Opening April 14th, Horse Play will highlight the playful side of the Kentucky Derby featuring nearly 60 historic equine toys, digital interactives and music created exclusively for the museum. Drawing from over 140 years of history, Horse Play uses artifacts, games, photographs and videos to capture the engaging, curious and exciting event the Derby is today through the use of toys.

Created as a hands-on game experience, Horse Play will explore the sense of play that is a true part of the world’s greatest racing event. Visitors will activate the sights and sounds around them progressing from a history of horse toys and games to oversized versions of the artifacts themselves. As a ‘you can touch’ museum, guests are invited to engage their senses and play in the space while listening to the original music compositions created by the local musicians of Whistle Peak.

The museum has purchased a circa-1970’s, coin-operated, Kentucky Derby-themed carousel ride to become a permanent mainstay of the museum for this exhibit. Additional artifacts displayed in the exhibit range from bobbleheads, dolls and racing games to wooden horses and board games. Many of the featured items are on loan from collaborating partners including the Indianapolis Children’s Museum and the Ken Grayson Collection. Additional digital displays are contributed by KET and The Courier-Journal.

The exhibit is included in general admission and will be open to the public every day from Monday, April 14th through December 31, 2014 on the museum’s second floor in the Matt Winn Gallery.

Media images can be found here courtesy of Kentucky Derby Museum:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/77780824@N08/sets/72157642950705793/

The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame, based in Ishpeming, Michigan, held its national induction event on April 5th in Park City, Utah.

Attended by close to 500 people, including 20 Honored Members of the Hall of Fame it was a tremendous evening celebrating the success and contributions six inductees:  John Clendenin, one of the great pioneers of freestyle skiing; Toby Dawson, a bronze medallist in moguls at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games, who also won three World Championship medals; Kris “Fuzz” Feddersen, a member of the first national freestyle ski teams earning several podium victories during his career;  Joe Jay Jalbert,  a renowned ski film producer, including four official Olympic films; Scot Schmidt, a legendary big mountain skier who is famous for his many ski film appearances and the late Jerry Simon, whose imagination and projects contributed significantly to the growth of the ski industry.  During the ceremony six of the attending Honored Members presented the Medal of Honor to the inductees.

The induction was the concluding event for Skiing History Week, which had started on March 31.  Skiing History Week is organized by the International Skiing History Association, the partner organization with the Hall of Fame.  Among the events held throughout the week, including several days of skiing at the local resorts, was the Ishpeming Ski Film Festival during which many of the best ski films produced over the years are shown.

(Class of 2013 in the photo – Joe Jay Jalbert, John Clendenin, Toby Dawson, Barbara Simon (received the award for her late husband Jerry Simon), Scot Schmidt, Kris Feddersen.

In conjunction with the upcoming Web.com PGA golf tour event that will take place in Halifax in the first week of July, the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame has received a $7,500 grant through The Mike Weir Foundation to participate in the event as an official charity partner. As a charity partner, the NS Sport Hall of Fame will provide an exhibit at the Golfers’ Village expo during the Web.com tour. The grant funds will support the Hall’s province-wide education program. The program, called “Future Hall of Famers,” has provided presentations free-of-charge to over 1,500 students during March alone, has recently featured two new guest speakers (Dallas Stars NHL player Jon Sim and Olympic bobsledder Luke Demetre), and is currently participating in a provincial Sport Fair.

May – September: “A Look Back at the ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Professional Rodeo” opens in the 101 Gallery.

An historical exhibit detailing the 35-year history of the Hall of Fame, the Wrangler Nationals Finals Rodeo (WNFR) and Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). The exhibit will also include many historical artifacts from the Hall’s collections.

August 6, 2014: 35^th Anniversary Celebration

We will be opening the museum doors for free for a big anniversary bash on August 6, 2014. Join us for live entertainment with Trinity Seely and the Flying W Wranglers, pony rides, stage coach rides, autograph sessions, a Wild West gun fighting show, and more! It’s sure to be an exciting day at the ProRodeo Hall of Fame.

August 7, 2014: 27^th Annual ProRodeo Hall of Fame Golf Tournament

At the Perry Park Golf Club in Larkspur Colorado. Shotgun start at 2pm. Player entries include green fees, cart and range balls, awards dinner, complimentary Coors and Pendleton, play giveaways and skills contests, a photograph with Miss Rodeo America, and winning foursomes receive handcrafted trophy buckles by Montana Silversmiths. Call (719)528-4732 for more information or to register.

August 8, 2014: Cowboy Ball

Dinner, dancing, and yeehawing with the Class of 2014. Open to the public. RSVP required. Entertainment provided by Colorado Springs band Exit West. Annual fundraising event for the Hall of Fame. Call (719)528-4732 for more information or to RSVP.

August 9, 2014: Inductions

Help us celebrate our class of 2014 as we induct 10 new members into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. New members include Pete Grubb – All-Around, Wayne Herman – Bareback Riding, Glen O’Neill – Saddle Bronc, Byron Walker – Steer Wrestling, Miles Hare – Contract Personnel, Spring Fling – Livestock, and rodeo committees Clovis (Calif.) Rodeo, Greeley (Colo.) Stampede, Rowell Ranch Rodeo (Calif.), and Snake River Stampede (Idaho). 10am-Noon at the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Doors open at 9am. Free lunch following ceremony.

August 9, 2014: 6^th Annual Commissioner’s Classic Team Roping

Contestants will be paired up with PRCA Celebrities and will compete for custom buckles courtesy of Montana Silversmiths and custom saddles from Cactus Saddlery. Proceeds benefit the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Call (719)528-4714 for more information or to register.

Overland Park, Kan. – The University of Michigan recently unveiled a $9M renovation of the Towsley Family Museum located inside Schembechler Hall and Kansas City’s Dimensional Innovations was key to the success.

“We continue to be impressed with the creativity DI has shown in telling the University of Michigan story,” said Dave Ablauf, Associate Athletic Director, Media and Public Relations. “Knowing their previous work at the Crisler Center and now with the Towsley Family Museum, we believe our visitors will leave the museum engaged in University of Michigan athletics.”

Since 1990, Schembechler Hall and Towsley Family Museum have been home to University of Michigan football student-athletes, coaches and department team members. DI was asked to create an interactive experience that brought the university’s football program to life. In keeping with the modern aesthetic of the renovations, the new hall and museum features four 46-inch interactive displays designed, programmed and built by Dimensional Innovations.

“We are honored to be a part of the team who designed and created the Schembechler Hall experience,” says Rick Smith, Senior Creative Director at Dimensional Innovations. “This project, along with the work we have previously done at Crisler Center, further advances Michigan’s storytelling abilities. We’ve created a great deal of designed content with a lot of historical information but we have presented it in a dynamic and fun way, enabling all visitors to engage in the rich history of Michigan athletics”

For this particular renovation, DI created content for “”The Team Wall”, highlighting the 134 years of storied history, “The Big House”, providing a glimpse into the game day experience inside Michigan’s iconic stadium, “Bowls & Legends”, celebrating the football legends and history of success at Michigan, and ”Community”, getting an up-close look at the marching band and the tailgating experience on game day.

Dimensional Innovations has become known for creating iconic experiences at stadiums, entertainment venues and in corporate settings. The Kansas City based design-build firm created a single Content Management System with the ability to provide content for all current and future displays throughout the campus at University of Michigan.

About Dimensional Innovations

For more than 20 years Dimensional Innovations has worked for the biggest brands and the scrappiest start-ups. Our disciplines include Brand, Design, Technology, Build and Launch. We are brand strategists, architects, graphic artists, interior, interactive and environmental designers, digital engineers, innovators and in addition can build just about anything in our 70,000-square foot modern fabrication facility. www.dimin.com

Thirty-five years ago, on a scorching August Monday in 1979, the ProRodeo Hall of Champions and Museum of the American Cowboy opened its doors bringing the legends of rodeo and the history of the cowboy way-of-life to Colorado Springs. Eighty-seven cowboys and cowgirls were enshrined that day. In 1989, the Hall of Champions changed its name to the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Since then, 199 additional people have been inducted including livestock and rodeo committees.

The Hall of Fame is commemorating their anniversary this year with a special exhibit “The history of the ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Professional Rodeo.” It’s on display through September. The exhibit features a timeline dating back to 1869 when the first amateur rodeo took place in Deer Trail, Colorado to the opening of the Hall of Fame in 1979 to the expansion in 1996 and more. Also on display are pieces from the museum’s collection including saddles, trophies, costumes, original western artwork, and a brief look at the Nationals Finals Rodeo.

The Hall of Fame is open 7 days a week from 9am-5pm through August. More information about the Hall of Fame can be found at www.prorodeohalloffame.com or by calling 719-528-4764.

The State of Alabama Sports Hall of Fame will hold its 46th Annual Induction Ceremony on May 17, 2014 in Birmingham, AL.  The Class of 2014 includes: Ruthie Bolton (Basketball), John “Red” Cochran (Football), “Wild” Bill Cody (Football), Eli Gold (Broadcasting), Travis Grant (Basketball), Walter Jones (Football), David Magadan (Baseball) and Major Ogilvie (Football).  Also honored that evening will be two Distinguished Alabama Sportsmen:  Dr. Kennith Blankenship and Mr. Charles Kelley.