Miss Rodeo California

2013 Miss Rodeo California Pageant

Attention ladies!  We are looking for contestants between the ages of 8 and 25 to compete for the titles of Miss Rodeo California, Teen Miss Rodeo California and Junior Miss Rodeo California.  We are so excited to be introducing the two younger age categories this year and are looking forward to meeting some of the younger rodeo ambassadors that we have in this great state!  The pageant will be held October 2-4 in Paso Robles and is such a fun few days.   

 

I cannot believe that it is time to start talking about the pageant already.  This year has been incredible and I encourage everyone to come and compete for the title.  I have met amazing people and the experiences that I have had have made memories that I will cherish forever.  

 

Please visit the Miss Rodeo California website for more information regarding the pageant.  All pageant documents for those competing for Miss Rodeo California are online.  If you are interested in competing in the Teen or Junior category, please contact Marilyn Morphis via email at pmarx@bak.rr.com.  

Lakeside and Springville Rodeos

I've got two rodeos to get everyone caught up on! The Lakeside Rodeo, April 20-22, reminded me of all the reasons I was proud to represent them at the Miss Rodeo California Pageant. The El Capitan Stadium Association does a fabulous job with this rodeo, which is the largest annual fundraiser that they have each year. They are a nonprofit organization that donates hundreds of thousands of dollars back to the Lakeside Community and its youth each year. Miss Rodeo Lakeside and Junior Miss Rodeo Lakeside had been busy with news and radio promotions since the time I had been in Pocatello. I jumped in with the promotions starting the Thursday before the rodeo and, boy, were we busy! Between news appearances and schools, we had a busy couple of days traveling with barrelmen Kevin Higley and Danny Alvarez. During one of the news appearances, we did a mock stick horse race with a group of kindergarteners to help advertise that part of the rodeo. I quickly bonded with an autistic girl named Sarah, who definitely had a race of her own in mind. We traveled all over the arena, running and laughing. What a sweet little girl! The rodeo itself was an absolute blast. It was my horse's first appearance ever at a rodeo and she did perfectly! I was so proud of her. The field of contestants was fantastic, and it was an honor to be in the arena with a competitor like Tuf Cooper. We were also able to participate in the Lakeside Western Days parade, which is always a lot of fun. I have to day, though, I've had the pleasure of riding in that parade a few times before and I honestly dread the beginning of it. You see, before you start the parade, you have to walk over a freeway overpass with cars passing beneath you. Not only do cars honk, but the bigger the vehicle, the more the bridge shakes and this is a girl that is not very comfortable with heights! Good news is that we crossed over without an issue and all was ok, but I definitely had some sweaty palms on that one! After Lakeside, I was at work for a few days before heading up to Springville, which has a fantastic reputation among every Miss Rodeo California that has attended. I'm pleased to say that I had an amazing time at the Springville Sierra Rodeo and would go back in an instant! The Springville Rodeo Committee and Foundation are made up of some pretty spectacular people. They are so kind and inviting and they truly make you feel like you have known them for your entire life. The weekend started out with a school visit with the current Springville Rodeo Queens, Frankie "Punkintown" Smith, and trick roping/gun spinning world champion, Rider Kiesner. The kids thoroughly enjoyed the show and many of them made it out to the rodeo. Friday night was a barrels and bulls event that included motorcycle barrel racing. The horse I brought with me, Saint, owned by Roxanne Norton, was used by Rider in his act. Saint has never been around any kind of roping, let alone trick roping! She did so well that she got to be a participant for the rest of the weekend. Friday night was concluded with the announcement of the new Springville Rodeo Queen, Alley Henry. Saturday was a busy day. We did the Springville parade, the hide race (and I've got video of that), and the rodeo. The hide race was by far the most unique thing I have done. We didn't win, but i am proud to say that the Ram Rough Royalty held their own. Kassi and I were very lucky to have been sponsored by Randy Christman, the Ram rep. After the hide race was the rodeo, which I was very nearly late to. I had to make a quick change out of my full-cover-don't-get-dirty gear and in doing so, I ended up locked in the tack room of the Miss Rodeo California horse trailer. I was yelling and shaking the door, but I couldn't manage to get out for what seemed like an eternity. Eventually, I got out and made it down for grand entry just in time, but I very nearly had some very upset people (until I told them why and now it's Diane's favorite story to tell). Sunday was rung in with a beautiful church service and a great afternoon performance. I won't forget sitting in the grandstands during Cowboy Church and watching the free roaming broncs graze over the hills. The broncs aren't penned in Springville. Instead they roam over the hills and through the contestant area, as if they were out to pasture at home. It was absolutely gorgeous to see them in such a natural state. I'm now in Bakersfield, getting geared up for the Bakersfield Stampede Days Rodeo this weekend.

Western Frontier Pro Rodeo

What an eventful six days in the beautiful (and cold) Pocatello, Idaho! Several state queens made the trip and we had so much fun. Our coordinator, Wendy Shawver, set us up to be in host homes. I was lucky to spend my time at the home of Shane and Tamra Passey, along with Miss Rodeo Nebraska, Sierra Peterson, Miss Wilderness Circuit, Morgan Blackhurst, Miss Rodeo Utah, Jamie Udell, and Beverly Udell. We were shown such amazing hospitality, it could have rivaled anything that the South could come up with. We were busy all week visiting sponsors, schools, the library, the hospital, a few senior centers, as well as the Western Frontier Pro Rodeo itself. We also spent some time working with the local radio station, KZBQ, at several remotes where we spent time with the owner and DJ, Paul. Pocatello's mayor, Brad Bland, was never far behind and he was quite a character! I had some pretty unforgettable experiences while in Pocatello. I had a child at the A to Z Children's Center that was convinced my necklace was a candy necklace that he eventually shoved in my mouth, exclaiming, "Eat it, it's candy! Eat it!" There were times spent joking around with the barrelman, Justin Rumford, like when his suspenders were tied to a chair by bull fighter Al Solvang and we all watched him try to stand up! Fred Whitfield helped us serve pancakes at the pancake breakfast and even performed a little dance number for us. At the hospital, I was strapped to a stretcher in a life flight helicopter and given CPR by Miss Rodeo Wisonsin, Laura Taysom, and Miss Rodeo Utah, Jamie Udell, who is a certified EMT. My host parents surprised me with a birthday cake to help with the celebration of my birthday away from home. Our host dad, Shane, was freight trained through a gate by one pretty rank bull and ended up with ten stitches and he continued to work the gate for the rest of the rodeo after that. What a trooper! On the final day of the rodeo, we got to participate in another Western Wishes event for a young lady named Avery who has always wanted to be a rodeo queen. She was such a doll and was so excited to be there. It means a lot to me to share in these special moments in children's lives. But, the highlight of the entire experience was something that I got the mayor to pull a few strings for. The Holt Arena at Idaho State University has a catwalk the runs along the top of the building's ceiling, one hundred feet in the air. Well, my brilliant idea the first morning that we spent in the arena was that I wanted to walk the catwalk. Not too many people were crazy about the idea, but I knew it would be such an awesome thing to do. The mayor was the one who managed to pull the right strings to get us up there. It was an incredibly scary experience; I'm glad I did it, but if I were asked to repeat it, there'd be no way! The rodeo itself was like going to the WNFR. Some of the top names in the business were there: Tuf Cooper, Taos Muncy, Kanin Asay, Trevor Brazile, Luke Branquinho, Matt Shiozawa, Wade Sundell, Brittany Pozzi, and Wesley Silcox, just to name a few. The Pocatello Frontier Rodeo Association sure puts on an incredible event and I certainly applaud every member of their committee. The horses that were provided, Nick and Rem, were absolutely fantastic and it would be such a privilege to have the opportunity to ride either one of them again in the future. All in all, it was a great time in Pocatello. I am so grateful to have shared this experience with everyone involved. I'm looking forward to the Lakeside Rodeo this weekend!

Some Miss Rodeo California Sponsor Visits

I had a busy week back in California after arriving home from Oklahoma City and the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo. It was time to visit a couple of the Miss Rodeo California Pageant sponsors. First, it was off to the beautiful Santa Maria to visit Luis Escobar of Reflections Photography. If you have been wanting to get any sort of portraits done, I would highly recommend you visiting this man. Luis is a fantastic photographer and makes the session so fun and relaxing. He kindly donates the session and a headshot for Miss Rodeo California and I am so lucky to have him as a sponsor. Next came a drive up to Acton to Golden West trailer sales. Golden West has been a sponsor of the pageant for quite some time and provides the horse trailer that Miss Rodeo California gets to travel with. It was so wonderful to go into the office at Golden West and see photos of different ladies dating back to the late nineties. Gene is absolutely wonderful and it was great to have the chance to meet with him and thank him in person for all he has done for this organization. Without sponsors like these, my year as Miss Rodeo California would not be what it is. I am so grateful to have such great people working with me and this organization to make it a success. I'm headed out to Pocatello, Idaho, so there will be more stories to come!

Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo

What an eventful week in Oklahoma City for the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo! The RNCFR committee puts on a spectacular event and I am so excited to have been part of it! The coordinator of all of visiting titleholders, Melissa Heaton, and her crew made all of us feel so welcome and they took really good care of each and every one of us. We were given the opportunity to visit some of the landmarks within Oklahoma City and share in some pretty incredible experiences. Visiting the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial was such a surreal experience. Knowing that we were standing in the very ground where 168 people gave their lives was so eye opening. Visiting places like that truly remind us of what it means to be an American and what it means to have the freedoms we so often take for granted. After walking through the memorial and seeing the chairs that are lit (one for each person who died) it made our trip the VA Hospital that much more meaningful. The veterans we were privileged to share our time with are real heroes. They gave all of themselves to keep the rest of us safe. We were able to take part in a Pinning Ceremony, where a veteran who is a short time from passing is given an American Flag pin and the staff, visitors, family, and many others join and thank that individual for their service to our country. I don't think there was a dry eye in the room by the end of the ceremony. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to partake in such incredible events. We also had a chance to visit a Children's Hospital designed mainly for children with disabilities caused by traumatic brain injuries. It makes you feel so different when you see these children who are legitimately happy with who they are when they do not have the same opportunities in life that many of us do. It makes it so much harder to complain about anything when you get to interact with amazing children like that. Before this trip, I had never shot a gun. My, how things change so quickly! The committee at the RNCFR sponsors a shoot-out that pairs contestants with rodeo queens and the teams compete against each other. After about an hour of practice, we were ready to go. Congratulations to my team, which included Miss Rodeo Idaho, Caitlin Thornton and bull rider Charlie Zoss, for placing near the top in the team challenge! The rodeo itself was certainly an event to remember. Not only was I surrounded with some of the biggest names in the rodeo industry, I was fortunate to spend time with Bronc Rumford and his crew. He provided all of the horses for the visiting royalty and took a great deal of his time to give us all some pointers and to make sure that we were all paired with the right horse. I have so much respect for him and hope that I get the chance to spend more time with him before the Miss Rodeo America Pageant. All in all, this was a trip to remember. Thanks again to everyone involved with making it so fantastic.

Miss Rodeo Lakeside Pageant

I had the pleasure of spending my Saturday watching the Miss Rodeo Lakeside Pageant.  It was so great to be back at the Lakeside Rodeo grounds and catching up with everyone.  It feels like only yesterday I was in the boots of all of the young ladies competing to represent the El Capitan Stadium Association and the Lakeside Rodeo.

 

The ECSA is an organization unlike many others.  Since its foundation over 40 years ago, its members have raised enough money to donate over $2 million back to the youth of Lakeside.  The rodeo is the organization’s biggest fundraiser and it is truly an incredible event to be part of.  I am so excited to have the opportunity to attend the rodeo, April 20-22.

 

There were six young ladies vying for the titles of Miss Rodeo Lakeside and Junior Miss Rodeo Lakeside.  Every single lady did a fabulous job and any of them would have been a great pick.  At the end of the evening, the five judges selected Kayla Reagan as Junior Miss Rodeo Lakeside and Faye Garber as Miss Rodeo Lakeside.  I am sure that each of these ladies will do a fabulous job traveling throughout their community and promoting the western way of life and the sharing the efforts of the El Capitan Stadium Association with everyone. 

 

I am off to Oklahoma in the morning for the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo, so until next time...

 

Ag Day

What an eventful trip! The drive up to Sacramento was absolutely wonderful! Valley Center to Salinas, up the coast of California along the Pacific Coast Highway, through San Francisco, and across to the state capital. I am truly blessed to call such a beautiful and diverse state my home.  It's truly incredible when, in one trip, you can witness so many things: vineyards, cattle, snow capped hills, deer, waves crashing against the west coast of this great country, giant redwoods and sequoias, and the list goes on.  Ag Day was truly a wonderful experience. Bob Fox did such a wonderful job with all of the preparation and I was so happy to have spent the day with Cotton Rosser and his family, Seth Doulton with the Grand National Rodeo, Johnny Zamrzla of the California Circuit Finals, and Kendra Brennan, Miss California Rodeo Salinas. What a great group of people to spend a day with as we celebrated California Agriculture.  We were given the opportunity to spend some time inside the Capitol and it was absolutely glorious. We took pictures on the floor of the assembly with all of the Ag Day participants and I was able to get a few pictures standing behind the podium in the assembly. Kendra and I also found shadow boxes that represented each county in the state and the things for which each one is famous. What a great way to learn about this place we call home.  I am so thankful that I was able to participate in this event! Thanks again to Bob Fox for allowing me to share in the celebration! And remember, if we all spend one day a week eating only California grown products, we could put $26 billion back into California's economy each year. 

Norco Mounted Posse Rodeo Queen Pageant

I would like to extend my gratitude to the Norco Mounted Posse for allowing me to spend the weekend judging the Norco Mounted Posse Rodeo Queen Pageant.  Along with the two other judges, Jon Buchert and Kim Wilkens, I was able to meet thirteen up and coming women in the industry.  Aged from five to twenty-three, these young ladies displayed their horsemanship, interview, speaking, and modeling skills in a professional manner.  They should all be very proud of themselves and take pride in how much they were able to accomplish.

It was an unusual weekend in Norco, given the very non-California weather we were having.  It was pouring rain and very windy all throughout horsemanship, but the ladies took it in stride and looked beautiful.  Luckily, we under the new covered arena at Ingall’s Park and we were all able to stay quite dry. 

The director of the pageant, Tammy Hop, did a fantastic job preparing the ladies for the event.  With rodeo chairwoman, Nancy Shannon, and the Captain of the Norco Mounted Posse, Randy VandeBrake, always in the wings, these ladies had a wonderful group of people to look to for help and advice. 

At the end of the two-day event, only four could come away with the title.  I would like to extend my sincerest congratulations to the 2012 Norco Mounted Posse Rodeo Queens:  Little Miss, Lexie Rusinko, Young Miss, Danielle Phillipi, Junior Miss, Cheyenne Clark, and Miss, Heidi Bird.

I look forward to the opportunity to spend time with these wonderful ladies down the rodeo trail and during the 2012 Norco Mounted Posse Rodeo.

 

Silver Spurs Pageant and Rodeo

My trip to Florida for the Silver Spurs Pageant and Rodeo is one that I have been looking forward to for quite some time.  I now understand why it is one of the most talked about trips by all who attend.  I came home with my abdominal muscles so sore from laughing so hard while spending time with all of the state queens.  We all get along so well, so it makes trips like this that much more special. 

I am glad to be back in the Southern California weather, I must say.  Florida’s weather is as unpredictable as I was warned it would be.  We started out the week with beautiful, warm weather that slowly became very humid (compared to what I’m used to).  Humidity transformed into rain, and rain transformed back into high winds, humidity, and heat all in one.  Luckily, the weather cooperated enough for all of our extra activities during the week. 

I was in Kissimmee for a week and it was a blast.  Laura Kessler is amazing and makes arrangements for all of us to stay with host families.  I was blessed to be able to room with Laura Taysom, Miss Rodeo Wisconsin at the home of Susan Jowers.   Susan was sure to fill our guest house (actually called a Cracker House) with all kinds of goodies and snacks.  We moved into the big house for a couple of nights and were greeted in the morning to muffins, pancakes, freshly squeezed orange juice, and coffee.  I think we got the best host mom!  Susan even provided the horses for Miss Rodeo Wisconsin and I.  They were two wonderful mares, Raven and Rita, and they did their job with ease. 

My week in Florida was jam-packed with activities.  We visited schools throughout the week, leading up to the rodeo.  On some days, there were so many schools to visit that our group had to split and go to different schools so that we could make it to all of them.  I have never met so many youngsters that were excited about being able to attend the rodeo.  There were a few schools where we visited over twenty classrooms.  The kids were so energetic.  In Kissimmee, the children get the Friday of the rodeo off of school to celebrate Rodeo Day.  

The Challenged Children’s Rodeo was one I will never forget.  There were about 70 children participating and I was paired with a young man named Griffin.  Griffin loved to dance and we danced from event to event.  Shrek also came to visit and we spent a great deal of time dancing with Shrek, too.  Griffin was so happy and excited and it made my experience with him that much more special. 

We also got to spend some time shopping in the downtown area, traveling to the beach, going air-boating to see some gators, hog hunting (though unsuccessfully), riding rides at the carnival, eating new things like gator and turtle tail, and getting to know each other.   We also got to tour the Forensic Department at the Sheriff’s Station and spend a morning on a private reserve that is used for summer camps for at-risk children and training for the local sheriff’s office.  We did team building activities, went on a boat tour of the private 1400 acre lake, as well as rock climbing and zip-lining.  All of the state queens are so much fun and I am already starting the foundation for some new lifelong friendships. 

I am so blessed to have been able to participate in this event and wish that everyone could have come along to partake in the adventure with me.  

 

A Lot to Catch Up On...

       Following my coronation as Miss Rodeo California 2012, I have been quite busy.  I was able to join Brittany as we rode on a wagon through Paso Robles during their Pioneer Days Festival.  I made the trip to Las Vegas to watch Brittany compete and became more and more excited about the things that await me on my journey. 

       It’s only been about a month since I officially became Miss Rodeo California and I have already had some once in a lifetime experiences.  I was very fortunate to be invited to ride in the Tournament of Roses Parade, attend the Equestrian Dinner, and participate in EquestFest with the Lopez Family and the Broken Horn Ropers.  Each year, the Rose Parade sponsors a private dinner for all of the equestrian entries in the parade and this year it was at the Saddle Ranch restaurant in Universal City.  It was a private party and so much fun!  EquestFest gives each equestrian unit entered in the parade the opportunity to showcase their skills and talents.  It was wonderful to be a part of the Broken Horn Ropers as they trick roped while jumping rope and Felix used a bullwhip to send flowers to members of the audience. 

       The Rose Parade was unforgettable.  I was given the opportunity to invite Miss Rodeo Lakeside, Elisa Swenson, and we truly enjoyed ourselves.  Following a night of no sleep and doing our make-up in the dark, we both were blessed to be able to cross riding in the biggest parade in the world off of our bucket list.  It is 5.5 miles of streets lined with people at least eight deep, not counting the grandstands.  I am so grateful to Roxanne Norton who let me use her gorgeous mare, Saint, who could not have been better behaved.  No one would have known that this was the second time in her life that she had been ridden in a parade!

       Following my experiences with the Rose Parade, there was a brief pause before heading out to Denver for the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo.  This was my first experience flying as Miss Rodeo California, and, I am glad to say, there weren’t really any hiccups while trying to maneuver through airport security!  Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about my flight!  As we touched down in Denver, we promptly changed direction and headed back up at a very steep angle.  After almost getting back to a cruising altitude, our pilot informed us we would have to land for a second time because during the first attempt, the runway wasn’t clear.  Glad we averted that crisis!  I was really nervous about the cold weather, but, luckily, the weather in Denver wasn’t as cold as I thought it would be. 

       Denver and the National Western were amazing!  Jodie Witt does a fantastic job coordinating all of us ladies and the Courtyard Marriott Stapleton provided us with shuttle services to and from the Denver Coliseum.  Volunteers from the National Western also greeted me as I stepped off the plane and gave me a ride back to the airport.  During the rodeo, the Cervi Rodeo Company allowed us to ride their gorgeous crew of black horses, all of which are so good at what they do!  Everyone was so helpful and kind; it made the trip that much more wonderful. 

       I am so excited about everything else that this year has in store for me as I look forward to the upcoming trips and rodeos.  It’s going to be a great year and I can’t wait to share my experiences with everyone.