The "Sheep Show" is known as the finest mountain hunting convention of its kind and for stunning auctions and mind=boggling bid prices. The February 3-6, 2010 event held at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center and Silver Legacy Resort and Casino lived up to its billing with $3.6 million raised at auction including nearly $2.5 million on limited and special permits alone, $.6 million more than 2009, which proceeds are directed back to state, provincial and tribal agencies to support and fund their wildlife programs. Auction highlights include $275,000 paid for the Montana Rocky Mountain bighorn permit, $210,000 for the Alberta Minister’s Rocky Mountain bighorn license, a record breaking $135,000 for the Nevada desert bighorn and a record $120,000 for the Utah desert bighorn which doubled the 2009 price paid. 

"We spent four years building the convention in Salt Lake City with our industry friends and wanted our return home to Reno, our 19th annual convention to date in the city, to set the mark, tone and stage for the next five years in Nevada." WSF President & CEO, Gray N. Thornton commented on the show. "Reno welcomed us back and our members, exhibitors, donors, and sponsors responded in kind raising record dollars for wildlife and our mission programs. Our challenge now is to build back our northern Nevada and California attendee base and to introduce and welcome the more than 5,000 new Wild Sheep Foundation members enlisted in the last quarter of 2009 to their national convention in Reno. With the support of the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority, Chamber of Commerce, and regional industry partners Nevada Bighorns Unlimited and Northern Nevada SCI, I look forward to the opportunity to market this great show this next year and break new records in 2011." Thornton added.

Larry Potterfield, Founder and CEO of MidwayUSA, the Official Sponsor of the Wild Sheep Foundation, gave an inspiring Keynote Address during the Saturday Grand Final Banquet before 1,000 attendees. In his keynote, he challenged the room to "give back" in time, money or talent to conservation and the hunting and shooting community. His message was heeded when nearly $1 million was raised with eleven auction items during the Finale auction in the Silver Legacy’s Reno Ballroom including $175,000 raised for the USA Olympic Shooting Team on the sale and resale of a special USA Shooting Winchester Model 1885 rifle customized by Baron Technology. The Winchester rifle was sold, re-donated and re-sold six times before the final gavel fell and the stunning mark reached for the USA Shooting program.

The Wild Sheep Foundation funds conservation initiatives around the globe and those efforts were bolstered with the sale, re-donation and re-sale of a stunning Parker/Pachmayr shotgun donated by a member with 100% of the proceeds dedicated to international sheep and goat conservation. Following the USA Shooting Team rifle lead, the shotgun was sold four times during the Finale auction generating $66,000 for international projects.

"Our goal for the 2010 "Sheep Show" was to have fun while raising money for wildlife." WSF Chairman, Dan F. Boone stated. "Members have told me that the 2010 event was the best "Sheep Show" to date and set the standard for all others to follow. The Board and staff are already working on the February, 2011 event to raise the bar even higher. If you are a hunter or wild sheep advocate you will want to be in Reno for our 2011 convention!" Boone added.

The Wild Sheep Foundation, formerly the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep, was founded in 1977 by sheep and mountain hunting enthusiasts and conservationists. With a membership of more than 10,000 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 has raised and expended more than $75 million on conservation and education programs in North America, Europe and Asia.

For more information on the 2010 annual convention, including bid prices on all permits, plans for the February 9-12, 2011 event, to join as a member or for more information on the Foundation and their many conservation and education programs, please visit www.wildsheepfoundation.org or contact them at 720 Allen Avenue, Cody, Wyoming  82414 USA. Telephone 307-527-6261. Email info@wildsheepfoundation.org.

"The Sheep Show" Returns to Reno!

The Board of Directors of the Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF), formerly the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep, voted unanimously during their September Board meeting to return “The Sheep Show” to Reno, Nevada for the 2010, 2011 and 2012 Wild Sheep Foundation conventions.

“Sheep and mountain hunting enthusiasts worldwide labeled the FNAWS convention The Sheep Show for years and most consider Reno, Nevada the convention’s home.” Gray Thornton, the Foundation’s President and CEO stated about the move. “More dollars have been raised in Reno by FNAWS/WSF for wild sheep conservation than anywhere in North America - our members love Reno and Reno loves the Wild Sheep Foundation. We are thrilled to return to Reno in 2010, stay through 2012, and will launch an aggressive marketing campaign to host the finest sheep and mountain hunting convention in the world” Thornton added.

“We surveyed our membership in July and August and they responded by a 2 to 1 margin that they prefer Reno over other convention cities. While we have enjoyed hosting the Western Hunting and Conservation Expo (WHCE) in Salt Lake City with our colleagues The Mule Deer Foundation and Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife and expect a record breaking WHCE in February of 2009, our return to Reno in 2010 reflects a new strategic direction for the Foundation” WSF Chairman, Louis Rupp noted.

WSF has entered into a three year agreement with the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority for the 2010-2012 conventions which includes joint marketing of the WSF events. The Silver Legacy Resort was selected as the host hotel for the 2010 and 2011 conventions with negotiations with additional Reno properties in process.

February 4-6, 2010        Reno-Sparks Convention Center and Silver Legacy Resort
February 10-12, 2011     Reno-Sparks Convention Center and Silver Legacy Resort
January 19-21, 2012       Reno-Sparks Convention Center & Silver Legacy Resort

Since forming in 1977, the Wild Sheep Foundation and its chapters have raised and expended more than $70 million on programs benefiting wild sheep, other wildlife and their critical habitat.  For more information on the Wild Sheep Foundation, their many programs or the February 4-6, 2010 convention in Reno, NV please visit www.wildsheepfoundation.org or contact the Cody office at 720 Allen Avenue, Cody, Wyoming  82414 USA. Telephone 307-527-6261.

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