Well Wyoming, I have rested up and am about to hit the air again for my next big adventure! Before I get to what I have coming up, I want to catch you up on what I have been doing. While I have had a bit of a break this month from traveling, I sure haven't taken a break from representing the best state and the best sport!
I ended the month of February celebrating my 25th birthday with friends! I came down with the "Queen Cold" which has been passed from one state queen to another so a quiet evening of board games, chicken Alfredo, and cake was just what the doctor ordered!
I started March by reading to a kindergarten and first grade class for Read Across America Celebrity Reads. I had fun telling them about rodeo and the places I have traveled.
I then packed my bags and headed to my second home in Wyoming, Cody. I came into Cody and got to my first order of business. I went to the rodeo station to record ads for the 74th Cody Stampede. I am pretty excited for this year's celebration June 30-July4! I was then on hand with Miss Cody Stampede 2010 Kiley Boe to crown the new Cody Stampede court. I was
honored to be asked to set the horsemanship pattern on a horse borrowed from Jozie Tarr. Thank you Jozie! It was fun to see the enthusiasm of the girls competing. It was also fun to see Bailie Allshouse crowned as Miss Cody Stampede 2011. When I served as Miss Cody Stampede 2008, Bailie was my Sr. Princess. It warmed my heart to know how hard she has worked to wear the crown of the queen and I know she will do everything she can to represent Cody! Congratulations to all the girls who will be serving as Cody representatives. All of the girls and I then rode the Cody Trolley during the St. Patrick's Days parade. It was my first parade as Miss Rodeo Wyoming and was a blast!! On my way back to Laramie I stopped in Thermopolis to talk to a few girls who are just starting their journey to becoming rodeo queens.
At the radio station
Some of my friends in Cody, Wyoming
The judges and Fender
On my horse before the horsemanship portion of the pageant
Setting the pattern
The 2011 Miss Cody Stampede Court
Before the parade
The following weekend I had a chance to travel with my parents to an event. This was the first time all year I was able to ride in a car with them as I represented Wyoming. We headed to Douglas to the Miss Rodeo Wyoming clinic. Stacy Jo Berger and her mom, Lindy Johnson, put on the clinic. The girls in attendance did a great job absorbing all of the information given to them. Based on their performance at the clinic, I know the job of rodeo queen will be in good hands! Thank you to Erin Heffron, Allie Bass, Crystal Meyers, Stacy Jo Berger, Megan Grieve (horsemanship instructor) and everyone on the Miss Rodeo Wyoming Association who helped put this clinic together!
Talking about ways to study
Practicing patterns on stick horses
Thank you Ashley Tillard for letting me borrow your horse "Liberty"!
All of the girls at the clinic
Once home, I spoke at the Laramie Rotary club about my year so far as Miss Rodeo Wyoming. They enjoyed hearing my stories and were amazed at my growth over the years. Since my dad is an active member, I have been speaking to this group of people for many years. They have all supported me in one way or another during my journey to becoming Miss Rodeo Wyoming.
After the meeting, I packed up my truck and headed to grandma and grandpa's in Sundance, Wyoming. It was so fun getting to see them and have some of grandma's cooking. You will never have a bad meal with grandma at the stove! I also met my grandpa's new snowblower, "John". And I bet you can guess what kind it is.....yep, a John Deere, with a heated seat even! After a short overnight visit, I headed to Rapid City, SD to visit one of my new sponsors, Star of the West Hat Company. Brad presented me with my very first custom hat! I will proudly wear this 20x chocolate brown hat during my year, and for years after. While there I also gained the support of Chance Anderson of Anderson Custom Leather. Joining forces with Chance and Brad, I have something pretty special planned for the Miss Rodeo America pageant in November. You will have to stay tuned to find out the surprise!
Chance and Brad at Star of the West Hat Company
Last time I was in Rapid City, SD was for the Black Hills Stock Show. During that week, I took a bunch of the queens to Wendy's. When we left, I forgot my favorite mittens! I didn't realize I forgot them there until I got home to Laramie. So during my latest trip to Rapid City, I thought I would try my luck to see if they still had them. To my surprise, they did!! I now have my favorite mittens back!
So that brings us up to today. I spent the day packing everything I could into two suitcases and making sure I didn't go over the 50 lbs. weight limit. I am heading to Oklahoma City, OK for the Dodge National Circuit Finals rodeo. This will be the first time it is held in OK, so I am excited to be apart of history! While in OK, I will be joined by 20 other state rodeo queens! We will all compete in a trap shoot "Shootout". Our team members will be the cowboys from our circuit. Allie Bass, Miss Rodeo Wyoming 2009, took me out the other day to teach me the ropes! After the rodeo on Sunday, some of us queens will catch a flight to Salt Lake City, UT where Miss Rodeo Idaho's family will pick us up and drive us to Pocatello, ID for the Western Frontier Pro Rodeo. Packing for two trips at once is quite the task, but I feel confident in my puzzle piece packing! I will return home with stories, pictures, and maybe even some video clips!
Thank you all for reading and it's time to fasten my seatbelt and make sure my seat-back is all the forward and my tray is in the up and locked position! It's going to be a wild ride!
Brittany
