Black Gold continued its rise in 1988 with a fourth-place finish in the Class A and A-60 Championships, winning High visual, high percussion, and best color guard honors. In 1989, the corps narrowly missed placing in DCI's elite top 25 with a 26th place finish, but the next year it became a quarterfinalist, achieving DCI membership status with its 25th place finish. The corps continued its standing among the elite ranks, reaching 24th place in 1991 and 23rd in 1992. After a 29th place finish in 1993, however, financial demands forced Black Gold to leave the competitive arena.

The Black Gold Winter Guard still carries on the competitive spirit, placing 11th out of the 65 units in their division. Black Gold's Winter Percussion Ensemble also competed in 1996, placing eighth.

Black Gold still puts together a small ensemble each year to perform at various functions in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and continues to raise money towards rebuilding the corps. The organization plans to reenter competition as a Division II corps in future seasons. [www.theshop.net/blackgold]