Aerial view of the Wyoming Vs. Nebraska Football game
I last left you wrapping up the Miss Rodeo Wyoming 2012 Pageant. Once I returned home, I just kept my bags packed since I headed back to my second home of Wyoming, Cody. I was on hand during the Cody Nite Rodeo Finals. For those of you who have not experienced this summer tradition in Cody, a community is formed every night at the Cody Stampede Rodeo grounds. Cowboys and cowgirls move their campers, trailers, and horses to Cody for three months while they compete in 90 nights of rodeo. Nikki and Maury Tate of Mo Betta Rodeo produce the rodeo, and every night they bring in stock that would challenge the toughest rodeo athletes. The best part of the Cody Nite Rodeo is the bond that everyone there creates. At the end of August, the top athletes in each event compete for the Average title and secure the year end championship. They competed in a three day finals, and the last night ended the rodeo just as they started, freezing cold temperatures and wind that would put the "Windy City" to shame! After each event I interviewed the Average Champion in the arena presenting them with their trophy belt buckle. The pride and sense of accomplishment was shared by everyone in that arena. Congratulations to all of the contestants this year, and we will see you next year, June 1st for the 2012 Cody Nite Rodeo season.
Talking with Nikki Tate about the opening. All the contestants were riding in just like the WNFR! It got a bit wild at times!
It's always an honor to carry the American Flag into the arena that means so much to me!
Team Roping brothers, Rider (left) and Roper (right) (my mom was Rider's teacher)
Laramie Collins, Saddle Bronc and Bullrider (also served as a bull fighter a few times)
Hadley Tate, Jr. Barrel racer (watch out for this girl in the pros!!)
Chance Madsen, Bareback riderI then trucked my way back across the state to Evanston, Wyoming for the Cowboy Days Labor Day Weekend rodeo. My sponsor hotel, Days Inn of Evanston, took amazing care of me while I made Evanston my home! The first morning, I met up with the royalty members, bullfighter Marc Gill, barrelman Randee Munns, announcer Mike Brems, and members of the rodeo committee. We made our way to various elementary schools explaining the sport of rodeo to the kids, and giving them each a free ticket to the rodeo. I also had a chance to have a radio interview with Mike Brems and the president of the committee. It is always fun getting a chance to do promotion work for rodeos! It was also pretty fun getting to see my cousins at their school! I made sure to pick them out and say hi. I think their classmates were pretty jealous of them. All morning, Marc Gill reminded me that Miss Rodeo Wyoming is the first one to get dunked at the live fish catch later that weekend. And he continued to remind me all weekend! Finally came the time for the live fish catch. With our tiaras and matching shirts, the royalty members and I plotted against Marc. We were all on our toes that morning! Two girls let their guards down, but then, after one failed attempt to get Marc soaked, we all grabbed the bags the kids were using to catch their fish, we filled them up with water, as if helping the kids catch the fish, then ran over and dumped all of our bags onto him. SUCCESS!! Marc was drenched from head to toe, and believe it or not, I was still dry! It wasn't until I let my guard down on the LAST child in the pool, helping her catch a fish, that Marc got me. He very nicely placed me face first in the pool. Even though I ended up in fishy water, I feel I won since instead of being the first one wet, I was the last one! The rodeo that weekend was great! Everyone was so nice and I really bonded with the royalty there. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard at making this such a treasured community event. After the last rodeo performance I said my goodbyes and prepared to head home. I waited at the gas station for 45 minuets waiting to fuel up, but finally made it out of town. It was sad leaving Evanston, but I know, I will be back!
Pre-Fish CatchTop Left to right : Indy Anna Jones, Me, Shawnessa Soule
Bottom Left to right: Crystal Schleichardt, Katelynd Kallas
Group Photo (See Marc plotting?)
Learning how to catch the fish, RIGHT after this photo I caught a fish then it jumped out of my hands and hit Indy right in the face. Great way to start!
Sunday Night Rodeo with Queen Crystal Schleichardt
Labor Day Rodeo Grand EntryWhen I was in high school, I participated in GAPP, German American Partnership Program. It is an exchange program where a group of about 20 American students from Laramie visits a school in southern Germany for a month, and then the following year a group of 20 students from that German high school visit our high school for a month. My family has been a host family for over 10 years. This year, the German students were visiting Laramie. I had actually met one of the exchange students in Evanston at the rodeo! I was asked to come in and teach the kids about rodeo, so I gathered up three of my rodeo friends, Trey Wasserburger (bareback rider), Travis Darling (saddle bronc rider), and Cody Tarr (bull rider), and we explained rodeo. They brought in their gear and I showed them photos of each event. The kids could not understand why these guys would want to compete in rodeo after all the injuries they had. They enjoyed it though, and I now think rodeo has 20 more fans!
While the rodeo community was heading to Omaha, Nebraska for the Justin Boots Championship, I headed back to Cody, Wyoming and my home at the Antler Inn. They have graciously donated a hotel room to me each time I have come to Cody since the Fourth of July. This trip to Cody wasn't for a rodeo, but for the Cody High Style Fashion show. I was honored to wear the designs of Rockmount, Kippy, and Tasha Polozzi. It was pretty scary stepping out onto that stage for the first show! Ask me to hold a microphone and talk to these people, no problem, but they wanted me to walk in front of them! I almost thought I couldn't do it! And when I turned away from the stage, I saw my two news friends there and I knew I could do it! I walked that runway like crazy! And had a blast doing it! The next day I was able to walk in the downtown fashion show. I was asked to wear an original 1948 rodeo queen outfit from one of the museums downtown, The Red Pony Museum. It was pretty fun walking down the runway in a metallic orange outfit and wooly orange chinks. I then made a super fast outfit changed and walked the runway for the Col. Cody's Wild West Gift Emporium. I had so much fun! Thank you Kim Richard for including me in on this event. It is one I will ALWAYS remember!
Rehearsal (Thank you Dewy Vanderhoff for the photos!)
Rockmount
Tasha Polozzi coat
My two new Cody Friends, all wearing Kippy
Needed help getting into the outfit!!
Dewey thought this was a GREAT time to get as many pictures as he could of this!
But the work was all worth it!
Outfit for Col. Cody Wild West Emporium
Then, on November 6th, 2011 at the University of Wyoming Hansen Arena, in the meeting/dining room, I will be having my Send Off Party. Things will begin at 2pm and include showing of my outfits for the Miss Rodeo America pageant, presentation of my speech, and numerous impromptu questions. I will also be having a small auction featuring Wyoming Made products. There will be a $5 donation at the door, appetizers, desserts, and a cash bar. I am accepting RSVPs to the following email address, missrodeowyoming2011@live.com.
Offical Miss Rodeo America contestant photoFor more information on the Miss Rodeo America Pageant go to: Miss Rodeo America Pageant
I am now busy getting things ready for the Miss Rodeo America pageant held in Las Vegas December 3-10, 2011. I am studying, riding, working out, curling my hair, and remembering how much I have loved my journey this year. It was been worth every late night and early morning!
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