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