South Dakota

South Dakota horse sanctuary seeks new home for former racing horse

Published

7 months ago

May 3, 2025

South Dakota horse sanctuary seeks new home for former racing horse

SCOTLAND, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – As some of the top horses in the world prepare for the famous Kentucky Derby on Saturday, a former racehorse in Scotland, South Dakota, is looking to grab some attention, too.

Delegate It is a 23-year-old thoroughbred with impressive size and, as you can imagine, speed.

After a few rough years, he ended up in Scotland at South Dakota’s largest horse rescue and sanctuary, Gentle Spirit.

The former Derby horse is looking for a new place to call home in his life after racing.

From the track to South Dakota pastures, Delegate It has lived an eventful life.

“He knows he’s a star. He only won one race in his entire career, but it doesn’t matter. Twenty-seven times he went out there and gave it his all,” said Gentle Spirit Executive Director Tiffany Ring.

He may only have a few top-three finishes in his career races in Arizona and California, but born in Kentucky, he has bloodline connections that you might recognize.

He’s a distant descendant of Bold Ruler and a distant cousin to Secretariat.

But how does a horse of his background end up here? At Gentle Spirit Horses Rescue and Sanctuary, it isn’t exactly common to see a former racehorse.

One of his previous owners in Utah passed away and the other couldn’t care for him due to health complications.

He was getting pretty thin and needed a change.

“He’s gained a ton of weight back, but he’s still gaining. Now that he’s gained the weight, we see more of this playful, very active personality and he’s just a lot of fun to be around,” Ring said.

Now, Delegate It is back to his spunky self. A new home will give him a place to be loved.

“May is National Adopt a Horse Month. At 23, he still has a lot of life left in him as he’s shown,” Ring said.

Caring for Delegate It until he finds a new home has been a challenge. Non-profits have seen a decline in donations over time, making it more difficult for horse sanctuaries like Gentle Spirit to put on programs or even to buy necessary supplies.

“He gets almost eighteen pounds of senior feed and a bag of senior feed, a fifty-pound bag, is almost thirty dollars, so it costs a lot to help him and the approximately sixty other horses we have in our care at any time and we’re struggling quite a bit. We need support to continue to be able to help. Any help we can get is great,” Ring explained. “We’re feeling the pinch of a tough economy and rising hay costs due to ongoing drought conditions.”

There’s no finish line in sight, but Gentle Spirit pushes forward because they believe horses like Delegate It deserve to live a happy life.

“Obviously in rescue, we see a lot of heartbreaking things and Delegate’s story is heartbreaking. It’s really difficult to face that kind of thing day after day, so when we see a horse who is thriving and recovering, that just makes it so much easier and so much more rewarding,” Ring expressed.

When they find a new home for one of their resident horses, they said there are tears, but it’s a bittersweet occasion.

If you want to find ways to donate, volunteer or learn more about what they do, you can go to GentleSpiritHorses.org.

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South Dakota

Special Olympics South Dakota Newsletter

Published

7 hours ago

November 26, 2025

Press Room

Thank You, Turner!

Dear Special Olympics South Dakota Family,

I have made the tough decision to move on from Special Olympics South Dakota (SOSD). I have accepted a position with HUB International in Sioux Falls, so I am not going far. It was an honor to be a part of an amazing organization and work alongside the great staff, athletes, and volunteers.

Thank you for the memories!

Turner Gaines

Please Join Us For The Unity Conference

The Unity Conference is open to the public on January 10th from 9 AM to Noon at the Unify Center in Sioux Falls, and you won’t want to miss it!

We are excited to announce that John Stiegelmeier, South Dakota State University’s winningest head football coach, will be joining us as the keynote speaker.

Plus, hear from our new President/CEO, Nick Moen, as he shares more about himself and the future of Special Olympics South Dakota.

Location	Date
Watertown	February 7
Lead	February 20
Spearfish	February 21
Rapid City	February 22

Special Olympics has teamed up with Little Words Project on a limited-edition Champion Bracelet!

25% of proceeds go directly to the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota!

Wear “Champion” proudly and show your support for our athletes’ journey to USA Games.

Newsworthy will not be published on December 2nd. In it’s place, look for messaging from SOSD celebrating the annual global day of generosity, Giving Tuesday.

Newsworthy will be back in your inboxes on Tuesday, December 9th.

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South Dakota

America’s Biggest Petrified Park Has Otherworldly Vibes Next To South Dakota’s Cowboy Capital – Islands

Published

1 day ago

November 25, 2025

Press Room

America’s Biggest Petrified Park Has Otherworldly Vibes Next To South Dakota’s Cowboy Capital – Islands

On the prowl for the most unique roadside stops across America? Then buckle up and cruise on over to Lemmon — aka, the “cowboy capital” of South Dakota. There, right off U.S. Highway 12, you’ll find an otherworldly roadside oddity known as the Lemmon Petrified Wood Park & Museum. The peculiar park is the largest of its kind, taking up an entire block in the heart of the town’s downtown area. “It’s touted as the ‘Biggest Petrified Wood Park’ in the world which makes me wonder how many there are,” one past visitor wrote in a Tripadvisor review. “My guess is the Lemmon one is the only one and that it’s an inside joke. Go see it.”

This outdoor gem was the brainchild of a local amateur geologist named Ole Sever Quammen, Roadside America reports. As the park’s name suggests, it was created using thousands of tons of petrified wood, which is the fossilized remains of trees, as well as bits of boulders and dinosaur bones. “The petrified wood that was used in this park is just stunning,” another park-goer shared on Tripadvisor. “It all came from the fields surrounding the town and they put their creative genes to work. Plus, they have a display of rocks that have [dinosaur] claw marks in them. A very interesting park and worth a bit of your time to walk around.”

Opened in the early 1930s, the park was eventually donated to the town in the 1950s, where it still stands for all to enjoy today. You can freely stroll the grounds throughout the year. However, the on-site museum and gift shop are only open in the summer from Memorial Day to Labor Day during the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

See fossilized wood sculptures and more on display

Teeming with whimsy and wonder, this nook of the artsy, off-the-beaten-path town of Lemmon is definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area. Meander among the 100 or so unique petrified wood sculptures and other attractions scattered across the park. There’s certainly plenty to see, from a stunning waterfall fountain and wishing well to an imposing castle-like structure bedecked with dinosaur bones and lofty spires — some of which tower 20 feet above the ground.

If you visit in season, be sure to check out the indoor exhibits, too. The Petrified Wood Park & Museum doesn’t charge an admission fee, at the time of writing, making it one of the best free museums in America for a family day trip. “This is a great place to learn about the history of the area,” reads a Tripadvisor review. “The docents in the museum and gift shop are gems! There is a playground and public restrooms on the adjacent block, making this a nice place to stop for a break on a long drive.”

As if this place could get any cooler, you can even donate various artifacts and other historic relics to the park’s collection, though there’s no guarantee that your item will be put on display. If you want to take a gander at more dinosaur fossils, be sure to stop by the Grand River Museum before leaving town. It’s less than half a mile away and boasts an array of exhibits about the early ranching days, the history of Native peoples, and much more.

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