “floor credit” drawings will be offered Thursday, Friday and Saturday for credits valued at $1,000 to $5,000 to be used with Expo exhibitors. Five $1,000 credits will be drawn Thursday, two $2,500 credits drawn Friday and one $5,000 credit Saturday. Attendees must be present to win. Daily passes are available at Expo Registration.

The banquet and live auction events kick off Wednesday evening January 18th at the Silver Legacy’s Downtown Reno Ballroom. WSF will hold their legendary auctions Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings as well as the Friday Ram Awards Breakfast in the Reno Ballroom. The Thursday Russian Nights International Night party, Friday “Fire & Ice” Ladies Luncheon, and Saturday Life Member Breakfast will be held at the Silver Legacy Resort and Hotel in their Grand Exposition B Ballroom.

Other events include a Sporting Clays Shoot with USA Shooting Team members Thursday morning at Sage Hill Clays, and a wine tasting in the expo hall Saturday. For banquet and event ticket pricing, and a full schedule of the events, please visit www.wildsheepfoundation.org.

Nevada is home to nearly 10,000 bighorn sheep - more than any other state. This conservation success is due the exceptional work of Nevada wild sheep advocates, Nevada Bighorns Unlimited, Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn, Nevada Department of Wildlife, the Wild Sheep Foundation and other WSF partners. Nevada is the fitting home to WSF’s annual convention and sporting expo The Sheep Show™. WSF looks forward to welcoming Nevadans and hunter/conservationists from throughout North America and the world to the open-to-the-public show in 2012.

The Wild Sheep Foundation, formerly the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep (FNAWS,) was founded in 1977 by wild sheep conservationists and enthusiasts. With a membership of more than 8,000 worldwide and a chapter network in North America, WSF is the premier advocate for wild sheep, wild goats, other mountain wildlife, and their habitat. Since forming in 1977, the Wild Sheep Foundation and its chapters and affiliates have raised and expended more than $85 million on conservation, education and conservation advocacy programs in North America, Europe and Asia. These and other efforts have resulted in a five-fold increase in bighorn sheep populations in North America from their historic 1950-70s lows.

For more information on the WSF 2012 Convention, and to register for the Russian Nights event and all the Expo, Auctions and Banquet programs, please visit www.wildsheepfoundation.org. Telephone 307-527-6261 or 800 OK FNAWS. Email info@wildsheepfoundation.org. Follow us on Facebook™ Facebook.com/WildSheepFoundation.

Wild Sheep Foundation - 720 Allen Avenue – Cody, Wyoming 82414 USA

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