Miss Rodeo Montana 2009

Rodeo Queen Clothing Pictures

2009-12-16T16:27:00.000-08:00

I have had a lot of inquiries on pictures of clothing I have for sale, so I am posting pictures of some of my different shirts, jackets, and outfits. Contact me at leslifurniss@hotmail.com if you have any questions. Thanks!

Light blue and magenta custom retro shirt with AB crystals and handpained yoke and cuffs

Periwinkle MRA horsemanship shirt, lots of studs and crystals, handpainted yoke and cuffs

Tan western collections shirt with gold embroidery and lots of rimset crystals

Periwinkle shirt with yellow yoke and cuffs, accent -black leather with studs Black very sparkly arena shirt, rimset crystals on collar and cuffPatriotic! Blue leather bolero with maroon stars and sewn in crystals around the edge of the jacket

Robins egg and maroon bolero jacket and skirt combo with maroon painting and rimset crystals- worn for President's Breakfast at Miss Rodeo America Pageant

Red Rickrageous Jacket with pale yellow flowers and smiley pockets. This jacket has less bling and is very classy. It comes with a matching red skirt.

White Julie Ewing fashion show dress with embroidered lilacs and lots of purple swarovski crystals, fringe on the sleeves and boottom of dress

Jade Julie Ewing fashion show dress worn at the Miss Rodeo America Pageant. Has unique silver, gunmetal, and turquoise beading on it and lots of jade crystals. Very fitted sleeves, fringe on the bottom with a solid kick pleat on the back that has the beading. Gorgeous dress!

Bubblegum pink and metallic brown Jan Faulkner, made for speech competition at the Miss Rodeo America Pageant. Comes with a wide scrolled belt and a plain pink one. This dress has many brown rimset crystals.

2009-12-13T11:50:00.000-08:00

Clothes for SALE!!!

I have a ton of wonderful clothes that I am advertising right now on rodeoroyalty.com for sale under The Second Go Round. Pretty much anything I have worn this year is for sale. You can inquire about clothing by emailing me at: leslifurniss@hotmail.com

Thanks!!!

2009-12-08T19:46:00.001-08:00

I would like to thank my family that showed up to support me at the Miss Rodeo America Pageant. I really appreciate you being there and I hope you had fun at our "family reunion".
Thanks to:
Dad and Shannon
Joan and Jim
Edie and Paige
Mom and Lloyd
Uncle Rick, Uncle Terry, Uncle Bob, and Uncle Jeff
Aunt Jan, Aunt Julia, Aunt Kathy, and Missy
Cousins Jared and Cade and cousins Ben and Madeline
Ol' Grandpa and Judy
My step grandma Winnie and Bernie
Mark Collier

Miss Rodeo America Pageant

2009-12-08T11:27:00.001-08:00

I would like to start off and say THANK YOU to the many wonderful people who have been by my side every leg of this journey. Your support has meant so much to me. Whether it was the uplifting emails I recieved, the daily "gifts" at the pageant, the phone calls at all hours, the wonderful horses provided at rodeos, the horsemanship help and study tips, the assistance with clothes, and everything else, I have been blessed by your generosity and friendship this year. I have come away from the Miss Rodeo America Pageant with a number of awesome things that I am so thankful for. First of all, I know for a fact that the people from our beautiful state are the most kind, loving, hardworking, strong, and especially "real" people in the whole country. I was so proud to be from and represent Montana, because people here have something MORE! I have seen it from Glasgow to Missoula, Libby to Miles City. My year has been incredible. Upon returning home, I have had to put my favorite equation to use. E + R = O , Event plus response equals outcome. If you change your responses, you change your outcome. It works every time. The event was that I didn't achieve my goal of winning Miss Rodeo America, but my response will be positive, and my outcome will be incredible. I truly do believe that there are things that are out of our control and performing so well at the Miss Rodeo America Pageant and not making top 10 or top 5 really backs up that theory. If it was based on hard work alone, I know I would be at the top. The last thing I learned from the pageant is how far I have come as a person. Four years ago, I never could have come close to doing the things I have done this year. For every interview at America, I was calm and centered. Before my speech, I wasn't even a little nervous. Impromptu questions didn't make me stutter and shake in my boots like it used to. I am very impressed with the caliber of the Miss Rodeo Montana program. It has taught me so much- the most important being to believe in myself.

I am so excited for Chase Hawks and especially for Circuit Finals where a new Miss Rodeo Montana will begin her journey. It has been an amazing year and I appreciate everyone who has helped me grow. We will be friends for life!

Beautiful demonstration of character for the State of Montana

2009-12-06T14:07:00.000-08:00

Ah Lesli your hard work and determination makes you as admirable and enviable as ever. You are truly a jewel in all that you do. All of your sparkling contributions will never be forgotton for the 2009 Miss Rodeo America Pageant. You have paved a well lit road for the Miss Rodeo Montana participants who follow you.

2nd question and NFR

2009-12-04T08:12:00.000-08:00

Lesli showed she knows her facts. She convincingly answered her question at the luncheon today. She also did well at the NFR. All of her family are here in Las Vegas to cheer her on. We are rounding the corner to the final decision. Go Lesli!

My fashionable Lesli

2009-12-02T21:03:00.000-08:00

Lesli modeled her touquoise dress adorned with beautiful crystals in the Miss Rodeo America Fashion Show tonite. It all comes so natural to her and she does it with such class. She put so much thought and effort into having the perfect dresses and outfits, not one second was wasted. Oh yes and her ability with group choreography is outstanding as well. Is there anything she can't do? She is truly the Most Versatile and Best All Around.

Speech Nailed!!!!

2009-12-02T09:24:00.000-08:00

OH MY GOSH!!!!! Lesli calmly and beautifully presented her speech. Once again she to0k our breath away. Her composure was unbelievable. I felt as if I had never heard the speech and she was telling this mysterious story about the hidden gifts of Montana. Her pink dress was perfectly matched to her story within her speech and looked beautiful. Lesli once again shows her tenacity through an extraordinary performance!!

Impromptu question is a success

2009-12-01T13:07:00.000-08:00

Lesli answered a controversial question to the point and without any ums huhs or looks of confusion. She answered the exact question without extrapolation into unnecessary areas. She looked very professional as well as stunning.

Horsemanship

2009-12-01T07:06:00.000-08:00

Lesli, once again shined in all of her endeavors. Her horsemanship skills prove her ability to handle any horse confidently and with authority. She represents Montana with poise. As her mother, when I walked toward her at the get acquainted party, her ensemble of wardrobe and striking beauty took my breath away. All of her preparation and attention to detail has paid off.

Check in - Lesli is Ready

2009-11-30T02:59:00.000-08:00

Lesli simply glowed at check-in. Her poise and confidence radiated. All of the young women appeared confident as well, but, as her mother, I know where her poise and confidence comes from. The days, hours, minutes and seconds of the hard work she has invested in this endeavor is apparent. First pictures can be viewed through this link http://www.shooterenterprises.com then click on Online Images at the bottom of the web site. Here we go! Today she will demonstrate her excellent riding skills.

Off to Vegas!!

2009-11-27T07:42:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm packing up this morning and driving down to Vegas! I wanted to take a moment to say thank you so much to everyone that has helped me! You all know who you are. I wouldn't have been able to prepare without you. You can follow pictures of the pageant online at shooterentprises.com and my mom will be updating this blog. Thank you so much for your support!!!

Western Design Conference and Lewistown Weekend!

2009-09-24T10:29:00.001-07:00

Sam and I presenting awards at the Trappers Convention
Selling Deep Fried Oreos at the Fergus High School Football Game- they're delicious

The outfits we modeled at the Western Design Conference- I wore the brown one with the skirt

Kate- I mean Mrs. Ruland- and I show off some abstract art

Going to Jackson Hole for the Western Design Conference with Julie Ewing was a one-of-a-kind opportunity. I was with a girl who is about to run for Miss Rodeo California, and a girl who is about to run for Miss Rodeo Canada. We had so much fun and stayed in the coolest cabins that reminded me of the "Aspen" hotel rooms on Dumb and Dumber. I felt very spoiled. Sherry Jolley came and modeled with us as well and it was great to see her. The clothes were fun to wear and I got to model in two other designers sets, so I felt really fortunate. It was such good practice for America because the runway is a similar T- stage. I had a great time. Thank you Julie! You are a talented artist and an incredible person!

My weekend in Lewistown went really well and was packed full. On Friday, I did school visits and spoke to Ag classes. I also got to teach abstract art in Kate's class, which was really fun. We then went to cheerleading practice because Kate coaches the Junior High Cheerleaders, then to a football game. I helped out SKILLS club by selling deep-fried oreos. They were a hot ticket item and really good, if I do say so myself. The next day Sam, Kate, and I headed to the Trappers Convention. I did a bullwhip cracking demonstration, and we modeled fur coats. Sam and I also helped with the auction. Sunday was my favorite day of the weekend because Kate and I hauled her horse out to Ed Lamb's house and he donated a riding lesson. We worked for about 3 hours on the patterns for America and I really learned a lot. Ed is a super trainer and he really knows horses. It was so generous of him to school me for MRA and so nice of Kate to let me use her horse. This horse was perfect for the lesson. I would like to thank Kate Ruland for letting me stay at her house and giving me so many opportunities. It was a very productive weekend!

Ellensburg, Dillon Jaycees Rodeo

2009-09-24T09:56:00.001-07:00

Gus saying Ciao!!!

This bay stud was great around the kids

Miss Big Sky Prorodeo Roundup- Tesla McDowell and I paying our respect, with lots of others

Miss Rodeo Washington, Virginia, America, Mississippi, and I before first perf of Ellensburg

Having fun at the MRW speech luncheon

The Ellensburg Rodeo Court and I (Oh, and some photogenic committee men :))

Ellensburg is an awesome rodeo. It is the last stop of the Million Dollar Tour and a Gold rodeo, which amps up the contestants, audience, and entertainment. It was great to watch the Miss Rodeo Washington Pageant and it was such a tight race that I had no clue who the winner was until the moment she was announced. Getting back into pageant mode was really good for me, and of course it was fun to hang out with all of the other state queens and Miss Rodeo America. I would like to thank Nicole Ray, Miss Rodeo Washington and the Miss Rodeo Washington board for being so hospitable and showing all of us what a great place Washington is. We had the opportunity to tour a wind farm, take part in every aspect of the pageant, and ride in the Ellensburg Rodeo- which has one of the most amazing grand entries. Thank you to Jody and Gary Rempel, who let me use one of their horses for grand entry. Ellensburg was one of my favorite rodeos, but I had to rush home for the big hometown rodeo.

Labor Day wasn't exactly what I would have chosen for the perfect "hometown" rodeo. It was definitely funny and the audience got their ticket's worth. I was riding a friends little western pleasure horse and he decided that for the steer wrestling he was going to become a saddle bronc. I had gone all year without getting bucked off and right at the end, he got me. Kyle Shobe was the announcer and I was lucky to have him there because he made it really funny by saying, "Oh, she's goin' for eight seconds!!" and all of this stuff about being a cowgirl. I felt pretty cowgirl when I was crawling out of the dirt with manure stuck all over me and the whole town of Dillon watching. The horse bucked so hard it ripped my spurs, banner, and crown off. Scott Cameron the rodeo clown took the crown and banner and put them on, then proceeded to dance around. Wow.... I'm still hearing about that. The next night I rode this really nice bay stud of Sammy Ryan's. Thanks Sammy!!! He was an angel. I enjoyed riding in the parade, but did hear the phrase "bucked off" probably 20 times. I was proud of myself for staying lighthearted and just let that just roll off my shoulders. After all, that's what being Miss Rodeo Montana is all about! It reminded me of a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt, " A woman is like a tea bag, you don't know how strong she is until she's in hot water".

Missoula Stampede

2009-08-20T13:41:00.001-07:00

My Scrapbook Cover! Thanks Muley Bluz!!!

Sam, Hank, and I trying to stay dry

Signing autographs at Quality Supply with all of the Missoula Stampede Girls

It's all about teamwork- picture from the Rocky Mountain School of Photography

Missoula is my stomping grounds and the first rodeo I ever saw was at the Western Montana Fair, so I am partial to this one. The Missoula Stampede committee has gone above and beyond to raise the bar for their rodeo. They succeeded in attracting many of the top cowboys in the PRCA and it's always fun to see the sport's finest athletes. I stayed busy doing many interviews, both radio and television. I did an interview on an MCAT show, as well as a part for a Wildlife Film Festival video on the fair. I would like to thank Gretchen Kirchmann for organizing my schedule. We definitely got the most out of the week. It was great emceeing the style show with Sam. We had so much fun recounting some of the finer moments of the year! There were so many highlights in the week, including going out to lunch with Laura Bakker, Sam, and Bill Nooney. Mr. Nooney is a huge supporter of the Miss Rodeo Montana organization and he makes the gas card for Miss Rodeo Montana possible. Lynn and Audrey Sholty put on another successful Ribbons and Rhinestones Golf Tournament and I had my first golfing experience. I didn't know you couldn't wear cowboy boots so I felt a little naieve when I showed up in my Justin Boots ready to golf. It all worked out and I just had to tiptoe on the greens:)
I would like to especially thank Laura Bakker for once again running an awesome pageant. The girls will do a great job and I hope that they can make it up to the Miss Rodeo Montana Pageant for the style show this January.

I got my scrapbook cover from Muley Bluz out of Ronan. Thank you so much Steve! This man is an amazing artist and probably one of the nicest people I have met all year. He did a superb job and I am so excited to see the beautiful finished product!

Summer Photos

2009-08-12T20:35:00.001-07:00

I Love Sam!!!
I love Stick horses and Sam

Sam and I Stanford

Helena with my ladies

Pretty sassy

Represent

Sam's hair looks good

Rodeo Pictures

2009-08-12T20:17:00.000-07:00

Sam and in front of the new Helena Fairgrounds
Libby and I at Livingston

Kickin' back with Lauri and Libby Gurnett

All the Great Falls gals

Come one Jourdan, where's the pink? :) just kidding

Interviewing Amy Hager- the new Miss Big Sky Prorodeo Roundup Princess

Interviewing Hannah Heckman- Montana High School Rodeo Queen

Pushing calves with Miss Amy Hager- CONGRATS GIRL!

Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue

Taking in Old Glory on Mr. Ike Sankey's Horse

All of the Big Sky Prorodeo Girls- Good Luck Ladies!

A candid one

I owe a huge thank you to Laura Hager, who provided all of these wonderful photographs for my scrapbook! Thank you so much for helping me!

Last Chance Stampede and the Big Sky Prorodeo Roundup

2009-08-04T12:36:00.000-07:00

Some of the chicks n chaps clinicians in Helena
Libby, Sam, and I are "tough enough"

The Great Falls Voyagers Baseball Game- peanuts anyone?

Mr. Ike Sankey and I before the first performance in Great Falls

My new family

The last two weeks were two of the biggest and best pro rodeos in Montana- Helena and Great Falls. In Helena, Sam and I had a lot of laughs navigating our way through the absolutely gorgeous new rodeo facility at the fairgrounds and driving through town. We did a kiddie parade and a regular parade where we rode in a wagon. That was nice to be in the shade! Unfortunately because of the flu- I missed the kiddie rodeo and Sam had to tackle that one herself. But I was back in the saddle again for the rest of the weekend. The rodeo went off without a hitch and I was once again riding Billy "the machine" Manley. That horse is a powerhouse. The Last Chance Stampede committee did a great job and had some spectacular grand entries- one involving a helicopter flying right over the arena. I also got to hang out with Libby Gurnett and she and her horse Digger did a great job at the rodeo. The Chicks N Chaps clinic was a huge success and all of the ladies had so much fun. They even auctioned off a date with one of the cowboys who professed to be 29 and single. Gary Rempel was there picking up so the girls and I got to spend most of the weekend with Jody too, which was nice. The rodeo went really well and I had a lot of fun with all of the girls.

I then headed to Great Falls to promote the Big Sky Prorodeo Roundup at a Voyagers baseball game. That was definitely fun and different! They wanted me to throw the first pitch but I absolutely refused. I have not said no to one thing this year- but this. I felt bad but no one wants to see me try to throw a ball at a target. I would have embarrassed the entire sport of professional rodeo!

The Big Sky ProRodeo Roundup crowned four new girls to the rodeo royalty. These girls were fun to do speeches and model with and I am fully convinced they will be a huge asset to the program. Congratulations to the new royalty! I had so much fun and laughed a lot with all of the outgoing girls- Libby, Jourdan, and Hannah Heckman - our Montana State High School Rodeo Queen. Hannah did an awesome job at Nationals, garnering 2nd runner up! Thank you so much to Lorell and Rocky who helped all of us girls so much! All five performances were exciting, chaos-free, and fun!

C.M. Russell Stampede and Libby presentation

2009-07-21T08:24:00.001-07:00

Queen hopefuls in Libby

The Manley's lovely steed Billy

Sam and I after the rodeo- lookin' a little windblown

The C.M Russell Stampede in Stanford was really fun because I was with my sidekick Sam!!! The committee is awesome and they sponsor my belt buckle, so I really appreciate them and everything they do for the MRM program. I put on a kiddie rodeo on Saturday, which was packed to the hilt with little ones. There was a little guy, no older than 2, who could handle a rope like nobody's business. I was surprised when he caught on the first try. That was fantastic to see. That evening I helped auction off the art from the quick draw. This is the best quick draw in the state. They had the best artists and some masterpieces created that evening. The committee was so hospitable and very kind. I really appreciate them putting me to use and I hope that I helped them out a little! They even took me out to dinner after the rodeo was over!

Sam and I worked slack in the morning, then took a little break to get ready for the rodeo. The rodeo was supposed to be hot, but the wind was blowing so hard that I couldn't even feel the heat. That was nice! I was so happy to be working with Barney Sheridan- my favorite announcer! He and his family were there and his daughter did an awesome job with music. I was also very impressed with Sparky Dreeson of Gold Buckle Rodeo. That man does everything. He ran flags with us at grand entry, worked timed event chutes, picked up, and did all of the other typical things a stock contractor does. This guy really works in all corners of the arena!

The next morning I packed up and drove over to Libby. I gave a presentation on the Miss Rodeo Montana program to three girls who had competed in a pageant last week for the Libby rodeo. They will see who gets crowned this Friday at the rodeo! Good luck ladies! Thanks Betsy for getting this arranged! They are currently trying to build up their queen program and I think it is great that they are holding fast to tradition!

Wolf Point Stampede

2009-07-21T08:04:00.001-07:00

This is how we get a horse through the gate!
This little gal stole the show at the kiddie rodeo

The flag judge was telling me to smile.

Visiting with a new friend at the kiddie rodeo

My dad and I headed over to Wolf Point from Calgary on the 8th. It was so nice having my dad drive! Poor guy! I had many laughs with Megan (Hardy) Helmer, and her sister Vanessa. They were kind enough to let me use Megan's awesome little mare Honeybucket, who is absolutely gorgeous and was so much fun to ride. She was definitely the perfect parade horse. There were two Hawaiian themed parades that were really fun. Vanessa, I might add, is a professional horse decorator and she put little lei's on the horses and glittered them up. Every time I passed by a little kid all I could hear was Oh! Look how sparkly that horse is! We had two performances of rodeo and I was joined by Jourdan and Miss Red Lodge Home of Champions. On Saturday morning, I helped with a HUGE kiddie rodeo at the retirement home. It was nice to see a lot of the residents outside watching the kids run around. There was a little girl I met at the grocery store the day before and invited her to come to the kiddie rodeo. She showed up the next day with a bracelet she made for me. It was really sweet. I had fun in Wolf Point- the Hardy girls definitely made it for me. Vanessa and I were laughing everywhere we went, even the grocery store! I want to thank Megan, Vanessa, and Rita for all of their help. Thanks also to my dad- you are a saint!

Cody, Livingston, and Calgary

2009-07-10T09:57:00.000-07:00

Miss Rodeo Australia and I at the Calgary Stampede
O Canada! Miss Rodeo Utah, Kansas, Arizona, and I

Enjoying beautiful weather with Miss Livingston Roundup- Erika Blough

Carrying the Montana flag at the Livingston Roundup

Having some lemonade at Buffalo Bill Cody's Bar with Miss Teen Rodeo Idaho and Miss Rodeo Teton County in Cody, WY

I kicked off my Fourth of July festivities with a two day trip to Cody, Wyoming for the Stampedede. Miss Rodeo Wyoming, Miss Cody Stampede and I attended the Cody Nite Rodeo, then participated in the Cody Stampede, which is a Gold rodeo in the PRCA's Million Dollar Tour. The Nite rodeo is really fun and a great way for competitors to practice every night in the summer. It is the only rodeo that goes every single night of the summer. Miss Cody Stampede has the option of spending every single night at a rodeo! We also went on a trolley tour of Cody and learned a lot about Buffalo Bill, who founded the town of Cody. The Cody committee was definitely one of the nicest and most hospitable. They treated us so well and I would like to extend my gratitude to them and especially to my queen dad-Tim. He was really fun.

I spent Independence Day in Livingston. That is one of our state's largest rodeos and it was neat to be behind the scenes with some of rodeos biggest stars. A big gust of wind knocked over all of the sponsor flags and Tuf Cooper was gentleman enough to help me pick up all of the flags. I love to watch that young man compete because I think he has a great attitude. I'm here to say he is very congenial in person as well! I had a great time helping at the roundup with Erika Blough, Miss Livingston Roundup. Her father was a huge help and provided a horse for me to ride all three nights. Thanks to the Bloughs! I also had Libby Gurnett hanging out with me because she was helping out Judy Kesler for the rodeo. We walked downtown and looked at all of the art museums and shops.

After the rodeo on Saturday, I drove to Missoula and spent a few hours napping. Then I drove to Polson, picked up my dad, and he drove us to Calgary. The Calgary Stampede is an experience in itself. They really know how to put on a show. Gary and Jody Rempel were there because this was Gary's 25th year picking up there! Jody, my dad, and I had fun walking around and even tried a deep fried oreo. I felt my arteries clogging a little, but it was actually really good. Now deep fried jelly beans on the other hand..... I wasn't really up to try those. We watched the chuckwagon races, the rodeo, and I saw a few different shows. I had a day which was my hosted "queen day" at Calgary. Miss Rodeo Utah, Kansas, Arizona, and I were introduced at the Stampede and got a little VIP treatment. I enjoyed the Calgary Stampede and know I will be back for more some day. It's like Vegas- you can't see it all in one trip!

Chinook and Augusta Rodeos

2009-06-29T21:55:00.000-07:00

Mike Gurnett's photography skills in Augusta
Libby, Jourdan, and I in Augusta

Kiddie Rodeo Cowgirls

They don't call it Chinook for nothing

This weekend I attended the Bearpaw Roundup in Chinook and the Wildest One Day Rodeo in the World- Augusta. In Chinook, I attended a barbeque and two nights of rodeo with awesome Brookman livestock. Sam, Jourdan, and I braved the wind with some heavy flags and had a lot of fun helping out at the rodeo. We also put on a kiddie rodeo each night before the rodeo and had some very adorable girls hang out with us. They were so cute and really excited to learn about all of the events in rodeo. I got a really great picture of all of the girls during the kiddie rodeo that I am pretty psyched about. It was only a little staged!

I am a huge fan of Augusta. It is probably my favorite town in Montana, so I was ecstatic to head there on Sunday for their famous little rodeo. My first summer out of high school I worked for an outfitter up Benchmark and attended the Augusta rodeo. It was fun to be back. I signed autographs at Latigo and Lace, which is an excellent place to find books, art, jewelry, and anything western! Before the rodeo, the town was full of people from all over the world- including England and the Czech republic. The stands were packed. I was so happy to be riding a really cool horse. The Robertson family from Augusta let me use one of their horses and he did great. I love riding different horses! That family has always been a huge help to me and even welded my old horse trailer last year when I pulled into town losing parts. They are wonderful people and an awesome rodeo family. The rodeo went well and the American Legion really outdid themselves with a fun, exciting rodeo. It was awesome to work with Libby Gurnett (Miss Big Sky ProRodeo Princess), Jourdan Han (Miss Big Sky ProRodeo Queen), and Aspen Allen (Little Miss Big Sky ProRodeo Roundup). They did a great job and everything went smoothly. I leave early tomorrow for Cody, Wyoming and I am excited to start my "Rodeo Queen Christmas". It is a lot of driving and rodeo performances packed into few weeks. I hope everyone has a great Fourth of July and enjoys a great rodeo somewhere across our beautiful state!

Belt Rodeo and Geraldine Fun Day

2009-06-23T20:09:00.000-07:00

Sam and I on our lovely steedHHaving a sugar break

Jourdan and I before the parade

I had a great first rodeo weekend in the treasure state. Jourdan Han, Miss Big Sky Pro Rodeo Roundup, and I started off our day at the tiny community of Geraldine. We rode in the parade

and then helped out with the goat rodeo. The little kids pulled ribbons off of the goats' tails and the older ones tied a ribbon on their tails. The adults actually headed and heeled the goats. It was good practice for all of those aspiring team ropers out there. It was great to meet up with Angie Hucke, who coordinated the goat rodeo. She has an adorable baby and very nice family. Jourdan and I then drove to Belt to meet up with Sam, Miss Teen Rodeo Montana and her family to get saddled up and ready for some rodeo action. I cannot say thank you enough to the Manley's who let me use Billy both nights for the rodeo. He is an amazing horse and his stop was perfect for grand entry carrying the American flag. I am so excited to ride him again this summer. It was great to see the O'Neil family and have Jennika pack a flag in grand entry. Thank you so much to the O'Neil's for their support! Well Belt was interesting because of all of the rain we encountered. We got poured on. I didn't let it rain on my parade though. I had a fun time laughing at Sam when her jaw was chattering nonstop as we were clearing out the arena. It was a little chilly, but not much stops a rodeo in Montana. Although the weather was extreme, I had a great time. Any day that I'm on the back of a horse I like to consider a great day. The next morning Hannah Heckman (the new Montana High School Rodeo Queen!!), Jourdan Han, Sam, and I did our first Belt parade. Then Sam and I rushed to put on a quick kiddie rodeo before the performance.

The second day of Belt rodeo action was absolutely gorgeous and the sun was making up for its absence the day before. I think I may have annoyed the other girls on Sunday because I was so hyper. Linda Rest has sponsored an excellent vitamin line through Herbalife and it has dramatically increased my energy level. Thank you Linda!!! I was bouncing off the walls all day long. I absolutely love the Belt Little Cowboys and would like to give them a huge thank you for having me. Lori and Gail did a great job orchestrating grand entry once again!

NEBRASKAland - North Platte Nebraska

2009-06-19T21:23:00.000-07:00

This little cutie at the kiddie parade was udderly adorable

Idaho, Wyoming, and I -so intimidating :)

A Kodak Moment at the rodeo

The men at the cake bake were right where they belong- in the kitchen!

What I would look like as a guy... thank God I'm not one

I don't think the feeling is mutual

The famous sign picture!

Wow! Where do I start? I just came home from North Platte, Nebraska where I experienced 5 days of excitement. I had an amazing host family who took very good care of me. Thank you to the Wrights' for opening up their home to me and showing me that one of a kind Nebraska hospitality. I flew into town on a very small plane and North Platte stole my heart from the very beginning. I was joined by 16 other state queens and Miss Rodeo America, Maegan Ridley. It was great to get to know all of the ladies and we had fun getting to know eachother. We were there to support the Buffalo Bill PRCA rodeo, which is on the Heartland Series, and most importantly- to attend the Miss Rodeo Nebraska pageant. We signed A LOT of autographs this week at banks, western stores, and even Walmart. I did two nights of the rodeo, modeled a dress and my chap outfit at the style show, visited Buffalo Bill's barn, watched an all male cake bake (a great idea I must say), and watched the new Miss Rodeo Nebraska get crowned. That is just a tiny amount of what we all experienced at Nebraska. The board was very welcoming and kind. They had a horse lined up for every single girl to ride at the rodeo, and treated us very well. Thank you to the Miss Rodeo Nebraska Association! I had a great time in the charming town and can truly say that Nebraskans are excellent hosts and wonderful people.

I have been busy getting ready for Miss Rodeo America along with my travels- ordering clothes, studying, and staying on top of the news. If anyone has any rodeo tidbits or anything they feel could assist me in preparation, let me know!

Montana High School Queen Contest and Stockgrowers Convention

2009-06-18T14:41:00.000-07:00

Before the Stockgrowers Parade with the MSMR Royalty Some real cowboys- Baker's ranch rodeo team

I thought this was cute

Hello everyone! I am currently writing from my laptop in North Platte, Nebraska. I will report on that within the next few days!! Last week I attended the Montana High School Rodeo Finals Queen contest. I was excited to be co-emcee with Miss Teen Rodeo Montana for the horsemanship and got to speak to the contestants and families. Congratulations to Hannah Heckman- our new state High School Rodeo Queen. All three of the girls did a great job and I hope they all stay involved. It was my first time experiencing a high school contest. I enjoyed it a lot and got to see two former MRM's- Sarah Capp and Mandi Holland (who was judging). I then traveled to Miles City for the 125th annual Montana Stockgrowers Convention. They were honoring ranches that were 100 years or older. I enjoyed meeting ranchers from all over Montana who are so deeply embedded in agriculture. I stayed with an awesome family. The Plant's made me feel right at home and it was great to hang out with them. Kyleigh was the teen queen for Miles City when I was the rodeo queen. It was great to reunite and they took tremendous care of me! Thank you so much to the Plants!!! In Miles City, I toured the Range Riders Museum, the art museum, rode in the parade, and took in the American flag at the ranch rodeo. It was great to hang out with the Gustad girls. They rode in the parade and are doing great with their new titles! I was very impressed with the ranch rodeo. These men and women are talented and their horses truly have all-around talent!

Dusty Gliko Memorial Bullriding, MRMI Board Meeting

2009-06-07T13:05:00.000-07:00

The Gliko Family and I after the memorial bullriding

On Friday I headed to Belt for the memorial of someone who was very close to my heart. Dusty and I dated when I was 17 and he passed away in a car accident four years ago. He was one of the people who gave me the inspiration to run for Miss Rodeo Montana and I will always treasure him as a person and our relationship. His life and his death taught me a lot. I would like to thank the Glikos for taking me into their home anytime I am in the area. I have a great time hanging out with John, Vicki, and Jamie. I would also like to extend a huge thank you to Kaehl Berg who allowed me to ride his horse for grand entry. It was the horse he uses to rope bulls and I appreciate him letting me carry the America flag on him.

On Saturday morning I drove to Fairmont for the board meeting. It was very kind of Janie O'Neil and the family to let us stay at her condo. Jennika, Janie, Jody, Robin, Linda, and I soaked in the hot springs and it was very relaxing. I was going to drive back to Belt for the 2nd night of the bullriding, but they postponed it because of weather. Apparently there was a few inches of snow in Belt. I thought it was summer! Thank you so much to the O'Neil family for opening up their "home" away from home to us. I had fun with all of the ladies and I want to thank all of them for coming and meeting. The board members got a lot of work done and had fun too. Things are picking up now and I am pumped for rodeo time!!!

2009-06-04T20:24:00.000-07:00

A handful of the Girls' State Participants and I after my presentation

Miss Montana's Outstanding Teen, Victoria Valentine, and I at the Telethon

Miss Montana and Miss Montana's Outstanding Teen Contestants at the Telethon

I started off my travels in Helena for the Shodair Children's Miracle Network Telethon. There were many different volunteers there including the Miss Montana Contestants and the Miss Montana's Outstanding Teen Contestants. I also got to spend the day with Victoria Valentine, Miss Montana's Outstanding Teen. We stayed entertained learning how a telethon works behind the scenes. I answered telephones and took donations, and helped present fundraising totals on air. They ended up raising over $500,000.

On Sunday I gave a speech to the ladies of Girls' State, who were starting off their week at Carrol College. There were about 220 high school juniors from all over Montana. Many were girls from very small, agricultural towns. I addressed many success principles that I wish I would have known in high school, and answered all of the girls' questions. It was a great experience.

Monday morning I headed to Great Falls to do a TV commercial with KRTV. Then Jody and I went to the Big Sky Prorodeo Roundup Committee Meeting. It was my first rodeo committee meeting and it was a great learning experience. Putting on a rodeo is not a simple task! There is a huge committee of very intelligent and productive volunteers who are behind our state fair. After the meeting, Jody and I headed back to KRTV to shoot commercials for some of the area rodeos. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. Taping a short commercial is harder than it looks! I had a lot of fun through ALL of the takes.

On Tuesday, I took a historic trolley tour of Great Falls. I learned a lot about

the city- I highly recommend taking this tour from the visitor's center. It was nice to learn more about a place I spend so much time in. I then went to a Rotary club meeting with Art from KRTV. I would like to thank Art for taking me to the meeting. They invited me to come back and give my Miss Rodeo America speech for them. I think I will have to take them up on that offer. I spent a few hours at the Glikos ranch, then headed to Stanford for their rodeo committee meeting. The CM Russell Stampede sponsored my buckle and I really appreciate their generosity. Their rodeo is themed a "Recession-Bustin Weekend" and they are having a dance contest, vendors, and a rodeo produced by Gold Buckle Rodeo Co. It will be my first time attending this rodeo. I look forward to working with all of the folks on the committee.

Jill Veteto of Diamond J Leather who made my chaps has put up a website. Everyone should check it out. www.diamondjleather.com Jill is an amazing leather artist and I am very satisfied with my chaps.

Special Olympics, Darryl Worley Concert, Missoula Horse Expo

2009-05-16T19:29:00.000-07:00

Equine Expo Kiddie Rodeo
Smoke Elser, Packing Extraordinaire, and one of his mules

My mom and I

Some of our dedicated men of service

Talking to our troops

Darryl Worley and I after I whacked him on the head

The equestrian athletes at Special Olympics

Giving out Gymnastics medals at Special Olympics

On Wednesday I headed to Bozeman for the state Special Olympics. Left my coat at home.... oops. Apparently I forgot it is still winter in Montana in May. It was cold, but this kind police officer in the photos above gave me his wind breaker. I handed out medals for the softball throw event. That evening I went to the opening ceremonies for the games, which is quite the show. They bring in the torch and have all of the athletes parade in. It was a really neat production. The second day I spent at the equestrian competition. There were some great riders and everyone had a lot of fun. I believe in the value of therapeutic riding- both mentally and physically. Through horses people find Independence, and can move freely and quickly. I love to see people liberated through horses and I saw a lot of that on Thursday. There was a wide array of activities to try- including trail class, barrel racing, and pole bending. The horses were so wonderful and really are caretakers. The final day in Bozeman was spent handing out medals. Everyone was a winner, and so excited to receive their medals. I felt so grateful to be apart of this event. I met some inspirational, positive, happy people who really appreciate friendship and the little things in life. It reminds me to keep enjoying this year and all of the little things that make it great! I can't believe I have already been Miss Rodeo Montana for four months. It is going by so fast! I am having the time of my life. I would like to thank Dave Snuggs for having me come to Special Olympics and Jody for setting up so many awesome opportunities for me.

Friday was a night I had anticipated a lot. It was military appreciation night and Darryl Worley was playing at the brand new Last Chance Stampede Fairgrounds. I am a huge fan of him. He dedicates a lot of his time to entertaining troops and supporting our soldiers with his concerts. But the biggest reason I was excited for the night was because I was the speaker for the event. I gave a speech in front of over 1000 people- my biggest audience yet. To go from being a girl who was terrified of speaking in public to this was a huge accomplishment for me. The last four years have been an unbelievable transition and I have the Miss Rodeo Montana program to thank for that.

I was excited to meet Darryl, and from the pictures above, you can see he had a bandage on his head. Apparently at Miles City Bucking Horse Sale on Thursday night, a windstorm picked up a plastic lid and sent it flying right into Darryl's head while he was singing. It knocked him over and he had to go to the ER. After 7 stitches, he was back singing to all of those Cowboy Mardi Gras- Goers.

I'm not going to lie. I was nervous. As I looked out into a sea of people, I felt pretty insecure. I had written my speech about patriotism, appreciation of our military, and freedom. I memorized it also- which can either be great, or terrible. You run a risk because if you forget it, it is difficult to pick up and go extemporaneous. But then I had to calm myself down and believe that I could do it. If you think about it, there is really no difference between speaking in front of 10 people, or 10,000. I kept telling myself that as the clock ticked closer to my speech. I always try to become tranquil before I go on stage for speeches and it seems to work well. If you can find peace within yourself before a high pressure situation, you are on the path to success. I thought about how much I believed in what I was saying, how I was so grateful to have the freedom to pursue my dreams and serve as Miss Rodeo Montana, and how excited I was that they picked me to speak- even over the governor......sorry Mr. Schweitzer:)!!! I said a little prayer and then stepped onto the stage. Well, God came through because I didn't forget! The speech went really well and the audience was very attentive. I crossed a huge milestone on Friday with that speech, and I know that built up my confidence a lot. I am convinced that when I got to Miss Rodeo America, I will be very prepared with my speech. After I stepped off stage, I was on cloud nine. One of the security men told me he enjoyed it a lot. Then a woman came up to me and told me that her husband was overseas and she really appreciated what I said. Talk about bring a tear to your eye. I had a number of people come up to me and thank me and I felt so happy that I could bring a message to people about how grateful we should be to live in this country. Wow, what an amazing experience. I would like to thank Amy Robbins (the Last Chance Stampede event planner and a past Miss Rodeo Montana judge) and Liann Meyers for inviting me to come to the concert and speak.

After the concert, I stopped by the Gurnett's house and Mike made me some dinner. They are the nicest people! They have invited me to share their home with them whenever I am in Helena. Thank you so much to the Gurnetts! You are my family away from home! I then made the trek over to Missoula.

The next morning, I went to the Missoula Equestrian Park for the Horse Expo. It was an event with many educational booths and vendors. I was at the kid's tent and I set up my kiddie rodeo equipment to show all of the kids what rodeo is all about. I was excited to work with a man I have known since I was 12 years old- packing legend Smoke Elser. If there is one name synonymous with packing, it is Smoke. He has been outfitting, educating, and writing books about packing into the back country a long time. My dad and I took his packing class ten years ago and went on a trip with him into the Scapegoat. To see him on Saturday was fun. I helped with a packing demonstration in the arena. I did a basket hitch on a mule. I was a little rusty, but Smoke helped me through it. To work with such a great mentor in my life was great. Thank you to Smoke, Jenna, and Mark Wright who included me in their expo. The day was fun and informative for all who came. I have the next two weeks off to prep for summer. I am so ecstatic for rodeo season!!! I will be working these next weeks on Miss Rodeo America studying and getting ready for my summer. I can't wait to see all of you down the road!!!

Helena Middle School Visit

2009-05-10T20:17:00.000-07:00

Goat-tying 101
Some of the awesome 6th Graders!

Demonstrating tie-down roping. I think this is the calf being flanked.

Whoops-there were so many kids I ran out of autograph sheets. Lesson learned. That won't happen again! I worked well with what I had... notebook paper.

My traveling partner, Gus. Yes Reagan- he is ugly :) but in a cute way!

On Friday I helped with a huge rodeo clinic at Helena Middle School. These kids were attentive, enthusiastic, and a lot of fun to work with. I had the opportunity to give a speech, so I talked about what I was like in 6th grade (a dorky animal lover), how I got into rodeo queening, what all Miss Rodeo Montana does, and how to overcome obstacles in life with a positive attitude. The kids were receptive and excited. I started off my speech by saying I heard a rumor that Miss Rodeo Montana had to ride a bull the last few years and I was scared! Audrey had some funny stories! The rumor was true. They gloved me up and threw me on the bucking barrel. Talk about embarrassing. I swear people take a lot of joy in seeing rodeo queens fall off sometimes. These kids were entertained. I think I fell off so fast because I was trying to spur. Now I know why bull riders clamp on for dear life. I tried again and rode that barrel to a standstill.

The kids had a lot of stations that included getting on a bareback rigging, bronc saddle, trying their hands at tie-down roping, goat tying(which I found out they already do in gym class), pole bending, team roping, etc. Janet Erickson does an awesome job setting this event up and I found out I was the 8th Miss Rodeo Montana to do the visit. That is really neat to have a tradition like this school visit. I would encourage everyone to turn their prayers to Janet as she has been sick and couldn't make it to the rodeo day at the school. I would like to thank Helena Middle School and Janet Erickson for inviting me to join them on a fun day for the kids. I had a great time.

Seatbelt Commercial~ Mayfaire~ Autumn Dunbar Roughstock Rodeo

2009-05-04T10:36:00.001-07:00

There was mud EVERYWHERE, including my camera lens :) Unfortunately Chance Smith had to be back in the pens! Ha Ha!
Between sections, I rounded up all of the little cowboys and cowgirls who wanted to try their hands at some fun events!

It was great to have Virgil there to help- my hands were definitely full!

Autumn and I before grand entry

Autumn and I stop our hard work for a pic!

I had a busy weekend in the Great Falls area. On Friday, I shot a commercial with KRTV promoting young men wearing seatbelts. It should be really good- a little corny, but cute! They had me crack the bullwhip, so be prepared! My favorite line was "So all you guys out there- Go For the Buckle! Or I'll get crackin'!" It is funny. It's amazing how many takes you have to do to have a very short commercial. I'm excited to see how it will turn out.

On Saturday night I went to Mayfaire, which was a dinner, dance, and auction for Benefis Heart Facility. The food was the best I have ever had- and we even had baked Alaska for dessert. They auctioned off a horseback riding package for four girls and I at Bull Run Ranch. That should be a blast. I also got to see the Commodores in concert and they wear more bling than rodeo queens! They had tight black jumpsuits covered in crystals! In case there are a few of you out there who are unfamiliar with the 70's band, they sang Brick House.

Sunday was Autumn Dunbar's Benefit Rodeo. There was a huge turnout and I am so happy that Autumn had so many people attending. It was truly a family event and JS Rodeo and Andrea did a great job making sure all of the kids were included. I helped put on stick horse barrel racing in the arena, the ribbon race, and a chicken catching race. We turned a very cantankerous rooster loose in the arena and all of the kids had to try to catch it. This one ended up not going over as planned because the roosters wings weren't clipped. I have never seen a pack of kids move so fast though! We definitely wore out all of the children and watched a great rodeo. I was so happy to be apart of Autumn's rodeo.

This really cool picture just surfaced....

2009-04-25T18:55:00.000-07:00

Yup... That's the Taylor Swift one!!

Malstrom AFB "Wild Wild West" and the Great Falls Cancer Clinic Beach Party

2009-04-25T16:28:00.001-07:00

Face painting is serious business...
The cancer clinic's beach party attendants

Wild wild west

Jill Veteto of Diamond J Leather is a TALENTED woman!

Detail of the chaps

I have had an outstanding weekend. First, I received my chaps in the mail from Custer, MT where Jill Veteto was working diligently to get them done. I am so impressed with her workmanship. The detail on these are awesome and the colors work together so well. I would like to thank Jill for getting these done in record time. I will wear them proudly as I hit the rodeo trail this summer! I am so excited. I have a feeling these chaps will make some waves! I helped out at Malstrom Air Force Base on Friday night for their "Wild Wild West" event. They had me crack the ol' bullwhip and help with the auction. It was awesome to be with my fantastic hostesses Staci and Joann again. They are hilarious and they put on a good party. I had a dance auctioned off at the end. It went for over 12 million. Talk about a boost for the self esteem. Too bad the money was fake "buckaroo bucks". I just finished with the Great Falls Cancer Clinics Beach Party. The kids and I did a relay race, crafts, and played beach volleyball. I always get a little nervous when I know I am going to be around children with life threatening diseases because I am very emotional and it definitely opens your eyes up to life's realities. However, at this party I was enlightened to find very happy, positive children who didn't let cancer get in the way of having fun. It was really nice to be around them and have a great time- it always reinforces that kids with health challenges are kids too! They need to have friends, be creative, and be stimulated with art and learning just like anybody else would. I enjoyed my afternoon with these children and they strengthen my spirit by just being around them.

I would like to thank John and Vicki Gliko for letting me stay with them on my last few adventures to Great Falls. I absolutely love being out at the ranch and my dog Gus even gets to come with! They are such loving people and I can't thank them enough for the blessings they have bestowed on my life.

Sam's Coronation & Branding!!!

2009-04-22T10:05:00.000-07:00

A Kodak moment at Tash's BrandingWrestling a calf

Getting ready to brand at the Tash's- this hat has seen better days

Libby Gurnett (Miss Big Sky ProRodeo Princess), Kendall (Laura Bakker's Granddaughter), and I at Sam's Coronation

Sam and I at her coronation

First of all, congratulations to the Manley's on a very successful and most of all- fun coronation! Sam did a superb job and everyone had a great time. Now we can all breathe a sigh of relief!! My favorite part of the evening was definitely the kiddie rodeo. Sam had kids sign up for the rodeo, then they had a calcutta for all of the contestants! It was a creative and successful way to raise money, and involve the whole family. If you haven't seen Sam with kids yet, she truly has a gift for small children. I am very proud of her and wish her the best this year. It was great to see everyone on the MRMI board again- including Jody, Laura, Tracy, and Linda. They are all so supportive and drove from many places across Montana to support Sam. The Roberts family was there hard at work. Elizabeth and Callie did a great job selling raffle tickets to support their friend Sam. I was also happy to see Mike and Libby Gurnett again. They came from Helena for the celebration and Libby helped sell raffle tickets also. We have such support in Montana for Miss Rodeo Montana and Miss Teen Rodeo Montana. I want everyone to know how much I appreciate that! Laura's granddaughter Kendall, who you will see in the pictures above, helped so much selling raffle tickets. In fact, when I sat down to eat she took the bag and some friends and continued to sell. She is very smart- and remembered how all of the "games" went. I also saw two of my very special sponsors there- Jimmy the Hat Man, and Dr. John Harlan. Dr. Harlan is very active with Tough Enough To Wear Pink of Montana and he sponsored all of my skin care and makeup for the entire year! The evening was fun and I'm so happy that the Manley's coronation was a success.

Off duty, I made a trip out to Polaris, MT for branding out at the Tash Ranch. I helped out last year and had a great time. Bryant Photographics came to capture the branding because Mark Bryant said he had always wanted to take pictures at an "authentic" branding. I told him I had just the event for him. There will be some awesome pictures for my scrapbook. I had a fun, action-packed day off, and enjoyed being a real cowgirl. I wrestled calves with a few of my friends and enjoyed the beautiful weather. I am so excited because my chaps will be in any day now. I cannot wait to see them. Jill Veteto of Diamond J Leather in Custer made them and she is a very talented woman! I will post pictures immediately when I receive them!

Miss Rodeo Nevada Pageant

2009-04-17T15:11:00.000-07:00

Nursing home visit in Mesquite, NV

All of the contestants for Miss Rodeo Nevada and Miss Rodeo Nevada Teen and the visiting royalty

Excess Traveling leads to fast food consumption.

I really like palm trees.... and sun.... the weather in Nevada was awesome!!!!

First performance of the Logandale PRCA rodeo with Courtney Smith (MRSD) and Allie Bass (MRW)

Just trying out my 12.7 MM AAA Gun Type 54. Trust me- it's a good time.

Some fun tour guides- The one on the far left is Christopher Smith. He was really nice and professional. We felt really bad because at the end of the tour he was taking us back to my pickup and backed the AFB van into someones car. It was all Miss Rodeo Wyoming's fault because she asked him if he wanted a gobstopper. :)

Visiting with the helicopter crew at Nellis AFB

I had an unforgettable time at the Miss Rodeo Nevada Pageant! I got to spend time with three other state queens: Miss Rodeo Nevada, Miss Rodeo South Dakota, and Miss Rodeo Wyoming. It was so fun getting to know them and I love the camaraderie we have! The first few days we spent in Las Vegas where we had many different unique opportunities. We took a tour of Nellis Air Force Base and met with jet fighter plane mechanics as well as helicopter pilots. It was my first time on an air force base and it was really eye-opening. I am in awe of our military and the people who protect our freedom and lifestyles. They are brave, smart, and dedicated. We visited many places in the community including Child Haven which is a place for foster children to stay for a while until they are accepted into foster care. The kids were excited to see us and we had a great time visiting with them. In addition, we made a stop at the nursing home in Mesquite and a children's hospital in Vegas. The contestants got to see first hand exactly what Miss Rodeo Nevada and Miss Rodeo Nevada Teen get to do to help out in the community. It was good speaking experience for me in Mesquite because we stopped by a Rotary Club Meeting and had an opportunity to tell a little bit about ourselves. The Rotary Club was very nice and we had a good breakfast with them.

The pageant was a blur for me- I can't imagine how the girls felt! It was about 3 days long. The visiting royalty helped warm up horses for horsemanship, and modeled in the style show at the fairgrounds. We attending four rodeo performances in Logandale and I had a great time. The weather was perfect and it reminded me that summer is on it's way! I enjoyed helping out Flint the pickup man. I was his right hand man for the rodeo- warming up and cooling down horses, putting on boots, braiding manes and tails, and holding his horses while he switched out during the roughstock events. He let me ride one of his horses for grand entry. I was happy to have such a trusty steed to ride. Amidst the business of the pageant, MRSD, MRW, and I had a few hours to sunbathe by the pool. I had to take advantage of the weather! Congratulations to Andrea Lynch who won the title of Miss Rodeo Nevada. I am excited to get to know her over the year and she will represent Nevada well. Thank you so much to Anna Bavor and Joanne Alvarado- who were amazing hosts! I am very appreciative of their hospitality.

Autumn Dunbar Benefit Rodeo, Governor's Conference on Tourism, and TETWP Photo Shoot!!!

2009-04-02T11:40:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun on my most recent travels. Well the end of March weather wasn't exactly what I like to see- but it's Montana right? I woke up at the crack of dawn on Sunday morning to make the Vaughn rodeo and drove through some pretty treacherous roads- but alas- for weather circumstances unforeseen the rodeo was canceled. We were literally in a white out! I actually ended up having a really awesome time because I hung out with Gary and Jody Rempel and they were gracious enough to let me stay with them and took me out to dinner. It was fun. The rodeo was to benefit a girl named Autumn Dunbar who has a rare heart condition called Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. The fundraiser will still take place sometime in the near future when the weather eases up a bit! JS rodeo put it on and I teased John Smith that the chili I had for lunch better be good because I've never driven over 200 miles for a bowl of chili. He felt terrible, but I thought it was funny. It was good that I was in the neighborhood though, because I had to trek South for the Governor's Conference on Tourism in Helena. I stayed with Mike, Laurie, and Libby Gurnett- who is the Big Sky ProRodeo Princess. I had so much fun with the family and I felt so at home. They gave me a house key and everything. I felt so welcomed and adopted- and the home cooked meals were wonderful. Thanks again to the Gurnetts! We have so many great times to come. The above photo is Libby and I taking some candid shots outside the Gurnett house. Mike is quite the photographer! At the conference, I had the pleasure of listening to our governor, Brian Schweitzer, speak at a luncheon. His trusty border collie came with him. WOW that dog is well trained! He must do that a lot. The governor spoke about "branding" Montana for marketing and it was very interesting. I did see a familiar face in the slide show at the luncheon. It was a gorgeous picture of Jennifer Marshall (Miss Teen Rodeo Montana 2008) in her gorgeous hair on chaps at a rodeo. I was really pleased to see that they used this picture to "brand" Montana. Rodeo is so important to tourism. And who better to brand Montana than a wonderful ambassador to professional rodeo! The last stop on my trip was to the Last Chance Stampede Fairgrounds for a TETWP photo shoot. I met with Amy Robbins and then got suited up for some pictures with a beautiful pair of pink chaps that they are auctioning off! I had no idea until I arrived at the rodeo grounds that everything is being renovated. They built an awesome facility and I cannot wait to see the finished product at the end of July for the rodeo. I encourage everyone to make this PRCA show one of their stops. It is always an awesome rodeo and now they have a tremendous facility. I'm excited. All in all- the last few appearances were fun, exciting, and action-packed. I'm having a great time and I want to thank everyone that has helped me in my travels.

Coronation A Success!!!

2009-03-24T17:25:00.000-07:00

I would like to thank everyone for supporting me so much in my coronation. The night was so much fun and truly a wonderful experience. It is eye-opening to see an event of this size occur, when I know it started as a tiny seed- an idea, a vision. I was overly pleased with the wonderful people I spent the evening with. Thank you to everyone who was apart of this event. You are appreciated so much. Kyle Shobe and the Walk 'Em Boys did an amazing job- and to my suprise- it was only their third performance. It was a pleasure to have my emcee, Barney Sheridan, at the mic. He is so much fun, and a good-hearted individual. I spent a few mornings with him on the radio and we had a blast. I would also like to acknowledge the visiting royalty who made the evening a success: Libby Gurnett, Jourdan Han, Samantha Manley, Callie & Elizabeth Roberts. Ladies, you helped me so much and I am so thankful to have your support and hard work ethic. Little Elizabeth sold a huge chunk of the 52 cards for a drawing I was doing. NO ONE could say no to her. I have never seen so much generosity, and I can't believe it is to support me in my quest for Miss Rodeo America. Wow! is all I can say.

Auction Items for MRM Coronation Gala!!!

2009-03-11T14:15:00.000-07:00

Silent Auction Items

*This is just a small selection of what will be offered!!!*

-Ceramic Boot Wine Chiller

-2 Black Motorcycle jackets with American flags on them

-Drummond Rodeo handpainted sign and 4 tickets to the Drummond PRCA performance

-2 Night stay at the Nansel Ranch in Forsyth

-"Learn How to Brand" day at the VO Valley Ranch in Belt, and antique branding irons

-Garmin Etrex GPS

-2 barnwood frames with vintage photographs

-Woven placemats and coaster sets

-2 art pieces by Kate Ruland

-The cowboy version of the German Stein-2 mugs

-Vintage Stetson and Resistol hatboxes filled with See's Candies

-Rope Basket

-Dog treat basket by Go Fetch!

-Riding Lesson from King Equestrian Center

-Four Riding Lessons from Laura Bakker

-Trail Ride and lunch for two in the Highwood Mountains- hotel accommodations in Great Falls

-2 bucking horse concho beaded necklaces made by Lesli

-Saddle Bronc Painting done with cattle markers by Lesli

-quilting squares and scraps for a western quilt

-facial from Bella Sauvage

-Texas drink coozie

-Woodburn art made by Virgil

-MRM Tee Shirt and Beanie

-Framed Pirnie and Gogas prints

-One year Direct TV Package

-Missoula Stampede VIP Package

-Chicks and Chaps Package

-Chaps made by Marty Mitskus

-baby moccasins made by Cary Mitskus

-10 visit pass to Women's Club, yoga mat

-Lane Timothy print

-purse from Betty's Divine

-7 nights of dog boarding

-one puppy exam-deworming

-Painting by Scott Adams

-two Joan Baez tickets and hotel accommodations

-One week condo stay on Big Mountain in Edelweiss

-Signed Baxter Black books, DVD, and CD package

Live Auction Items

- Anderson and Platt Fly Fishing Trip- Full day guided flyfishing trip for two with hot lunch. You have your choice of either the Big Hole, Beaverhead, Madison, Ruby, Jefferson, or Missouri Rivers.

-Wapiti Waters Trip- Full day guided flyfishing trip for two with lunch. You have your choice of either the Bitterroot, Blackfoot, or Clark Fork Rivers. You can trade fishing time for fly casting lessons also.

-Western Waters Trip- Full day guided flyfishing trip for two with lunch. You have your choice of either the Bitterroot, Blackfoot, or Clark Fork Rivers.

-Montana's Wildest Weekend Package- Dillon Jaycee Labor Day Rodeo and Concert Tickets, and hotel accomodations.

- Steak Ride for Four- Horses provided or bring your own. Three hour trail ride for four people into the Bitterroot Mountains and mouth watering steak dinner provided by caterer Mark Coyler.

-Day at Dunrovin Ranch for Two- Lolo Montana- Saddle up for a ride across the Bitterroot River and up the Sapphire Mountains- After lunch, put on your wading shoes for a guided canoe trip down the Bitterroot River.

-Dinner Date at Paws Up Ranch with Miss Rodeo Montana- $200 dinner gift certificate

-Griz gear package and 1/2 hour Monte the Mascot appearance for your business or party

-Chase Hawks rodeo Package- Hotel room, Rodeo and Dinner tickets, and apparel

-Wrangler NFR Package

-Tough Enough to Wear Pink Golf Tournament Package

-Pheasant Hunting Trip for 2- Little Canyon Shooting - Peck, ID. Includes stay at the lodge.

"Day of Dance" and Cascade High School Rodeo Fundraiser

2009-03-03T10:53:00.000-08:00

I had an action packed weekend in Great Falls- and got plenty of excercise! I started off my morning by emceeing the "Day of Dance" which is a part of the Red Shoe Initiative. This raises awareness for heart disease and teaches people that dancing can be really great for your health. Being the master of ceremonies was fun and I especially enjoyed doing it with registered nurse John Jackson. He is a wonderful man who cares a lot about his patients and people in general. He and I made sure to jump in at any free moment we had to learn some new moves. There were different types of dancers that would do an example of their genre, then invite the audience out to try it. I learned hip hop, zumba (which probably was my favorite), hawaiian, ballroom, jitterbug, and native american circle dancing. I really enjoyed the circle dancing because it was a good workout and very ryhthmic and soothing. I liked emceeing a lot because I literally had to go "off the cuff". It is always fun and builds confidence in speaking skills to do this. I felt like the Day of Dance was very entertaining for everyone involved. Many people learned how to reduce their risk of heart disease by excercise that doesn't feel like excercise- dancing! Thank you to Lacey Gallagher, who made this event fun, organized, and successful. I am attaching the Day of Dance article in the Great Falls Tribune. -http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20090301/NEWS01/903010311

Later that evening, Jody and I made our way down to Cascade for the Cascade High School Rodeo Team Fundraiser. I would like to thank Monica Gruel for inviting me. I am so proud of the team for looking for ingenious ways to keep heading down the road. It goes to show that even in tough economic times, young people can still rodeo and maintain our traditions. Sometimes it just takes a little fundraising! Jody, Virgil, and I had a good time meeting new people and reconnecting with old friends we have met in the rodeo family. One of the pictures above is me with some raffle tickets. I sold 50-50 tickets to help out the team and I truly believe I am getting good at sales! I have come down to this simple equation for sales. It's not "will you buy some?"- it's "how many?" Selling is something that rodeo queens must get used to doing, and must learn to love it. I always like to consider it a great way to mingle with people and joke around. A lot of these people may see you at events and rodeos but may never get to chat with you. I like to meet new people so it is good for me. Also, it felt amazing to raise money for the next generation of rodeo stars from Montana! The night ended on a good note. I had another opportunity to help the rodeo team by having a dance with me auctioned off. That was fun and I can't believe how much it went for- $300!!! That night Jody and I went back to her house to crash! It definitely was a long day, but so worth it. Thank you to Jody for letting me stay with her. It is always fun, productive, and relaxing.

Heads up to everyone!!! I will be posting some pictures and descriptions of my auction items on my blog so everyone can get a preview of what is to come! That should be up within the next few days. I also would like to mention I had my first online sponsor donation through the website. Thank you so much to Janelle Q. for doing this. My year will be better because of your assistance.

More NRA Pictures**

2009-02-23T10:44:00.001-08:00

2009-02-23T10:24:00.000-08:00

I just came home from the Northern Association Rodeo Finals in Billings where I spent time with a bunch of wonderful young ladies, including my MTRM Sam, Little Miss Missoula Stampede Liz Roberts, and Ravalli County Princess Callie Roberts. I would like to thank Karen and Ty Yost for allowing all of us to be apart of the fun performance. Sam and I had a pretty packed schedule. We did our very first school visit, which went well, although I must admit I was a little nervous:). The kids were very receptive to our mini kiddie rodeo though, which was a relief. We also spent time with the SOCO and Nutralix booths at the MATE show, which is a large agriculture trade show. In the booths we signed autographs and met some neat people. In case you were wondering, in one of the pictures above, Sam and I are holding a paper man. His name is Flat Stan and he is a project for a third grade class. They have mailed him out all around the world and try to find "celebrities" to take pictures with him. Sam and I felt pretty lucky to get in a picture with Stan. The rodeo was awesome and I encourage everyone to try to make it at least once to the NRA Finals. They really know how to put on an awesome show at Yost Events. I would like to thank Matt and Liz Manley for helping me out with my horse and making things so much easier for us girls! Thanks to Jack at 105.9 The BAR for having us on the radio and also to the Yosts! We had a great time. I appreciate Linda Rest for organizing this.

I also had the pleasure of attending the Missoula Agribusiness Banquet

right after I came home from San Antonio. I was so pleased to see a friend I hadn't seen in a while. Haley Boyer won Miss Teen Montana USA this year and I am so proud of her. She and I sold raffle tickets and met with some of the top agriculture people around the Missoula area. I had a blast with Haley and wish her well at the Miss Teen USA Pageant. I hope to see her soon down the road.

2009-02-11T19:06:00.000-08:00

The last four days has been an exciting whirlwind... to say the least! I started out my travels at the Sport Show in Great Falls where my lovely teen counterpart, Samantha Manley, and I assisted at the Montana Trappers Association Booth. We always have fun together and I can't wait to see where this year brings us! We then booked it down to Helena to the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame Banquet. We were graced with the prescence of Kate Ruland, Megan Hardy, Big Sky Prorodeo Princess- Libby Gurnett, and Miss Red Lodge Home of Champions Little Miss-ShayLe Hildebrand. As well, I got to see Missy Sampson, who was a judge this year at the Miss Rodeo Montana Pageant. It seems like everywhere I go, there is a family of rodeo friends waiting and I absolutely love it. Libby and ShayLe did an awesome job carrying around auction items with us and I was really proud of how mature and gracious they were. Sam, her wonderful Mother Liz, and I then decided that it was best we headed home to Missoula. I had my flight to San Antonio to catch at 7 AM. It was funny because on my flight down to Texas, I had a very special passenger aboard the plane- Matt Sherwood, team roping world champion in 2008. I thought he looked familiar from all those PSN's I read but didn't really know who it was until he started teasing me about being late for the rodeo. I got a chance to check out his gold buckle and found out who he was. Turns out, he was the late one. I think he barely missed his run in San Antonio. That's life, I guess!

From the pictures you may have notice a very special hat that I am wearing. Jimmy just got finished making my Miss Rodeo Montana hat and the pictures truly do not do it justice. He made it a chocolate with brindle hide on the top and a longhorn steer in the side. The crystals around the brim are gold. Jimmy did a one of a kind job and I would like to thank him again for all he does for Miss Rodeo Montana and the organization.

After this trip, I felt truly blessed. I got to meet Miss Rodeo Texas, Arkansas, and Oregon, and I had a blast with all three of them. We gave pep talks to FFA kids and calf scramblers, watched two of the best rodeo performances I have ever seen, ate the best Texas meals, and met some very hospitable and kind people. It seems like no matter where you go, you always see someone you know through rodeo. My friend Josh is interning with Texas Thunder- the Priefert horses. He just so happened to be performing in San Antonio and took Miss Rodeo Texas and I behind the scenes of the operation. That was pretty neat. I had the pleasure of meeting Marjorie Murphy, who is the director for Miss Rodeo Texas, and Julie Callison, my host mom. I also met someone who sings on my radio a lot.... Taylor Swift!!! I have never seen a better concert. She is a performer and class act. Miss Rodeo Texas, Miss Rodeo Oregon and I were going to get ice cream so I needed to use the ATM. We entered the AT and T arena where the rodeo is held to find the ATM and heard Taylor and her band practicing. We were so excited and we ran in and got our own private concert. It was just the three of us! Later that night, after she performed in front of over 16,000 people, we decided to see if we could get a chance to meet her. Avery, Miss Rodeo Texas, pulled some strings and got us down in the tunnel to wait. We waited for a long time for her to come out of her dressing room and almost gave up. We said that if she wasn't out in five minutes we were going to leave. Then, out she came! We were so excited. She was so nice and humble. I really enjoyed meeting her. I got a few autographs for the scrapbook and got some pictures taken with her. I will be posting those soon! Taylor Swift had a song that talked about faith and she spoke about how she never would have thought she would be standing on a stage in front of all those people doing what she loved to do. She talked about how hard she worked and how she begged her parents to take her to Nashville to record. I was really inspired by what she said, and in a small form I can relate to it because I feel so blessed to be Miss Rodeo Montana. I believe if your mindset is right and you put enough hard work into something, you will have so many miracles happen. Taylor Swift is living proof of that.

I had an amazing time in Texas. Thanks to the MRMI and Jody for setting the trip up. It was a unique and entertaining trip!!

Montana Pro Rodeo Hall and Wall of Fame Banquet

2009-02-04T09:42:00.000-08:00

I just came back from Billings where I had the pleasure of attending the Hall and Wall of Fame Banquet. I went to this two years ago when I was Miss Southeastern Montana Rodeo and had a wonderful time. Going back as Miss Rodeo Montana was even better. This event is to raise money for scholarships for high school rodeo athletes planning on pursuing higher education. As well, they induct a group of prolific Montanans involved in the sport of rodeo into the Hall and Wall of Fame. I met some really remarkable people including special guests Wilford Brumley and Harry Vold. Harry is one of two people that has brought stock to every single National Finals Rodeo. Buck Brannaman was there with his family and it was a pleasure to meet him. I read his book a number of years ago and I respect and utilize his training methods. I met Larry Jordan for the first time. I had talked to him on the phone because I needed a pro rodeo history lesson from him for my speech. He is just as charming in person. Larry is an unsung hero in professional rodeo because he actually came up with the concept of the circuit system. I am so proud to have met a man who was such an integral part of the foundation of rodeo. It was a fun evening and I always enjoy getting to wear the western elegance dresses. I stayed with Linda and Andy Rest. We had a lot of fun. So far, I have enjoyed my host homes as much as the events! Thank you to the Rests for letting me stay with you! Well I'm about to head out for a sport show in Great Falls, then the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame banquet. I will have stories soon, I'm sure.

How Could I do it Without Family and Friends?

2009-01-29T20:21:00.000-08:00

I would like to take a few minutes to thank the people who have been by my side through this journey. To have family and friends at the pageant this year was the amazing. I had my mom and stepdad, dad and stepmom, sisters Edie and Paige, and friends the Glikos, Claire, and Shayla. I have never felt more support as I entered competition for the pageant. To have all of these people encouraging me was the best gift I could have asked for. Thank you so much friends and family! I love you! I also was assisted greatly by master hatter- Jimmy Harrison. I have never met a man kinder or more supportive than Jimmy. If anyone reading this ever needs a hat that they will treasure for life, I highly recommend Double H Hat Company out of Darby, Montana. Currently Jimmy is working on a few hats for me to use during the year, as well as the hat he donates to Miss Rodeo America. I hope everyone is excited to see BIG surprises. As coronation draws near, I am constantly reminded of how I could never do all of the preparation alone. Thank you so much to everyone who is putting together this fundraiser. It is going to be a blast! I wouldn't be here today without my family and friends. Thank you for everything.

Lewistown Winter Fair

2009-01-27T13:44:00.001-08:00

If you want to see a kiddie rodeo- come to Lewistown Winter Fair. There were 68 contestants doing three events, one of which I didn't even know existed for kiddie rodeos! Mary Knerr and Bill and Karen from the Back Country Horsemen were on hand to show Sam and I exactly how a kiddie rodeo of this size works. First of all, a prince and princess were drawn from the kids and they recieved a crown, hat, and sash to wear. Then the kids lined up and started the barrel racing. The next event was steer wrestling. The kids had to ride their stick horse into the arena, dismount, then push over a bale of hay that had a steer head on it. We finished with roping and every one of the children recieved a prize. It was a wonderful addition to the winter fair. I perked up when I heard that Sam and I got to help out with the "Death by Chocolate" event. In my imagination, I conjured up taste testing delicous chocolate pies and candies. I was a little off- we walked the chocolate items around for people to bid on with the auction. That was a blessing in disguise because keeping in shape on this schedule in definitely interesting. It was better to walk the chocolate around for me, than eat it. The winter fair has a quilt show and a number of vendors and we got to check everything out. We also did a radio interview with Fred Lark at KXLO radio, which was fun. I would like to thank Lewistown for having us, and Mary for being such an awesome and punctual tour guide. I stayed with Kate Ruland for a night and we had an awesome time together- as usual. Thanks Kate!! I would also like to thank Jody for taking me into her wonderful home. I have never eaten so much good food in a weekend. I appreciate everyone who made the trip successful.

Great Rockies Sport Show-MTA booth

2009-01-22T12:10:00.000-08:00

January 17th I headed out to Billings for the Great Rockies Sport Show. It was a pleasure working with Fran and Jim Buell who are members of the Montana Trappers Association. Fran does most of the educational programs for the trappers and she has an awesome way with children. They taught me how to identify many animal tracks and then I had kids come by and stamp their chosen track on a piece of paper. Probably the best part of the show was going around with my fur vest on and talking to people from many different booths. It is amazing how much people enjoy talking to you when you are Miss Rodeo Montana. I really love interaction with lots of people and so far this job has proved to have a lot of that. I met some gentlemen from South Africa who were selling safaris. I think I upset them when I asked if they were Australian (That was before I read the sign). Apparently that is kind of offensive to them. They ended up forgiving me though. It was really good to see Lauren Brunsvold's father because I met him at the pageant and he is an awesome guy. The most entertaining part of the day was when I was leaving and saying all of my goodbye's to Fran and Jim. I started walking off and Jim asked if he should bring my vest to the national convention. I turned around and realized I had left it hanging at the booth. I promise that will never happen again!!! Thank you so much to the Montana Trappers Association. They are such an integral part of Miss Rodeo Montana and I am willing to support them in any way possible. I can't wait for the national convention this year!

Coronation Date Set!!!

2009-01-20T15:29:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog! The last 9 days have been great and I can't believe all of the hard work paid off. Today I drove over to Missoula and had a photo shoot with Mark Bryant out of Bryant Photographics. He does an amazing job and took my photos both times I ran for Miss Rodeo Montana and for the Miss Montana pageant. I am excited to see how these turn out. First of all, I want to say thank you to everyone involved in the Miss Rodeo Montana Pageant. I can't believe the changes I have seen in myself and in other people from being involved. This program really has changed my life and my business, people, and speaking skills have improved dramatically from being apart of Miss Rodeo Montana Inc. There are so many people to thank for this. Can I just say first that the website looks amazing!!! Thank you Ed. I really appreciate Jody Rempel for dedicating so much time to overseeing everything that MRM entails. I am truly grateful! To the MRMI board: I love and appreciate each and every one of you. The pageant went smoothly and I know so many people put hours upon hours of prep to get there. Our chaperones this year- Sarah and Barb, were so nice to have around. We were always on time and on the ball with these two!

Day one of being Miss Rodeo Montana kicked off early. They really do mean go back to the hotel for an early night after you win! I was scheduled to do radio interviews at 7 AM. I got directions for the radio station and there was a misunderstanding as to which radio station. Needless to say I showed up at the wrong place. I had planned to be early so that helped out. I had about 15 minutes to find it. Thankfully I got there right on time. But alas, as I was getting out of my truck, I locked my keys inside. I just laughed and ran in for the interviews. I knew this was going to be an entertaining year. After the five different station interviews, I sat down to chat with the general manager and told him my predicament. Fortunately, he had a friend that was a locksmith and jumped on the phone to call him. About ten minutes later a friendly gentleman from Central Lock and Key joined up with us and opened up my truck. "It's on me today" he said, as I tried to pay him. This day just kept getting better. I ended up doing a television interview, met with Jody, and then headed over to Missoula to soak everything in. Since day 1, I literally hit the ground running. Today I have figured out where and when my coronation is!! It will be very similar to Audrey's last year. I have selected March 21st at the Hilton Garden Inn. Thanks to Lynn Sholtey for helping me getting everything started. If there is anyone interested in volunteering, I will be collecting auction items immediately. Thanks so much