THANK YOU ALL!!

Dear Wyoming,

What a ride! It’s hard to believe that a whole year has come and gone! I have been looking through the pictures from my year and I’m still amazed at some of the things I have been able to do! From visiting Mt. Rushmore, to hog hunting in Florida, to carrying the American Flag at some of Wyoming’s biggest rodeos and driving a Ram truck in between it truly has been an INCREDIBLE YEAR!! I look back at all of the great memories that I’ve made and the sisterhood that was formed with the other state queens and I know that this is a once in a lifetime experience!

God has truly blessed me with an unforgettable year as Miss Rodeo Wyoming! Words cannot express my sincere gratitude for all those who helped me along the way. Each day I place the jade crown on my hat, I am blessed with the support of a loving family, an enthusiastic community and the unbelievable state of Wyoming! I am humbled by the outpouring of support, and I pray that God will continue to bless the lives of those I have met this year. Thank you Mom, Dad, Ben, Morgan and Tim for being the backbone of my support system. To the Miss Rodeo Wyoming Association, Dean Parker with Fremont Motors and Holly Pratt with Nelson Engineering, thank you all for believing in me and making this year so special.

I look forward to the future knowing that God has a special plan for me! I will be going back to school at the University of Wyoming in January to finish my degree in Kinesiology. In the meantime I am excited to give back to the Miss Rodeo Wyoming Association who has done so much for me! I am excited to be a part of an elite group of ladies as a former Miss Rodeo Wyoming. I hope to support both McKenzie Haley and Brittany Richards as they embark on journeys of their own! I also hope to continue to be involved in rodeo, I’ve just started getting serious about team roping and I aspire to become a timer for the PRCA. The future looks bright indeed!

This will be my last post as Miss Rodeo Wyoming. I want to wish Brittany the best, you are going to be a great Miss Rodeo Wyoming! I am thankful to call you my friend! Stop often and take it all in, always remembering where you came from! This is a year you will look back upon with fondness for the rest of your life! Always know that I am here to answer any questions, laugh and cry with you!

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows: James 1:17

Thank you all for believing in me!!

God Bless!

Erin Heffron

Miss Rodeo Wyoimng 2010

Forever West!

“WOW!” is all I have to say after watching Erin and the other Miss Rodeo America contestants at the fashion show Wednesday night. The dance moves, music, and magic made for a wonderful performance! Dressed in clothing donated by Wrangler, the girls showed us their moves under the “Wrangler Big Top”. The night’s theme of the big top circus was complete with magic and illusions between the dances. The fashion show ended with the girls modeling their dresses. The designs were stunning and Erin shined like the star she is in her red dress made by Janelle Baldwin.

After the show, we met up with Erin at the after party. It was great to be able to ask her how she was doing and see that smile on her face. She told us that she had finished her horsemanship/rodeo interview and that it went well. She also felt good about her written test she had taken earlier in the week. We had time to grab a few pictures before the night was over.

Thursday morning Erin was first to give her speech during the second round of speeches. She was inspiring with her speech about the Code of the West and how it was a piece of Wyoming for everyone. She looked great on stage in her teal dress. Her media interview was then shown to the audience. After the speeches, the girls got ready and made their way to the South Point Hotel and Casino for the PRCA luncheon. Erin showed off the Wyoming Tough Enough to Wear Pink chaps made by our chap sponsor, Tim Bath.

The evening ended with the girls attending the first performance of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo at the Thomas and Mack Center here in Las Vegas, NV. I saw Erin there (it was my first time at the WNFR) and she was having a great time there!
Today we will finish the speeches and we will all make our way to Cowboy Christmas where the girls will hold a foundation auction auctioning off bags they brought representing their state. We are getting closer and closer to the coronation on Saturday!

It’s been such a wonderful week and Erin is doing such a wonderful job representing the state of Wyoming, the Miss Rodeo Wyoming Association, the professional sport of rodeo, herself, and most of all, her family!

“Wyoming, Forever West!”

Brittany Richards

It’s Downhill From Here!

We have reached the midpoint of the Miss Rodeo America pageant here at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Yesterday Erin and the other contestants attended the President’s Breakfast. Erin looked amazing in her orange dress! Each contestant answered a current event question. Erin answered her question regarding the grades given in elementary schools with confidence. The awards for scrapbook were also given, and Erin’s friend, Jordan Han from Montana, won the first place ribbon and scholarship. Erin was so happy for her!

After the President’s Breakfast, the contestants had their personality interviews and their photogenic pictures taken. The interviews were closed to the public but the photogenic photos will be on www.shooterenterprises.com later this week. When the girls were not interviewing they were at dance rehearsal for the fashion show. After all the dancing rehearsals they have had this week, I am getting so excited for the show!

I had the pleasure of seeing Erin that night at Billy Bob’s Steak House in Sam’s Town. If you have been to Sam’s Town you will know about the amazing waterfall that is in front of the restaurant, and if you have not been, you need to make a trip. As the girls walked across the bridge toward the steak house, the fog came up and waterfall and fountain came to life. It was a remarkable entrance for them and it brought tears to my eyes and pride in my heart to know that Erin is doing such a wonderful job representing Wyoming not only this week but this entire year.

This morning was round one of speeches. Erin did not give her speech today, but instead was able to get a little bit more sleep. The Rodeo/Horsemanship Interviews are split between today and tomorrow. We do not know when Erin will have her interview with the judges, but we are sure she will continue to do an amazing job. While not interviewing, the girls are, you guessed it, having dance rehearsal. Tonight will be the big show and everyone is so excited. I did catch a glimpse of Erin today on her way to their lunch with the judges. It makes me so happy to know that she has worked so hard to get here, and she is finally here!

We are on the downhill side of this week, but I can bet Erin would say, “Wow, what a ride!”

Brittany Richards

Horsing Around!

Day two of the Miss Rodeo America pageant has come to an end. Erin started the morning with breakfast at the French Market in The Orleans Hotel and Casino. Afterward the contestants were bused to the South Point Hotel and Casino for two rounds of horsemanship. Erin was the 14^th contestant to ride a horse performing a set pattern. She rode a black little horse that allowed her to show her horsemanship. Once all the girls rode the set pattern, they were then able to ride a draw horse and perform a freestyle pattern of their choice. The requirements were that they had 90 seconds and the pattern had to end with a “queen’s wave” around the outside of the arena. Erin did an amazing job on her draw horse! She made her mom and dad so proud handling the horses. I should mention that the horses used for the horsemanship portion of the contest were borrowed from stock contractors, so they were not easy to ride!

After eating lunch at the South Point, Erin and the other contestants returned to The Orleans for some more dance practice the rest of the afternoon. We then joined the girls at the Cowgirl Kickoff party last night. We were able to eat with Erin and talk with her about how she was feeling. She is having a blast and said that she is so happy to be here representing Wyoming. She is keeping her energy up through all the events and always has a smile on her face. All the contestants brought in their state flag during the party and then were asked to explain their outfit they were wearing that night. Erin was first in line to explain her jacket. She looked amazing in her jacket made by Janelle Baldwin depicting images that make Wyoming a state to remember. The party ended with a dance and I have to say each girl can dance extremely well! The girls then headed to an hour and half more of dance practice for the fashion show and coronation later this week.

Today Erin will be attending the President’s Breakfast, have her personality interview, taking photogenic picture, and having dinner at Billy Bob’s Steak House in Sam’s Town Hotel and Casino. Any down time today will be used for, you guessed it, more dance practice. Again, I want to encourage everyone to send in their text to vote Erin for People’s Choice award! If you have a message you would like to send to Erin, email it to missrodeopageant@yahoo.com and put “Wyoming” in the subject line. John Shooter has been taking pictures of the events and is posting them at www.shooterenterprises.com. Click the “online images” at the bottom of the screen.

As Erin said last night, “God Bless Wyoming!”

Brittany Richards

A Bright Day In Orange!

Erin started the Miss Rodeo America pageant yesterday in Las Vegas, Nevada wearing one of her favorite colors, orange!. The morning started with the contestants gathering by the showroom in The Orleans hotel. Once all 28 contestants arrived, we worked our way into the showroom so that each state representative could receive their sash and be introduced to the crowd. Erin had to wait until the very end to receive her sash since Wyoming is the last state listed alphabetically. Erin was very patient and looked confident and comfortable on stage. One their sash was in place, they then went backstage to tape their media interviews. These interviews will be viewed and judged after the contestants present their speech later this week. After the media interviews were finished, the official orientation began. We were introduced to the judges who have the hard task of judging these 28 girls this week, along with the association members of the Miss Rodeo America (MRA) organization. Each girl introduced themselves followed by Miss Rodeo America 2010, Kelli Jackson, asking them a question based on the applications they submitted. Erin answered her question with assurance and made “Team Wyoming” proud! Once Tracy Damrell, MRA President, dismissed the contestants, we helped move Erin into her hotel room. She will be sharing a room this week with Miss Rodeo Wisconsin. According to the schedule, Erin spent the rest of the afternoon trying on the clothes donated to each contestant from Wrangler, which they will wear during the Fashion Show and Coronation dance routines; along with learning the routines which they will perform on Wednesday and Saturday. Erin also took her written test and had the Foundation Dinner. The dinner was closed to the public but I am sure she had a wonderful time.

Today, Erin will be competing in the horsemanship portion of the competition, rehearsing for the Fashion Show and Coronation, and then relaxing at the Get Acquainted party later tonight.

Make sure to check out pageant pictures on John Shooter’s website, www.shooterenterprises.com. He is the official photographer for the MRA pageant and has taken many photos already! MRA also has a pageant blog and can be found on the MRA website, www.missrodeo.com. Make sure to text your vote for Erin for the People’s Choice Award. Information on how to do that can be found on the MRA website, along with information on how to send her a good luck message, or even flowers!!

Erin has a long but exciting six days in front of her. I am hoping to be able to post updates daily, but please bear with me! Thank you on behalf of Erin for the wishes, love, and prays this week!

Brittany Richards

Thanksgiving

Dear Wyoming,

Thanksgiving Day: A day to give thanks to all those who made my year possible, a day to spend with family eating so much turkey, I might not fit into my leather dresses…AND, the day before I leave for Las Vagas!! I can’t believe a year has gone by since I watched Allie compete!! This is IT!!

What an incredible year, filled with new people, fond memories and countless stories for years to come! It will be a year that I will look back at my entire life with fondness and gratitude for the blessings that have come my way! I am thankful for the opportunity to touch people’s lives and grateful for those who reached out and touched my heart.

Best of luck to all of the State Queens that I will soon see in the City of Lights! Although I wont have the ability to keep everyone updated, I have asked Brittany Richards to update the blog during the pageant!

Thank you all and God Bless Wyoming!!

Erin Heffron

A Successful Weekend!

Dear Wyoming,

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year! It’s especially wonderful in Alta! I’ve been lucky enough to be able to spend some time at home as my travel schedule slows down although my preparations for the Miss Rodeo America Pageant have accelerated! The 2010 regular season came to a close on September 30^th and the elite cowboys who qualified for the Wrangler NFR are making plans to head to City of Lights during the first two weeks of December.

Last weekend, I hit the road to Laramie and was on hand for the coronation of Brittany Richards, who will continue the legacy of excellence as Miss Rodeo Wyoming 2011! “We are Wyoming” was the appropriate theme for the fundraiser held at the Albany County Fairgrounds. Brittany and her coronation crew did a fantastic job decorating and gathering auction items. The dinner, which was prepared and donated by WyoTech was delicious! We even had entertainment for the coronation ceremony from a rodeo clown and a “stick horse grand entry!” Overall, the coronation was a huge success and the support was much appreciated!! A big thanks goes out to everyone who made Brittany’s coronation possible so that she will be able start her year off in style!!

Shortly after the festivities in Laramie, I packed up “Charlie” and we headed down to Sterling, Colorado for the Mountain States Circuit Finals Steer Roping! I joined Kasie Pigg, Miss Rodeo Colorado and we helped carry flags and cleared the arena as we watched our circuit cowboys battle for positions at the National Circuit Finals Steer Roping in Torrington, Wyoming. A big thanks to my friend, Chris Anderson who is also the Mountain States Steer Roping Representative who provided horses for Kasie and I. We had a blast during the short weekend and I am thankful to be able to go!

I have a few weeks off of traveling, so I will be working at getting ready for Miss Rodeo America! My next rodeo will be the Chris LeDoux Memorial Rodeo in Casper! I am looking forward to seeing my friends Donna and Tammy Vold –Larsen who own Triple V Rodeo!

Cheers!

Erin Heffron

Nebraska Spelled Backwards

Dear Wyoming,

How about those Husker fans!! I discovered the true meaning of Cornhusker Pride as I spent the weekend in Omaha, Nebraska for the Million Dollar Tour Championship held during Ak-Sar-Ben’s River City Round-up. Here is a fun fact for those of you who don’t know, Ak-Sar-Ben stands for Nebraska, spelled backwards! I guess that means that I should refer to Wyoming as Gnimoyw! It was a great rodeo and I was surrounded by great people!

I will fill you in on a few details to help illustrate how great this trip was!! Detail #1: I drove… all the way across the state of Wyoming…. And all the way across the state of Nebraska! Adding approximately 2098 miles to Charlie’s odometer! Detail #2: I took a detour to Fort Collins, Colorado to visit my dress designer, which means that I visited four states in four days; Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, and Nebraska! So, I guess it’s safe to say that I am pretty well-traveled! Detail #3: In Omaha, I met up with Miss Rodeo Nebraska, Michelle Boesheart; Miss Rodeo Iowa, Jordanne Blair; Miss Rodeo Ak-Sar-Ben, Morgan Marshall; and Gina Jespersen, Miss Rodeo Ak-Sar-Ben Lady-in-waiting. We also cheered on Miss Rodeo South Dakota, Mckenzie Haley who carried flags during the rodeo. While we didn’t ride during the rodeo, we had rewarding experiences visiting hospitals, schools, helping out at the Challenge Rodeo and dusting off mutton busters during the rodeos. Detail #4: This was one of the last big rodeos that counts toward qualifying for the Wrangler NFR. The cowboys who competed in Omaha, worked hard all summer and earned their spots to compete for the $750,000. This made for an especially great rodeo to watch and we had the best seats in the house! We also helped with the buckle presentations, and yes, I did get to shake Trevor Brazile’s hand while we presented him with his buckle!

I put some miles in my boots as we walked through downtown Omaha during the parade! I had a blast handing out candy and talking to the rodeo fans! We had some down time in between events, which gave us the chance to walk around the livestock show. I got to see day-old baby piglets, baby chicks and black lab puppies at the Nebraska Agriculture Commissioner’s booth!

As you can see, Omaha was well worth the 30 hours in the truck! I am looking forward to hearing who officially made it to the 2010 Wrangler NFR!

God Bless!!

Erin Heffron

Let 'er Buck!!

Dear Wyoming:

“Let ‘er Buck!” is a popular phrase for two different types of sports fans; UW football fans and Pendleton Round-up fans! I had a blast in Oregon and I made some great memories with 8 other state queens. Miss Rodeo Oregon, Ashley Ziegler organized a trip for us to tour Oregon and watch the 100^th anniversary of the Pendleton Round-up. Miss Rodeo North Dakota, Tiffany Kuntz; Miss Rodeo Florida, Heather Hall; Miss Rodeo Colorado, Kasie Pigg; Miss Rodeo Virginia, Anita Moorehead; Miss Rodeo Montana, Jourdan Han and Miss Rodeo Canada Princess, Dana Hansen joined me as we traveled across the state of Oregon in a 12-passenger van.

We started our tour in Portland and after visiting a children’s hospital, we took a trip up the beautiful Oregon coast to tour the Tillimook Cheese factory. What a treat!! We were able to see how the cheese was made and we even got to taste test some cheese and ice cream! That night we stayed 150 feet from the ocean in a beach house! Unfortunately for me and my adventurous side, it was raining and it was much too cold to swim in the ocean!

The next day was nice and relaxing for us to dress casual as we drove across the state to Pendleton. We were able to see the diverse landscape from rainforest to desert and we stopped at one of North America’s tallest waterfalls, Multonomah Falls! Of coarse we kept ourselves busy during the drive with karaoke and funny stories from our year together! It was a great day!!

Once in Pendleton, we paraded down the streets in wagons during the Westward Ho Parade! I had a blast riding in the wagon with North Dakota and Montana with our Belgian, Captain leading the way. For those of you who haven’t been to the Pendleton Round-up, I strongly suggest that you add it to your bucket list! What an awesome rodeo!! It can be compared to Cheyenne Frontier Days in that it’s completely different from any other rodeo but it's in a world of it’s own with the grass arena! I think it’s one of my favorite rodeos so far!! We didn’t have any duties at the rodeo, so we were able to watch as cowboys competed for one of their last chances to qualify for the Wrangler NFR! It was a world class rodeo!!

I was sad to leave Oregon knowing that I had so much fun but I plan on going back to Pendleton for another trip!!

God Bless!

Erin

A Tale of Two Trucks

On June 8^th, Dean Parker surprised me with a bright red 2010 Dodge Ram Megacab… But this wasn’t just any Megacab, it was one that I had the privilege to design! For those of you who haven’t had a chance to design a truck, I suggest you give it a try by visiting dodge.com, click on “build my own” and you will be able to add all the bells and whistles! Last October, I sat down with Dean to design my dream truck and I was overwhelmed with all the options! It was one thing to see it on paper and watch as the website virtually built my truck, but when I pulled up to Fremont Motors and saw the truck sitting in the parking lot, it almost took my breath away! This truck was loaded! From air-conditioned seats, a heated steering wheel, and a DVD player, this truck did not disappoint! I named this truck “LeRoy” and I enjoyed every mile with a smile! I was fortunate to be able to drive LeRoy for a total of 7,000 miles! I had some great memories in LeRoy including piling several state queens in the back during Cheyenne Frontier Days and showing LeRoy off during the Red Desert Round-up pre-show and parade in Rock Springs!

The Megacab is comparable to a first-class seat on an airplane. As a rodeo queen, the extra room always comes in handy! I brought LeRoy back to Fremont Motors in Rock Springs shortly after the Wyoming State Fair. Dean knew how much I loved the Megacab so he had another one waiting for me! Sitting in the parking lot was a brand new 2010 Dodge Ram Megacab! My, how I love my job!! My new truck is a light brown color so I decided to name it “Charlie Brown.” I am looking forward to making some more great memories with Charlie!

I had the chance to pull a horse trailer with both of these trucks and I am very impressed at the towing capabilities of Ram trucks! Of coarse this would not be possible without the incredible support of Dean Parker with Fremont Motors in Rock Springs! I cannot thank him and his team enough for taking such great care of me! Paired up with Nelson Engineering as my fuel sponsor, Fremont Motors has made this year a reality! Thank you Dean Parker and Holly Pratt for making me the coolest state queen on the road!

God Bless!

Erin

Evanston Cowboy Days

Dear Wyoming,

I hope everyone enjoyed the Labor Day Weekend! For me, Labor Day signifies the end of the summer, but this year is a little different. I spent a wonderful, warm weekend in Evanston at the 74^th anniversary of the Evanston Cowboy Days! A big thanks to the Committee who put on a great rodeo and took excellent care of me! I enjoyed getting to know the committee members as we all visited local schools and folded programs before the rodeo. I had a blast splashing in the pool during the live fish catch… I caught quite a few fish with my bare hands!! But I also got soaked when the bullfighter, Marc Gill, picked me up over his head and threw me in the water… twice!! Needless to say, I got him back with the help of Evanston Cowboy Days queen, LaChelle Lewis and her attendant, Heather Thompson.

The three rodeo performances were exceptional because we were able to see some of the PRCA’s top cowboys battle it out in the last four weeks of the regular rodeo season. This is a very exciting time to be following Professional Rodeo because the race to the Wrangler NFR is coming around the straight-away. It’s fun to watch the cowboys who are sitting on the “bubble” (16^th in the world standings, because the top 15 qualify for the WNFR) go all out to attain the ultimate, a chance at winning a Gold Buckle and the title of World Champion.

The newly crowned Miss Rodeo Utah, Martina Wardle joined us for the first two performances and it was great to see her! I had met her at Utah’s Rodeo Queen Boot Camp and I am excited to be able to travel with her before we get ready for Miss Rodeo America!!

As the summer comes to a close, I am diligently studying and preparing for Miss Rodeo America! I have a few more big trips in the near future as I get ready for the 100^th anniversary of the Pendleton Round-up and a tour of Oregon with Miss Rodeo Oregon as my tour guide! I am also looking forward to going to Omaha, Nebraska for the Million Dollar Tour Championships! The future looks bright indeed!!

Until next time,

God Bless,

Erin

Congratulations!!

Congratulations to all of the Miss Rodeo Wyoming 2011 contestants for such a great pageant!! The stakes were high and the competition was tough (I'm glad I wasn't a judge) but I am proud to say that Brittany Richards will carry on the legacy of greatness in our state next year!

Formerly Miss Butch Cassidy Days, Brittany hails from Laramie. I have had the chance to work with Brittany in the past and I know that she will do great things for Wyoming! Brittany has the work ethic and determination to accomplish her dreams which will help her inspire others to do the same!

I had a blast at the State Fair in Douglas and I wasn't sure if it was because I was on the other side of the competition, but I think it was because we had such a great group of girls! The eight young ladies from accross the state made their hometowns proud and it was fun to watch them grow throughout the pageant! I think that win or not, competing in rodeo queen pageants helps young ladies grow into beautiful confident women who embody western traditions! It also gives them the opporuinity to form friendships that last a lifetime! But above all, rodeo queens share a passion for the sport of rodeo and we are proud to call ourselves cowgirls!

After the State Fair, I dropped LeRoy off at Fremont Motors and although I will miss the bright red Dodge MegaCab, I was able to hop into a brand new 2010 3/4 ton Dodge MegaCab! It's beautiful and only had 26 miles on the odometer! Iam the luckiest girl in Wyoming, but it's all thanks to Dean Parker with Fremont Motors in Rock Springs!! I still have to come up with a name for this new one and I'm open to suggestions! Please visit the facebook group "Miss Rodeo Wyoming 2010" to add your ideas!

I am happy to be home for a week before heading to Evanston for Cowboy Days! My little brother, Tim just left for college and our house is pretty quiet without him! He is starting his freshman year at the University of Wyoming and although we miss him already, we know he will do great!!

Until next time,
God Bless Wyoming!
Erin

Sunshine and Summertime

Dear Wyoming,

Where oh where did the summer go?! It’s been an incredible two months so it’s going to be hard to summarize everything! I will try to list some highlights knowing that only a portion of the story is being told. The past two months found me in towns like Elizabeth, Colorado, Afton, Thermopolis, North Platte, Nebraska, Rock Springs, Douglas, Thermopolis (again), Cody, Laramie, Casper, Sheridan, Cheyenne, Rock Springs (again), Riverton and I am currently in Gillette. Each of these towns had a unique flavor and almost always a ridiculous funny story! For example, when I was in Thermopolis at the parade, I found myself leading the parade because the “stampede” of steers that was in front of the parade literally stampeded the streets, almost running over innocent parade goers. Or the time I was carrying the American flag in Sheridan and I almost ran over the band playing in the center of the arena… luckily I didn’t hit the trumpet player, but the look on his face was priceless!! I’ll never forget the whitewater trip in Cody or the ESPN crew catching Miss Rodeo America, Miss Cody Stampede and myself trying to climb the Cody sign!

These short stories are just a glimpse at my adventures as Miss Rodeo Wyoming, there is so much more that goes on underneath the jade crown. I’ve had the honor of carrying the American flag at many rodeos and it’s a feeling I can’t describe. Especially when I am aware of the Veterans and military personnel in attendance. I’ve had the opportunity to meet incredible people including world champions, award winning stock contractors and hall of fame cowboys. Even the volunteers on rodeo committees who have served up to 45 years are just as amazing as the world champions! I have discovered in the sport of rodeo, that work ethic speaks volumes between competitors and producers! Rodeo would not be what it is without the hard work of committees and contestants. Without a doubt, I am honored to represent such a great sport!

As the busy part of the summer slows, I will head home for the first time in three weeks and prepare to pass the jade crown to one of the eight beautiful contestants for Miss Rodeo Wyoming 2011. I will be honored to place this crown on the hats of either of these girls and I am confident that Wyoming will be very well represented next year! It’s hard to believe that it’s almost been a year since I won the title! I am looking forward to representing Wyoming at Miss Rodeo America! I will try to keep you updated on the rest of my travels!!

God Bless!

Erin

Old West Days, Jackson Hole Wyoming

Dear Wyoming,

Happy Memorial Day!! To me, this holiday has meant the beginning of summer… and we almost always kick it off with a lovely spring snowstorm! This year was no different, although this time it didn’t last long! I spent the weekend in Jackson for the Old West Days with a parade in downtown Jackson Hole and the start of the Jackson Hole Rodeo, which runs every Wednesday and Saturday throughout the summer.

My weekend started with a radio interview on Thursday morning with our local country station Q102. I was able to call into the station, which was nice because I was able to stay in my muck boots and chore jacket, as I sat in my truck in the driveway. I was excited to promote Old West Days in Jackson!

The festivities began on Saturday morning for the Old West Days Parade. The night before the parade, I took a walk down memory lane as I looked through old pictures of me at the Old West Days Parade. It was cool to see how far I’ve come as a young lady, and rodeo queen but also to see the underlying theme, chilly weather!

I enjoyed seeing the friendly faces of the Teton County Fair and Rodeo Queen Court-- Queen, Desiree Bridges, Senior Princess, Kayla Key, Junior Princess, Madison Wilkerson, PeeWee Princess, Jordan Bauer. We braved the chilly Jackson weather as we paraded downtown in the last horse-drawn parade in America! This means that they focus more on horses in the parade and they don’t allow vehicles that are newer than 1960. It was great seeing hometown faces and it was a little surreal as they announced my name as Miss Rodeo Wyoming, a dream that I’ve had since the my first Old West Days Parade! A big thanks to Desiree Bridges for providing a horse for me for the parade!

It’s been a long-standing tradition for my family to climb Snow King after the OWD Parade. Snow King is a one of the big mountains that makes up Jackson’s Hole and the trail to the top is approximately 2.3 miles! It is a ski hill in the winter and a nice hiking trail in the summer. Those of you who know me and how much I love a challenging workout, can see me running up the trail, queen hair and all!! (It’s true! I’ve done it for the last few years!) But unfortunately, my mom injured her knee and my uncle and cousins backed out because of the weather, so I gave into peer pressure and decided not to make the trip solo.

We were able to visit with some good family friends, the Fuchs family and we had a barbeque until the rodeo. AJ Fuchs, the 2009 National High School All Around Cowboy, let me borrow his new heading horse to carry the American Flag at the rodeo! What a nice horse! We had a special grand entry in honor of Memorial Day and I was humbled to bring the huge flag into the arena! I had a blast at the rodeo teaming up with Desiree Bridges to visit fans in the stands and sign autographs, Teton County is also well represented!!

I am preparing for a busy summer, and I’m getting ready to head to the Elizabeth Stampede in Elizabeth, Colorado next weekend! Best Wishes!

God Bless,

Erin Heffron

Miss Rodeo Wyoming 2010

Jackson Hole Therapeutic Riding Center

Dear Wyoming:

Greetings from the beautiful, yet snowy Alta, Wyoming! I’ve been watching the snow weigh down the new leaf buds and the birds feast on worms in the dirt road. It’s hard to believe that summer is just around the corner! But as I check my travel schedule, I am reminded of just how busy I will be in the next few months. I am eagerly looking foreword to it!!

I just wanted to fill you in on the latest happenings in the life of Miss Rodeo Wyoming. Although the month of May has been rather slow as far as rodeos are concerned, I have been busy volunteering my time at the Jackson Hole Therapeutic Riding Center. What a treat it has been!! I have been a fill-in volunteer for the last few years but this is the first time that I have been able to volunteer a full session.

I go over to Jackson regularly every Tuesday and Wednesday. It is definitely the highlight of my week! I work with three classes on Tuesdays and one on Wednesdays. In that time I have gotten to know the incredible staff and built relationships with the wonderful riders! It reminds me of the Special Kids Rodeos that are held in conjunction with some PRCA Rodeos, except I have the chance to get to know the kids I work with! The PRCA sets up the Special Kids Rodeos for kids with disabilities to come in and interact with rodeo contestants and queens while learning about the rodeo events. That has been my favorite part of many rodeos this year, and volunteering at the Jackson Hole Therapeutic Riding Center is a great privilege!

I usually dress up with my hat and crown when I go to JHTRA and the kids have gotten so used to it, they don’t know who I am without it! One of the little boys that I was working with said, “Boy, Erin, I don’t even recognize you without your crown!!” Ever since then, I have dressed up and he is a happy camper!

As a Kinesiology major, I have considered going into Hippotherapy, which is a physical, occupational, and speech-language therapy treatment strategy that utilizes equine movement. The movement of the horse provides multidimensional movement patterns, which are rhythmic and repetitive. I’m sure all of us have experienced this effect when we ride, but sometimes we take that for granted. Each time I see the smile that comes to the rider’s faces as they step on their horses, I am reminded of how much I love my job!

God Bless,

Erin Heffron

UW College Rodeo

Dear Wyoming:

I always love visiting Laramie and the UW College Rodeo was a good excuse for Obadiah and I to take to the roads! I arrived in Laramie the day before the rodeos started so I could visit elementary schools and some of my old friends and teammates. I was in for a treat on Friday as I visited two schools and four classrooms. Thanks to Brittany and Chris Richards, I visited first, fourth and fifth grade classes at Spring Creek Elementary and then went to Indian Paintbrush Elementary to visit Susan Branch’s first grade class. We talked about the sport of rodeo and I even brought a stick horse so we could have a pretend barrel race in class! I had so much fun visiting schools, for a brief moment, I considered changing my major to elementary education… but I think I’ll stick with Kinesiology!

The UW Rodeo kicked off on Friday night with the first performance. Chyann Howard, from the UW rodeo team let me ride her horse, “Dink” to carry sponsor flags. He didn’t exactly live up to his name because he was really fun to ride! Brittany Richards, Miss Butch Cassidy Days joined me to carry flags and we had a great time! The beautiful Kim Kuhn helped us organize flags and we watched as future and some current professional rodeo cowboys competed in the last college rodeo in the Central Rocky Mountain Region. The rodeo had one round and the top 8 proceeded on to the final round on Sunday. On Sunday, for the final performance, Miss Laramie Jubilee, Dani Gilgen helped carry flags with me and it was great to see her! The rodeo was a great opportunity for UW students to take a break from studying for finals and each performance, we had a great crowd!

Overall, the trip was a success and I am excited to hear how our UW Cowboys and Cowgirls do at the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming! Go Pokes!

Cheers!

Erin Heffron

Miss Rodeo Wyoming 2010

The Latest

Dear Wyoming:

My! How time flies when you’re having fun!! It’s been a little while since I last wrote so I will have to summarize the latest episodes in my journey as Miss Rodeo Wyoming.

The month of March found me in Ogden, Utah for the Rodeo Queen Boot Camp. The name says it all in the rodeo queen world, as it is the basic course for Rodeo Queens. I’ve had the opportunity to attend this clinic for the last two years, so this year, I switched it up a little and attended the judging clinic which was a rigorous course in pageant judging. My mom attended the clinic with me and we learned everything from judging horsemanship to personality. We came away from boot camp better equipped to judge pageants and help others improve. In addition to the great clinic experience, one of the big events during the clinic was the Fashion Show. Since I had been a boot camp student a few times, the coordinators asked me to be in the fashion show!! It was quite an experience to model with the best of the best that Utah has to offer!! I also enjoyed seeing other state queens at boot camp including, Idaho, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin as well as Miss Rodeo America, Kelli Jackson.

Meet OOOOOOOH-badiah!! A 2008 jet black 2500 Dodge Ram truck. Dean Parker, with Fremont Motors in Rock Springs likes to surprise me with the color and I couldn’t be happier! I had traveled a total of 5717 miles with Louie and it was time for him to go down the road and back to Fremont Motors. I will miss Louie, but I sure am excited for Obadiah!! My experience with Obadiah thus far has been tremendous and I like to think that this diesel truck is so powerful, it could climb the Grand Teton!! If you’re interested in purchasing this great vehicle, give me a callJ.

From March 19-12, I was in Douglas Wyoming hosting the Miss Rodeo Wyoming Clinic. I’m sure all the 25 girls in attendance would agree with me that it was a great weekend!! We had the chance to learn from the best as Maegan Ridley, Miss Rodeo America 2009 as well as other former Miss Rodeo Wyomings’ took the time to teach us the tricks of the trade! Suzanne Stewart, who coordinated the clinic, did a fantastic job and we are grateful for her expertise! For those of you who keep up with the Association, please keep Suzanne in your prayers as she recovers from surgery and has relocated to New Mexico. She will be greatly missed as a part of Wyoming Women but her friendship will continue for years to come! During the clinic, we had the chance to stay in the dorms on the Wyoming State Fair Grounds and we were happy to have the opportunity to get to know each other better! Overall, the clinic was a success and the future of Miss Rodeo Wyoming looks bright indeed!!

I had a few weeks off the road during the months of March and April; which gave me the opportunity to prepare for Miss Rodeo America as well as volunteer some of my time. Since I am planning on furthering my education by going to Physical Therapy school, I have been volunteering at a local Physical Therapy clinic as well as a therapeutic riding facility in Jackson. My time has been well spent and I am thankful for the opportunity to give back!

I have been going to the DNCFR since I was little so it was an awesome experience to be a part of it this year as Miss Rodeo Wyoming. I arrived in Pocatello a few days early so I could watch the DNCFR Queen contest and spend time with a good friend of mine, Allie Bohus. Since I was there early, I had the chance to do a few radio interviews and even a TV interview with KIDK News Channel 6! Miss Rodeo Idaho, Measha Gittins and I tagged along with the Dodge Queens at the beginning of the week and were later joined by the rest of the state queens.

The week was filled with hospital and school visits and incredible rodeo performances. The 17 state queens in attendance had the chance to carry sponsor flags during the rodeos as well as sell programs to eager rodeo fans. We watched the best competitors vie for the final prize of a $20,000 voucher to use towards a Dodge vehicle! The most memorable moment for me was when Ryan Gray won the bareback title. My mom is really good friends with his aunt and we were sitting with his family when the score of 90 showed up on the scoreboard! It was very exciting as his cousin called his wife to tell her the news! Way to go Ryan!

Soon after the final performance in the Holt Arena in Pocatello, my mom and I drove to Green River to judge the Sweetwater County Queen Contest. We judged alongside former Miss Rodeo Wyoming Stacie Kline-Thompson and boy did we have a tough decision! The four girls did a great job and a big congratulations goes out to Chrissy Wilmetti, the new queen and her princess Shaylee Mets. Sweetwater County is very well represented!

I then headed to the thriving town of Torrington, Wyoming for the first ever National Circuit Finals Steer Roping. I had a blast as the 24 contestants competed on 5 head of cattle for the title of Circuit Finals Champion! A big thanks to Harold Bumgartner who provided me with three awesome horses to carry flags and chase cattle. Oklahoma cowboy, Ralph Williams took away the title with his consistency and patience! I really enjoyed getting to know the contestants and I was honored to be a part of the fist NCFSR in Wyoming!

Most recently, I took a road trip to Douglas, Wyoming for the first ever Big Wyoming Horse Expo. I was blown away by the talent and resources that Wyoming has in the horse industry! From flashy appaloosas to hot blooded Arabians and dependable quarter horses, Wyoming has it all! It was fun to visit the different vendors at the trade show and watch the informative free clinics. I met some incredible people and I’m excited for the bright future of the Big Wyoming Horse Expo!

My next journey will take me to Laramie for the University of Wyoming College rodeo. I have elementary school visits planned in addition to carrying sponsor flags and helping out at the rodeo. I look forward to returning back to my old stomping grounds at UW and I will write to let you all know how it went!!

Until next time!

God Bless!

Erin Heffron

The Sunshine State!!

Frog legs, alligator tail… and Mickey Mouse? Yep, we did it all in the Sunshine State of Florida! Equipped with my hat, crown and banner, I flew out of Idaho Falls early on the morning of February 15^th. I carried my chaps and an arena shirt in my hat box and I got some funny stares as I was walking through the airport! I guess I stood out in the crowd of travelers! During the flight from Denver to Orlando, I was treated like royalty by the flight attendants and passengers, they even announced my name over the intercom of the plane!!

When I arrived in Orlando, I was welcomed by Miss Rodeo Florida, Heather Hall and we were soon joined by Miss Rodeo Virginia, Anita Moorhead, Miss Rodeo Idaho, Measha Gittins, and Miss Rodeo Oregon, Ashley Zeigler. It took us a while to get acclimated to the palm trees and lack of snow, but all of us were very excited to be in Florida!! There were five of us that stayed at Miss Rodeo Florida’s house, which is about twenty minutes from Kissimmee, home to the Silver Spurs Rodeo.

            When we arrived at Heather’s house, we were greeted by a pack of dogs and a “swamp buggy.” Now, the “swamp buggy” is a type of motorized vehicle that I had never seen in Wyoming! It looks like a cross between a monster truck and a topless jeep and as we discovered, it wasn’t afraid to drive across deep rivers and swamps, hence the name “swamp buggy!” Heather’s dad took us for a spin behind the house in search of hogs and gators… while we didn’t see either, we did see quite a few deer and lots of cows!! It may surprise you to know that Florida is cattle country!!            We didn’t find any hogs that night but we did catch an armadillo!! It was quite an experience!!

            The next day more state queens and a few local queens joined us as we visited two elementary schools. We had fun acting out some of the rodeo events and answering questions. The surrounding area schools participate in “Rodeo Day” when they actually get out of school on Friday and go to the rodeo!! It is a great idea and the kids loved learning about rodeo!

            We dressed up for the evening and went to the Miss Silver Spurs Pageant held in Kissimmee. I was very impressed with all of the contestants who worked hard and made their parents and community very proud. The Silver Spurs court traveled with us to visit schools and represented did a great job representing their rodeo!

            The next few days were filled with school visits in the morning and activities at night. We had a total of 14 state queens, Miss Rodeo America, Miss Rodeo Canada, Miss Rodeo Canada Princess and the Silver Spurs Court. All together there was a swarm of about 25 queens!! That is a lot of glitter, lip stick and fringe!! We went out to lunch at the famous “Catfish Place” and exercised our taste buds with frog legs, gator tail, turtle, and catfish! I came to the conclusion that frog legs actually do taste like chicken and gator tail goes great with tartar sauce!! We had a bonfire one night and roasted marshmallows and Starburst candy. If you haven’t tried roasted Starburst, I strongly recommend trying it because it is warm and gooey in the middle and a little hard and crunchy on the outside!! However, we may have a few months before we have ideal “Starburst roasting weather” in Wyoming!!

            On Thursday night, we went out for an adventure in the Florida wilderness hunting for hogs! We all piled on three different swamp buggies and set out in search of the wild piggies. Once again, we didn’t see any hogs (I think it may be a lie, Florida doesn’t really have hogs because both times we went out, we didn’t see any hogs!!) But we sure had fun and I actually got to drive the swamp buggy!! It was a lot like driving Louie through the snow in Wyoming… except I had much bigger tires!! As soon as the sun went down, it got very cold!! It might be hard to believe but Florida weather is pretty unpredictable! We were happy that we brought warm jackets and blankets but as soon as we got back, we had another bonfire and were able to warm up!

            The next morning we drove down the road to the lake where we hopped into airboats and sped around in search of gators!! This time we found what we were looking for!! We even got close enough to an 11-foot long gator that we could touch it from the boat! We were able to see one of the oldest trees in Florida as well as a multitude of wildlife surrounding the lake… including cows wading through the swampy areas!

            The rodeo started on Friday at the Silver Spurs Arena. The Osceola County Fair was held in conjunction with the rodeo and it took me a while to get used to the idea of having a county fair in February!  Local cowboys and cowgirls provided us with horses and I can only imagine how hard it would be to find 15 horses for all of the visiting queens so we were very grateful! Our job in the grand entry was to carry our state flags and I was honored to enter the arena with the Wyoming flag! After the grand entry we had the opportunity to visit sponsor boxes and mingle with rodeo fans who were eager to meet us and learn about the sport.

            Saturday morning found us basking in the sunshine on the beach! We waded out into the water a little but even for a Wyoming girl, it was cold! Miss Rodeo South Dakota, California, Utah and I went for a long walk on the beach to a visit a peer. I will have to say that we got a little sunburn, but I was happy to return home with some color in February!

            The rodeo on Saturday was especially great because my grandparents came to see me! They live most of the year in Wisconsin, but migrate to Florida in the winters and luckily for me, they don’t live very far from Kissimmee! My grandpa was so excited that he told anyone who would listen that his granddaughter is Miss Rodeo Wyoming! It was so great to see them both!

            We woke up early on Sunday morning and made it in time for Cowboy Church at the Silver Spurs Arena! There was a lot to be thankful that morning! We were employed to help at the Special Rodeo, which was one of the coolest experiences! I had never done a Special Rodeo before but I was reminded how much I love the sport of rodeo when I saw the looks on the kid’s faces!

            The final rodeo on Sunday was in the middle of the day, which was fun because it was in the 70’s! I felt like it was the middle of the summer in Wyoming… minus the palm trees!! Florida is part of the Southeastern Circuit and although it may be far from the Mountain States Circuit, I was surprised at how many Wyoming and Colorado cowboys came to bask in the sun and compete in one of the largest rodeos east of the Mississippi River!!

            After the rodeo we were presented with the opportunity to go to Disney World!! A generous family that we met at the rodeo offered us 8 free tickets! We didn’t have very much time to spend at Disney World but we made the most of our time. We rode a roller coaster twice, the Tower of Terror twice and we still had time afterwards to go shopping! It was an awesome experience, one that I certainly wont forget!!

            I left Florida with a little sunburn and a big smile on my face! It was incredible!! A big thanks to my sponsors who helped send me to Florida, and show this Wyoming girl the Sunshine State!

Dear Wyoming:

Happy Valentine's Day!! Love is certainly in the air and as I travel around the state, I fall deeper in love with the great state of Wyoming!! This weekend, I had the opportunity to travel up to Gillette for the Winter Western Pro-Rodeo. What a trip!! My mom accompanied Louie and me and I greatly appreciated her help and companionship during the 8 hour drive!! 

We left Alta early on Friday morning in a snow storm. I have always liked to live on the wild side so we took a tour of Wyoming by going up through Thermopolis, Ten Sleep and Worland on our way to Gillette. I absolutely love that part of the state and we got to see a multitude of wildlife as we drove through the canyons!!

The funny part of our journey was when we decided that Louie needed a bath before arriving in Gillette... So my mom and I took him through a touch-less car wash in Worland. It was quite an adventure to begin with, but to add to it, we either didn't notice or didn't pay attention to the storm clouds that loomed ahead of us... Well, we got a few miles up the road with Louie looking nice and shiny and before we knew it, Louie was caked with mud and ice from the snow storm that we drove through! I guess we learned a valuable lesson: Don't wash the truck until we get to our destination!! 

The rodeo on Friday night was excellent!! I enjoyed riding a horse named Mick, owned by Hank and Lori Franzen, and I was honored to carry the American flag in the grand entry! I was joined by three other queens: Tashayla Storbeck, Wyoming High School Queen, Caitlyn DeNayer, Miss Rodeo Crook County and Laramie Noyce, Crook County Princess, and we had  a blast carrying sponsor flags and clearing cattle for the timed events! We also enjoyed watching some of Wyoming's finest cowboys and cowgirls compete on the great Wyoming stock provided by the Powder River Rodeo Company!!

My mom and I were able to stay with a friend of ours, Donna Ricks, who lives down the road in Moorcroft. Donna is a former 4-H leader and was our neighbor in Alta before she moved to Moorcroft. She lives on the Burch Rodeo Ranch and she gave us a tour of the operation which is run by her brother and nephew. It was cool to see what it takes to be a top stock contractor for the PRCA!

Donna also took us to see Devils Tower on Saturday morning!! My mom and I had never been to Devil's Tower so it was a great experience!! Especially since it was snowing like crazy!! We even walked all the way around the tower... trudging through the snow!! I took some great pictures and I will look back at this experience for a long time!!

I am grateful for the wonderful hospitality that we received in Gillette both from the Powder River Rodeo Company and the community of Gillette!! I look foreword to my next trip to that part of the state!! In the meantime... I am thinking warm weather and sunglasses as I gear up for my trip to Florida!!  

Until next time...

God Bless,

Erin Heffron

Miss Rodeo Wyoming 2010

Dear Wyoming:

It may be cold here in Rapid City, South Dakota, but we have been cooking up a storm at the Black Hills Stock Show!! I have been here in South Dakota for almost a week and we have been busy!!

We started the week off with the Seminole Hard Rock Xtreme Bulls Tour Stop. It was two nights of action packed bull riding as we watched South Dakota native Clay Hindman win the event. It was fun to see the South Dakotan fans cheering on a hometown cowboy! I helped carry flags along with three other state queens, Miss Rodeo South Dakota (Mckenzie Haley), Miss Rodeo Iowa (Jordanne Blaire), and Miss Rodeo Virginia (Anita Moorehead). 

The rest of the week has been very eventful as we went from school visits and hospital tours to visiting Mt. Rushmore!! We even went to an indoor waterpark and splashed down the waterslides!! There are a total of 9 state queens here for the rodeo this weekend. South Dakota, Idaho, Oregon, New Mexico, Virginia, North Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa are all represented by some great young ladies of rodeo! We have had a blast getting to know each other!!

Tonight was our first rodeo and it was very exciting!! It was Tough Enough To Wear Pink night so it was cool to see a sea of pink both in the arena and in the stands. The T.E.T.W.P. program is a great program that provides breast cancer awareness and research. With the help of the rodeo community, we have raised over 5 million dollars!!

We had the opportunity to carry flags after each event. My horse's name is Petey and he and I are good buddies!! The Sutton Rodeo Company supplies each of us with great horses and has provided us with rooms to stay for the week! During the rodeo we got to watch great competitors like Jason Havens and Taos Muncy and we were entertained by the one and only Keith Isley. It was a great rodeo and I look foreword to a fun filled weekend at the Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo!!!

Cheers!

Erin Heffron

Miss Rodeo Wyoming 2010

My First Official Rodeo

Jan 14^th

Dear Wyoming:

Ready, set, go… and the gun goes off for the race of my year as Miss Rodeo Wyoming at the National Western Stock Show! I just got back from my first official rodeo in Denver and it will be a night to remember!! Although I have been to hundreds of rodeos, carried many flags and picked up multiple mutton busters, tonight was special because I proudly wore the jade crown of my lovely homestate!!

            Today started off early with an elementary school visit with Miss Rodeo Colorado, Miss Rodeo North Dakota, Miss Rodeo Wisconsin and Miss Rodeo America. We had the opportunity to share our passion for the sport with eager young kids from the Denver area. I was impressed at how attentive they were to listen to us!

            Once we arrived back at the stock show, we met up with Miss Rodeo Nebraska and went to award the junior champion market goat award. Although we didn’t get to see the whole show, I know how much work went into preparing for the show so I appreciated the young girl who won the award.

            We added more queens to our group as Miss Rodeo Mississippi and Miss Rodeo Utah joined us for the rodeo. We arrived at the arena an hour early and we were very eager to put on our chaps for the first time!! Words cannot express the excitement that we felt as we were announced on the floor of the rodeo arena. It was great to be able to share this experience with girls who are as passionate and excited about rodeo as I am!!

            Cervi Championship Rodeo provided wonderful steeds for us to carry sponsor flags. I was very impressed at how efficient the rodeo producers were in getting us into the arena and then opening the chutes for the competitors as soon as we exited. From the opening ceremony to the final bull that bucked, the rodeo was very well run.

            My first rodeo was an indescribable experience only to be followed by many more!!

 

God Bless!

Erin Heffron

Miss Rodeo Wyoming 2010