Crazy Summer Part 1

In a nutshell my summer has been a crazy ride! I know it’s been a while since I have written you all and I am sorry. I hope you all have had an amazing summer and are starting to gear up for fall. I have traveled over 5,000 miles all around the state of Wyoming, and have enjoyed every minute of it. Cody, Casper, Sheridan, Laramie, Cheyenne, Rock Springs, Jackson, Riverton, and Gillette…all in about forty days! I feel like being Miss Rodeo Wyoming is the best job out there. I have met some amazing people, ridden a lot of different horses, and seen some crazy rodeo action.

            Cody Stampede started off my summer run and boy did it start with a bang. 4 days of rodeo, lots of visiting queens from across the country, whitewater rafting and lots of fun! I have always loved coming to the Stampede, and coming as Miss Rodeo Wyoming was an amazing experience.

            My next trip took me to Sheridan for the WYO Rodeo. I came in a day early to do a little photo shoot with the famous Diana Volk! We got some amazing shots that day and I cant wait to show you all! The rodeo was a blast, some pretty famous cowboys and cowgirls came through Sheridan, and it was a great rodeo to watch.

            I then made it south to Laramie Jubilee Days. Laramie was like my second home for 4 years while I attended the University of Wyoming. It was great to run into old friends. I also had the amazing opportunity to work with Children’s Western Wish Foundation and grant a wish to a little cowboy named Derek. His smile lit the whole rodeo arena when we presented him with his gifts. Little things like this make what I do worth everything!

            Just a short drive later, I was at the Daddy of them All, Cheyenne Frontier Days! 8 days packed with the most amazing memories. I got to do 4 iconic “fly-by’s”, announcing some rodeo with Justin McKee, and some great concerts with good friends! 30 queens from across the globe came through Frontier days this year and I had a blast with them all!

            Next was Rock Springs for the Red Desert Round up! Great little rodeo with some fun people. I got to work with Powder River Rodeo again, and they are always so much fun to work with! We pretty much followed each other to Riverton right after. Carrying Old Glory at rodeos in our state never gets old. I still get chills packing our amazing flag and hearing our National Anthem!!

            Next up is the Wyoming State Fair and the Miss Rodeo Wyoming Pageant. I hope to see you all there as I crown the next lucky lady who will wear the gold and jade crown as she reins over our state in 2015!

God Bless Wyoming,

Miss Rodeo Nebraska and myself at Sheridan WYO Rodeo

Granting Derek's wish at Jubilee Days

Photo from shoot with Diana Volk

At the Daddy!

Announcing with Justin McKee!

Selfie with the clown at CFD

Desiree Bridges

Texas, and Circuit Finals

When I travel as Miss Rodeo Wyoming I always have such a fun time in airports. My favorite thing is when kids come up to me and ask me funny questions! Why is your hat shiny? Do you always dress like that? What’s that funny box you’re carrying? That funny box is referring to my hat can. While I was coming home from RNCFR in Oklahoma City, I met a little boy who loved snakes! He had snakes on his shirt and was reading a snake book when I sat down next to him. He immediately started talking to me and telling me all about different kinds of snakes. He then proceeded to ask me what was in my “funny box”. I told him that not only was I Miss Rodeo Wyoming, but on the side I liked to charm snakes like in the movies, and I kept my snakes in the “funny box”. Needless to say, his excitement was quickly turned off when he opened the box and found a cowboy hat in it!

My last few weeks have been filled with lots of travel and rodeo. It began in Dallas at the Miss Rodeo America seminar; a week of learning, riding with Chris Cox, modeling on a runway and lots of memories. This was the first year the seminar was in Dallas and I feel like it was a big success! Each day we went to the Dallas Market Center was a great experience, we got to watch a few fashion shows, meet with some vendors and participate in our own fashion show! Overall it was a great week and experience!

After Dallas a few of my good friends from my hometown took me to their place in Stephenville. It was a great week of riding lots of horses and of course, rodeo! It was a weird experience to sit in the stands and watch. I loved running into Paige, Miss Rodeo America at the rodeo too; she was also just there as a spectator. Thank you to A.J Fuchs and Charlie Putnam for your generous hospitality!

After Texas I found myself in Oklahoma City for the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo, what a week it was! They sure kept us busy; autograph signings, sponsor visits, tours, rodeo, and the Shootout! I will say, being from Wyoming, I was sure glad I knew how to shoot a gun.  I was paired up with 2 calf ropers and also the Wilderness Circuit Queen Shianne Lowe. Our team (Team Honeybadgers) won high point team! At the rodeo I was paired up with a trusty mount, Friendly, from the great Bronc Rumsford. It was so kind of him to haul in 20 horses for us girls to ride! He is also one of the contractors who brings horses for us girls to ride in Vegas, I hope he brings Friendly!

I am so excited to be able to share these my travels with you all! Writing this article is a good way for me to unwind and recollect on memories. Thank you to all my sponsors who make my year a great success and allow me to get down the rodeo road!

Fun time as Circuit Finals!

High Point shooting team!!

We went to jail at the National Museum of the Cowboy!

Bootcamp and Miss Rodeo Wyoming Clinic

Every day I have been Miss Rodeo Wyoming has been a different adventure, I never take a single day for granted. This month has been time for me to reflect and go over my times so far traveling this country representing my great state. I love this job and the opportunities I have been given. I would like to take a moment to thank the Miss Rodeo Wyoming Association for all their hard work and support. Without them, my job would be much harder! From scheduling all my appearances to making sure my budget is kept up to date, the men and women on the Association truly have an invisible job behind me. This is my thank you to everyone who puts time into making my year as Miss Rodeo Wyoming the best it can be!

Members of the Miss Rodeo Wyoming Association at State Fair.

The month of March was full of clinics. My first clinic was to Utah for Rodeo Queen Boot Camp. 3 days filled with lots of learning and of course some fun. I went down a few days early with Miss Teton Co. Fair and Rodeo, Maarissa Mason. We rode horses at Heritage Ranch a few days and had my official Miss Rodeo Wyoming photo shoot.  Thank you to Preston Kent for letting us ride some of your horses and also to Hazen Studios for getting some amazing shots that I know will make heads turn!

Miss Congeniality!!!

Boot Camp was a wonderful time. I learned so much from the clinicians and was able to meet young queens who have a bright future ahead of them, I know in that room were future Miss Rodeo America’s. I was asked to be in the fashion show at Boot Camp where I wore clothes provided by local stores and also got to showcase some of my favorite outfits I own. It was so much fun getting to let loose one night and have a blast with the other girls modeling. On Saturday I was truly humbled when the girls voted me their Miss Congeniality for the weekend! As Miss Rodeo Wyoming, it is my goal to reach out and inspire young women to reach for their goals, thank you to everyone for reassuring me that I am doing what I set out to achieve!

Bootcamp Fashion Show Models

Some girls at Horsemanship in Douglas

My next clinic was the Miss Rodeo Wyoming clinic in Douglas. 11 girls from across the state came and gained lots of knowledge from all our clinicians. We had 3 days filled with information for these girls to gain and lots of memories that were made. I would like to thank our clinicians for taking time out of their lives to help us out; Sally Haythorn, Kimberly Kuhn, Holly Kennedy, Kari Bright, and Dr. Don Cobb! I would also like to recognize and thank the two women who organized the entire clinic; Jamie Pond and Beth Wood, without you ladies; this clinic would not have been possible! THANK YOU to everyone who made this weekend great!

Miss Rodeo Wyoming Clinic participants.

My next stop is Dallas for the Miss Rodeo America Seminar then Oklahoma City for the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo!

God Bless,

Desiree Bridges

Black Hills Stock Show, Winter Wester Rodeo, and Silver Spurs

Love my new pickup Miranda!

One of the many blessings I have had this year is the support of some amazing sponsors. This year I am pleased to welcome two new Platinum Sponsors to the Miss Rodeo Wyoming Association; Wolf Dodge in Jackson and Dr. Angus Goetz with Orthopedic Associates of Jackson Hole.  Wolf Dodge in Jackson has jumped on as the new Truck Sponsor for Miss Rodeo Wyoming 2014. Brad Wolf has provided me a vehicle for the year; 2014 Ram 2500 (I have named her Miranda)!! This pickup is safe and reliable and is one that turns heads! Dr. Angus Goetz is an amazing orthopedic surgeon in Jackson Hole. He has been voted best knee doctor in Jackson Hole for many years. I am honored to represent these two amazing businesses throughout my year!

Myself on Deetz with Miss Rodeo North Dakota, Codi Miller

            My first trip in Miranda was to Rapid City, SD to the Black Hills Stock Show. Miss Rodeo South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, the new Black Hills Stock Show Queen and I were very busy throughout the week. From school visits, to autograph signings, to packing 60+ flags at the rodeos between 4 queens, it was a busy 7 days. A highlight for the week was when Miss Rodeo North Dakota, Codi Miller and I got to speak to classes about our platforms. Codi’s platform is on Anti-Bullying where she tells the story of Cowgirl Suzy and how she is bullied, and how the scars she receives from this will never leave. That along with my Character Counts platform made for some great school visits and really engaged the classes. A big thank you to Ms. Jerry Luckett for everything she did for us during the week. Also a thank you to Sutton Pro Rodeo for providing me with my horse “Deetz” for the week.

Carrying Old Glory in Gillette Wyoming

            My next stop was to Gillette Wyoming for the Winter Western. Mrs. Lori Franzen with Powder River Rodeo Co. was so kind to have me there. It was so cool to be at my first PRCA rodeo in Wyoming and I was honored to carry the American Flag. Carrying beautiful Old Glory is something that I never take for granted.

Ridin' the gator at Gatorland!!

            My next trip took me all the way to sunny Florida for the Silver Spurs Rodeo in Kissimmee. Leaving Jackson in a blizzard with -10 degrees, and arriving in Florida to 80+ degrees and humidity was a shock! Going from nice curly queen hair to stick straight in less than 10 minutes made all of us queens mad! But besides the humidity that killed our queen hair, Florida was a blast. The 27 of us all went to many school visits, gator watching, hog hunting, airboat riding, and much more! On the last day I was there we got to do the Special Rodeo. I was paired with a young girl who was very shy, but was drawn to the horses. The second we got her on a horse her face was captured by a beautiful smile that didn’t leave the rest of the time! It’s moments like this that remind me why I do what I do; inspire, educate, and promote the sport of Rodeo!

Miss Chelsie and I at the Special Rodeo in Kissimmee Florida

National Western Stock Show!

Wyoming, North Dakota, California, America and Kansas on the Wagon at NWSS

What a crazy couple of weeks I have had. My year started on January 1^st and boy has it already been amazing! My first official trip was to the WESA and the National Western Stock Show. Laurie Thoman and I spend the first few days shopping till we dropped, literally. I had the opportunity to meet and work with some of the amazing sponsors that Miss Rodeo Wyoming and Miss Rodeo America get to work with. From Bailey Hats and Cripple Creek, to Shackleford Sales and Twisted X Boots, I really have some incredible sponsors! I will be wearing some wonderful new apparel from them; I cannot wait to share them with you all. Market was also where I ran into the commissioners of Cheyenne Frontier Days. These men gave me insight on what to expect this year in Cheyenne. I can’t say much, but I will be a busy girl while I’m there; I cannot wait!

Cheyenne Frontier Days Commisioners

After all that shopping, I found myself at the National Western Stock Show Rodeo. 10 days of non-stop rodeo fun! I got to see a lot of the other state queens throughout the time I was there. Miss Rodeo America, Colorado, North Dakota and myself were there the whole time, for every rodeo performance! But it seemed that every performance was different and fun! Cervi Championship Rodeo provided us with horses to pack sponsor flags for the rodeo. I rode a few different guys, but my main mount was a great little horse named Yuma. By the last performance, he and I both were tired, but still loving every moment of our time together.

Codi Miller, Miss Rodeo North Dakota and myself! I rode Scott all week!

Throughout the week, the girls and I had appearances at different events on the NWSS grounds. My favorite was the Grand Champion Market Beef selection and events that followed. Did you know that every year, the Brown Palace (a hotel in downtown Denver) displays the Grand and Reserve Champion Market Beef in the lobby? I was so excited to be a part of this tradition. 

Mrs. Janice Shakleford and my new Cripple Creek fur!

Another event that I was honored to attend was the Citizens of the West Dinner. Miss Rodeo America, Colorado and myself were hostesses for the evening. The night was to honor a person who embodies the spirit and determination of the Western pioneer and perpetuates the West’s agricultural heritage and ideals. This year’s honoree was Mr. Fred Hamilton. Hamilton is a pioneer in the oil and gas business, philanthropist and advocate for the arts. Meeting and getting to know this man was such an honor. I also had the privilege to accompany and visit with Mr. Alan K. Simpson. Simpson is a politician who served from 1979 to 1997 as a United States Senator from Wyoming and is a member of the Republican Party.  It was an honor to be in attendance with so many influential people who have done so much for our agricultural community and our country!

Mr. and Mrs. Kuhn (parents of Kim Kuhn, MRW 2012) and myself!

When I arrived home I was very excited to receive my new pickup from Wolfs Dodge in Jackson. Brad Wolf is a new sponsor but is very excited about a new relationship with Miss Rodeo Wyoming. I am now riding in style in my 2014 Ram 2500! Let me tell you, this pickup has EVERYTHING! From a sun roof, to automatic sensored brights, its like driving a futuristic space shuttle! I am beyond blessed to have a sponsor like him! 

My next trips are to the Black Hills Stock show, Winter Western in Gillette then Florida! 

Till next time Wyoming,

God Bless!

Desiree Bridges

Meer Miranda, my new Ram 2500 pickup!! I cant wait to drive her all around our great state!!