Miss Rodeo California

THANK YOU!

     Being Miss Rodeo California is a once in a lifetime opportunity but the places that you go, the people that you meet and the memories that you make truly will last a lifetime. There is nothing more that I wanted in the world than to be an ambassador for my state and I am so thankful to everyone who made this journey possible. I have been competing in the rodeo industry for about eight years and I can truly say that I have been molded into the woman that I am today from those experiences. 

     Competing at the Miss Rodeo America Pageant was a dream come true and while it didn’t go exactly how I dreamt- I wouldn’t have changed anything. I hope that I made my friends, family, sponsors, and most of all my state proud of the way that I carried myself at the pageant. That means the most to me. After dreaming of being Miss Rodeo America nearly half my life, I have walked away from this journey with a since of peace. All week at the pageant I had this feeling that it wasn’t my time and that there were other great things in store for me. I dreamt of going back to school, getting a job, starting a family and most of all getting the puppy that I’ve been wishing for. I did make that dream come true on Monday after the pageant. On the way home from Las Vegas I stopped in Porterville to pick up a beautiful tri colored female border collie/mcnabb cross. I named her Clara (from Lonesome Dove) and she is just the best dog in the world. Thank you to Andy Zimmerman for finding her for me! I can’t wait to begin the next chapter of my life and I am so thankful to have had this amazing chapter full of memories and friendships!

      Without the support of my community this year would not have been possible! Thank you to Pacific Pride/ the Dewar Family, 101 Trailer Sales/ Brad Nelson, B&W Trailer Hitches, Paisley Sage Boutique in Torro Park, Valley Pride, Star Sanitation and Pacific Ag Rentals, TS&L Seeds, Richard, Annette, and Tony Romero, SignWorks, Slaton & Son Roofing, the Andrus Family, Unlimited Events, Monterey County Fair, David Drew Productions, Bankers Casino, South Point Hotel & Casino, Mayor Dennis Donohue & Plasha Will, Jim Martins, Jamie Walker, Ray Fransconi, McShane’s Nursery, Wayne Capili & Interface Visual, Ca Rodeo Salinas, the Moore Family, Ted Hoffman, the Renz Family, Reno Rodeo, Denise DeShon Designs, MY Chevy, Anthony Mungary & the Kern County Sheriff's Mounted Posse,the Spadie Family, Embassy Suites- and to every one who donated an auction item, attended my fundraiser, purchased raffle tickets and gave a donation. I could not have done any of this without you!

     The Miss Rodeo California Committee deserves a huge THANK YOU for all of the help and support that they have given me this year. Donna, Sandy and Frankie have all done so much for me this year and I am so thankful to call them my friends. To every rodeo committee that I had the pleasure of working with- thank you for having me at your event. I made memories at every rodeo that I went to and I felt so blessed to have been a part of each of your events. 

     Thank you to the designers that I have had the pleasure of working with all of these years- Kristi Q Designs, Jan Faulkner, RickRageous, Nell’s Creations and to the one lady who made 90% of my wardrobe Donna Riva. I could not have been as successful without each of you. You all not only are some of my very dearest friends but the absolute best in the industry. THANK YOU!

     I feel like my family has grown a lot this year. Some of the people who have provided me with the most support are Markie Battaglia, the Skellenger Family, the Grisedale Family, the Romero Family, the Renz Family, the Purdie Family, Nancy Stoll and Jordenne Burns, the Balentine’s, the Andrus Family, the Smith Family, and the Walker Family. Thank you specifically to my parents who have sacrificed everything to allow me such amazing opportunities, to my brother for putting up with my queen clothes taking over the entire house, to my wonderful grandparents, and to Corey for supporting me no matter what decisions I made or how many rodeo’s I wanted to travel to. Special thanks to the Berling Family for taking so many pictures and for being such great friends out on the road! Thank you to Shawna Nelson for doing such an amazing job with publicity and for being such a wonderful supporter! Wayne Capili has been such a great friend and he is just the best photographer, THANK YOU Wayne for countless hours of pictures! 

      I truly appreciate the support of all of the Miss Rodeo California Sponsors. I am looking forward to seeing the adventures that Mackenzie Cayford has this year and I wish her the best of luck! The Miss Rodeo California Committee has decided to put on another clinic this year. It will be more hands on and many hours will be spent practicing rather than discussing the phases. You all will still see me around the rodeo scene- I love this industry too much to get out of it. If there are any girls who are looking for help please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

                         Thank you again to everyone who has made this journey so unforgettable!

 

2012 MRC Pageant

    October 6th 2011 is a day Mackenzie Cayford will never forget. The Miss Rodeo California 2012 pageant started on October 4th with Orientation, lunch with the judges, horsemanship and a horsemanship BBQ. The girls all looked great but the most bizarre thing happened. I went over to the arena about an hour early to get my borrowed horse warmed up and ready to go. I was wearing a red outfit to match my beautiful donated chaps from John Gentry. When the girls arrived I looked over only to find 4 out of 6 girls in RED! A pageant nightmare. I teased them by saying that they wanted to be just like me which they didn't find very funny. But they kept their spirits high and we all rocked red that night. In all of the years that I've been competing in pageants I have never once seen that many girls wearing the same color. Thank you so much to Katie Hill for allowing me to borrow your fabulous horse! At the BBQ I asked the girls to come up and give a 30 second commercial on MRC pageant sponsors. I think that is one of the most important jobs as a rodeo queen, to recognize and promote your sponsors. We finished up the night with the electric slide and allowed the girls to mingle a little bit before we whisked them off to the La Quinta. Thank you to Paso Robles Ford for donating the use of two vehicles for the week!

    Wednesday morning started bright and early with breakfast with the judges then personal interviews.This is my favorite part of a pageant and I was happy that we allowed time for me to get a Miss Rodeo America Pageant prep interview in. After interviews we headed to Farm Supply for lunch then Paso Robles Ford for a photo op and finally to Boot Barn where the girls were able to shop and meet up with their family for a quick visit. Then we were off to Speech and Modeling rehearsal. We got back to the hotel so the girls could change into their dresses and freshen up. Speech, Modeling & Impromptu portions are held in the grand ballroom at the Paso Robles Inn. The contestants did an amazing job on their speeches. It was probably one of the best speech sessions that I've ever heard. I think I was more nervous this year to MC the event then I was last year to compete. Everything went great and the crowd laughed at my stories! Overall it was a good night. 

    Thursday morning everyone woke up anxious for their horsemanship interviews. They were incredibly difficult this year. The contestants compared them to being on Jeopardy. I guess that's what happens when you have incredibly talented judges. We are very lucky! After the interviews we went to the Paso Robles Event Center for the Pioneer Day Rotary luncheon. It was so much fun to hear about the history of Paso Robles. It is the most wonderful community. We headed back to the Paso Robles Inn for a Coronation Rehearsal then headed back to the La Quinta to get ready for the big night. 

    I am so proud of this year's contestants and I hope that each one continues to be an excellent ambassador for the sport of rodeo. Coronation was the night that I had been dreading all year. I had to stand up and give a speech trying to explain the impact that this year has had on my life. I have watched my friends for years get teary eyed in their farewell. I bawled the entire time I wrote my speech so I knew I was destined to use lots of tissue. When I walked in carrying the California Flag the crowd stood up and I nearly lost it. It means the world to me to have my organization behind me and it was really difficult to try to put into words the most amazing year and the most special people who have come into my life.  Thank you to everyone who has been a part of my journey. My family, friends, sponsors and pageant committee have stood by me all year and I hope to make you all proud at the Miss Rodeo America Pageant. Special thank you to Donna Riva, Frankie Engle and Sandy Moreno for all of their hard work and for helping to make my year such a success!

 

Big THANK YOU to the 2012 Judges:

Kiki Shumway, Kelly Baxley, Kendra Santos and Rob Smets

Results for 2012 Miss Rodeo California Pageant are:

Congeniality- Hollie Kucera

Raffle Tickets- Leah Herron

Speech- Heather Ross

Ellen Kleinbeck Spirit Award- Heather Ross

Photogenic- Julie Hemenway

Horsemanship- Sofia Fisher

Personality- Mackenzie Cayford

Appearance- Mackenzie Cayford

Fifth Runner Up- Leah Herron

Fourth Runner Up- Julie Hemenway

Third Runner Up- Hollie Kucera

Second Runner Up- Heather Ross

First Runner Up- Sofia Fisher

AND YOUR NEW 2012 MISS RODEO CALIFORNIA IS... Mackenzie Cayford

 

Boots & Bling Fundraiser

    I have the best family, friends, and sponsors a girl could ever ask for! On August 6th I held my dinner, dance and auction titled "Boots & Bling." This was my largest fundraising effort all year and it could not have gone better! My family and I had planned this event for months and I can honestly say it was the most stressful thing I have ever done. A HUGE thank you to the Romero and Flemming families. Without their help that event would not have been possible. Annette Romero helped sell tickets, get auction items, set up, decorate, prepare the meal, take down... all of it. Tony Romero along with his sons Richard and Randy helped set up and bbq'd for me. They did an amazing job! Thank you to Jeanine, Liz and Kevin Flemming for helping to set up, decorate, take down, prepare and serve the dinner. I truly appreciate your generosity and am so thankful to have you all as my friends. Big thanks to Nancy Stoll for helping decorate and to Craig & Vicki Andrus for allowing me the use of your barn for my party. At the last minute my dj cancelled on me and I was able to call friends Jim and Cecilia to do the music for me. Thank you guys so much! Everyone had a great time and you kept the atmosphere of the party going. Thank you to Monterey County Fair and Kelly Violini for allowing me the use of their tables and chairs as well as donating auction items. The Embassy Suites in Seaside generously allowed me to use their table clothes for the night. Jonathon with Unlimited Events gave me a great deal on the tent and lighting. He was amazing to work with and comes highly recommended for any event you might need to plan. Thank you to David Drew for donating the bartenders, the beer, and the awesome Trace Adkins package. I am so grateful for all of your help! Banker's Casino in Salinas donated the pepsi products for my event and Coca-cola donated products as well! Jason Smith with Paraiso Vineyards and Ray Franscioni generously donated the wine for my event! Thank you so much to Victor from Star Market for donating ice and an auction item. Big thank you to my Auntie Sherry for donating the cupcakes for dessert! Big thanks to my Papa for getting the rest of the ice! A HUGE thanks to Wayne Capili for taking pictures at my event and for me all year long. I am so appreciative of his generosity! Thank you to Mayor Dennis Donohue and Plasha Will for helping me with auction items! Big thanks to Barbara Balentine for helping me get auction items and setting me up with people who were willing to help. Thank you to the SouthPoint Hotel and Casino, Jim Martins, Putter's Restaurant, the Romero Family, and Sam Eastman for donating the prizes for my raffle tickets! Thank you so much to everyone who donated an item for my auction! I am very thankful for the donations made by the Kern County Sheriff's Mounted Posse as well as the Showdown Rodeo!

    My event could not have been a success without everyone who purchased a ticket, an auction item, a raffle ticket or made a donation. I am so thankful for all of your help. I was incredibly impressed with my community and their willingness to come together to help me put on this event. I cannot say thank you enough!

    I am sure my family was just as happy as I was when my fundraiser was all said and done. My parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles all helped out in one way or another and I am so thankful for their help!

Let me fill you in

    Over the years, I have always heard that July is our crazy month. Boy those girls were not joking! I think I was home maybe a total of seven days the whole month! I spent fourth of July weekend at home running errands for my fundraiser. I planned my fundraiser for August 6th which sounded like a good idea until I realized that I would not be home the whole month prior. My first big summer trip was to the Calgary Stampede. I can certainly tell you those Canadians know how to put on a rodeo! I arrived on a thursday and met up with Tricia Crump Miss Rodeo Idaho and Kellsie Purdy Miss Rodeo Colorado. We waited for what felt like hours for our shuttle to arrive then finally headed to check in to our hotel. We had the day off so we decided to walk around, grab some dinner and see what the town was like. The next morning was the Calgary Stampede Parade. Kellsie and I watched from the side lines as our fellow queens rode in the parade. At first we were disappointed that we didn't enter until we realized that we would be able to see Prince William and his new bride Kate Middleton. We were only a few hundred feet from them as they watched the parade!! The rest of our time was spent watching the rodeo and taking part in community events. After the rodeo there was a Cirque du soleil style show. It was absolutely amazing! In Calgary I learned how to square dance, was able to watch an amazing rodeo as well as spent time with some wonderful people. A special treat was the day we flew out Miss Rodeo Canada, Kezia Morrison and her mom took us to Spruce Meadows to watch the North American Tournament. I come from an english background so it was really awesome to be a part of that. 

    I flew home for one day to wish my mom happy birthday then packed my bags for  an eight day trip to Colorado Springs. I met up with nearly all of the state queens that week and it was pretty neat to be able to spend the week together. I was so happy to be roomed with Paige/minnesota, Amanda/washington, and Ty/Tennessee. We had never met Ty but were so happy that she was in our room. She is an awesome girl! Our first night there we had the parade in which we rode in a wagon. It was great up until the weather changed and it poured down rain! We were soaked all the way through. The rest of the week was spent doing events in the community as well as helping with the rodeo each night. I was pretty happy to say that my mutton buster won nearly every night! The kids got to pick which queen they wanted and I was chosen by some really great kids. They sure do raise them tough in Colorado! Thank you so much to Becky, her wonderful daughter, Tom and the whole Pikes Peak Committee for having us. We loved our time at your rodeo!

    Sunday kicked off our Miss Rodeo America Seminar. The next four days were spent taking notes, practicing each phase of a pageant, and getting some inside knowledge from people I consider the best in the business. I have to say that I truly learned a lot that week and invite any girls who are serious about going far in this industry to attend the clinic next year. Thank you so much to all of the instructors as well as the Miss Rodeo America Board for putting on such a wonderful clinic.

    I flew home late wednesday night to attend my home town rodeo, the California Rodeo Salinas. I went to watch horsemanship Thursday morning and was very pleased to see the level of competition inside the arena. That night started the rodeo. Considering this was the only few days that I would be home I spent my time confirming last minute details for my fundraiser. Each night I rode in the grand entry, did the YMCA and signed autographs for my sponsors. Congratulations to Miss Kendra Brennan on her success as Miss California Rodeo Salinas. I know you will have an amazing year! It was a few short days at home but I got nearly everything accomplished and hit the road again!

    I drove up to Chowchilla to Jodi Branco's ranch where I was asked to speak on what it takes to be a rodeo queen. There were kids attending her rodeo camp from ages 2 and up. They were thrilled to have me there and I gave them all of the details of my job as well as signed pictures for them. They had been riding and learning all about the different events so it was pretty special to be a part of their camp. 

    That thursday I left for the Daddy of 'em All, Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo! I met Paige in the airport and waited 3 hours to catch our shuttle from Denver to Cheyenne! Once we got there we were greeted by Dick our wonderful driver who took us to the concert. The next morning we got up early to be down at the famous pancake breakfast. We were able to help flip pancakes and some of us even got to be the catchers! We fed over 13,000 people that day. It was certainly an amazing event to be a part of. That day we had multiple autograph signings before the rodeo. Once at the rodeo we were able to eat in the VIP tent then we had to get on our horses for the "fly bys." I had always thought it was funny to call a queen run a fly by but now I completely understand the term. The order that you do your run in the order in which you get your application into Miss Arlene Kensinger. I was lucky number 1 so I was on Simon who I was told was the fastest horse in the group. As most of you know or have seen, I'm not too keen on speed. So I was pretty anxious to see what this horse would do. Also being lucky number 1 I was able to blaze the trail in-between the cowboys who line up across the track. Needless to say those cowboys don't want to move... Well when the gentleman gave the signal I turned my horse and kicked him forward. He lunged into a dead run. I'm pretty sure I was terrified the whole way down! All I could think was I cannot be the girl who t-bones a cowboy! Luckily they must have seen the look on my face because there was a good gap once I got down there. We were running so fast that a tear had started running down my cheek. After the first run they became a lot more fun! I think I learned to cowgirl up that weekend and I am so happy that I was on Simon. Not only was he wonderful in the parade but he definitely had the best brakes in the group! Thank you so much to Harry Vold and his crew for allowing us to use their amazing black horses. That was certainly a once in a lifetime experience! I was able to see some pretty neat concerts while I was there, Darius Rucker, Zac Brown Band and Toby Keith were all fabulous! Thank you so my awesome host family the Spencer's, Arlene Kensinger, Ester Moore and the entire Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo Committee. I absolutely loved my time there!  

 

June Travels

    Since the last time that I checked in, I have had quite the adventure. I attended the Sacramento Horse Expo on June 10th and 11th to visit with sponsor's and sign autographs. On Friday morning I met with the wonderful people from Tandy Leather who shared with me some neat ideas and inspired me to one day try leatherwork!If anyone is ever at an antique show or expo in northern cali and you run across "Bombshell Betty" you HAVE to stop by her booth. I modeled some awesome jewelry for her and she was incredibly generous all weekend.  I was excited to see Frankie Engle our National Director to have lunch with her and share some stories of my life on the road. She is such an amazing person and I was really happy to have the opportunity to catch up with her! Thanks for lunch Frankie! 

    After lunch I headed to the BootBarn booth and was excited to see some old friends. I have worked for the company for the past few years and have gotten to know many of the district managers and vendor reps. Thank you so much to Shannon and Laurie from Wrangler for the new jeans and for the long lasting friendship. They know how much I love their products and always go out of their way to ensure that I have the best that Wrangler has to offer! Big thank you to John Grundameyer for having me and I am looking forward to seeing everyone in Cheyenne! Congratulations to Brittany Nuckols on her recent engagement! It was really great to see her in Sacramento!

    On Saturday morning I met with the girls from Platinum Performance and had two scheduled autograph signings. I was really happy to learn more about the product that I have been feeding my horses for years. Our entire barn has been on Platinum for as long as I can remember and it keeps our horses in prime show condition all year long! They are even starting a human and dog line. The human breakfast bars are wonderful and they are so good for you! Thanks to Lindsey and Kelly for getting me the passes and for hanging out with me all weekend!

    That afternoon I headed down south to the Glennville Rodeo. When I was about an hour out of town I stopped at a Holiday Inn to stay for the night because hotels are limited in Glennville. Around 10:30 I heard a crash and went running outside to find that someone had thrown a rock through my truck window and stolen two computer bags. Luckily my mom was with me and she helped me clean up the glass and deal with the police. It was an incredibly long night and while they only got away with a few pairs of earrings, sunglasses and books it is still a bad feeling to get robbed. 

    The next morning I was off to Glennville without a window. Once everyone found out, they teased that it must have been Miss Rodeo Oregon considering they stole all of my study materials!! I was so excited for this rodeo because I know so many of the families that attend and help to put on that event. I was happy to be in their parade then head to the rodeo grounds for a really fun rodeo. I have truly enjoyed getting to know the Rosser family and the people who make Flying U rodeo's possible. Thank you so much to Levi Rosser for allowing me to use your horse. Special thanks to Amy Powers for inviting me and to the entire Glennville Committee for having me! Congratulations to Abby Grisedale the new Miss Glennville Rodeo! I could not have made it through the weekend without my mom and a special thanks to her for all of her help and support!

    The following weekend I traveled to Reno Rodeo! This is one of my favorite events of the year! I was able to stay with Patsy Ulch and had a blast catching up with her. I stayed with Patsy two years ago as Miss Clovis Rodeo and I absolutely LOVE spending time with her and her fabulous family. I arrived on Friday and went straight to an autograph signing at Shepler's where I met up with Miss Rodeo Idaho, Florida, Oregon, and I met the new Miss Rodeo Nevada. I was super excited to see the girls and couldn't wait to catch up! That night was the Tough Enough to Wear Pink night and the stands were full! I was able to ride in the back of the Reno Rodeo Chuckwagon which was so much fun! Saturday morning we got up early to head down to the parade where we rode in the stagecoach. We then headed to an autograph signing at D-M western store. They had a great selection and I had a hard time sitting still with all of the cool stuff around me. That afternoon was the kids rodeo which we tried to catch the tail end of but unfortunately were a little too late. Another great performance that night and we were able to help with the mutton busting each night. Sunday we signed autographs at Roger's western store then headed over to the Pavilion for three back to back special kid's rodeo's. They had so many kids come out and we had a blast! Monday I headed over to catch some of the Bob Feist Invitational Team Roping then I hit the road for home. Something that happened that was pretty special was that there were a few kids who came through the autograph line that had my signature on their hats from two years ago!! I was amazed to see that these kids held on to those hats and that this rodeo truly means a lot to them and their families. It was pretty special to realize how far I've come in the last few years.

    Thank you so much to Patsy Ulch and her family for sharing their home with me! Also to Wendy who helps coordinate the grand entry, to Amy Callahan, and to the entire Reno Rodeo for having me. I absolutely love that event and it is a rodeo that I will continue to attend for the rest of my life!

 

Join me at Boots & Bling Fundraiser!

    On August 6th in Salinas I will host my fundraiser as I prepare to compete for the Miss Rodeo America Pageant in December. The event will be held at the Andrus' Barn off of Old Stage Road starting with a social hour at 5,then an evening of dinner and dancing. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Salinas Circle for Children which is a non profit organization that raises money for children with special needs in Monterey County. This remarkable group provides funding to schools for projects and equipment in the classroom. 

    Over the past six years there have been so many people who have contributed to my success in the rodeo industry. From the committees, the sponsors, to friends, family and fellow royalty, I could not have made it this far without you! I am choosing to open my event to anyone who would like to be a part of my final journey to the Miss Rodeo America competition. Tickets are $50 a person or $75 per couple so bring a friend and come celebrate with me! Seats will be limited so be sure to call early! I will be holding an auction and if you or anyone you know wishes to donate items, I would greatly appreciate the help. There will also be a money dance with me and a top cowboy for the ladies in attendance! So save a dance for me and you can look forward to great food, excellent music and even better company!

    If you would like to purchase tickets you can call (831) 636-4860, email me at missrodeocalifornia@hotmail.com or find me on facebook! Let's try and make this an evening we will never forget!

Stampede Days Rodeo and Ramona Rodeo

Since I last checked in I have had the opportunity to travel to southern California for two of the most fun rodeos in the state: Bakersfield Stampede Days Rodeo and Ramona Rodeo. Bakersfield is my old stomping grounds as I had the honor of representing their rodeo as well as the Kern County Sheriff's Mounted Posse in 2007. I drove down on a wednesday and was lucky to have the company of my mom as well as Tricia Crump- Miss Rodeo Idaho. We have traveled the country together all year and have become really good friends. As soon as we made it into Bakersfield we were met by Stan and Judy Henry. They helped me get my horse settled then sent us to check in at our hotel. That night was the Speech, Modeling and Impromptu phases of the Miss Stampede Days Rodeo pageant. Unfortunately I knew all of the contestants too well so I was unable to judge this year but Tricia stepped in and was excited to be a part of the contest. The girls did wonderful and all will make excellent representative of our industry. The Tiny Princess was crowned that night.  Congratulations to the adorable Bileigh Jernigan! Thursday morning was filled with tours of the Sheriff's Department where we were able to drive simulators and practice our shooting skills on the interactive screens. As most people already know my shooting skills are limited so I tried to use a taser and that really didn't work out so well either. Apparently you must turn it on before trying to get someone. I must not be cut out for hurting things- whether it is clay pigeons or the practice screen- my shooting still needs a lot of work! That evening we had the Sponsor BBQ as well as one of my favorite activities the helicopter ride! I was able to go up once before when I handed down my Bakersfield title and this is something that I've been looking forward to all year! I let Tricia go first which was a mistake because they got so many calls and took her all around the county. I think she was up there for over an hour! Finally as the sun was setting, it was my turn to go up. It was really neat to see the town at night. It was all lit up and looked beautiful! Thank you so much to Bruce Ketcherside for putting that together for us. I know that Tricia and I made memories that will last forever! Friday kicked off the rodeo and I was able to carry the American flag for the first time! This is an honor that I've dreamt about my whole life. We did a special opening to the song "I Believe in America." I brought my American Quarter Horse gelding, Caden who is such a superstar but is pretty slow... When they told me to run in going 9-0 I was thinking I will try but Caden normally only goes about 3-0. When those gates opened he knew it was his time to shine and he booked it around the arena. I was proud of my chubby horse and very proud to have the honor of doing the opening. On Saturday we started the day with horsemanship where the girls were able to ride not only their own horses but the queen and jr. queen contestants switched horses. That night we crowned the new court during the opening  ceremonies. I remember being in that same arena years ago eager to have the opportunity to be a part of that wonderful community. Congratulations to Queen Dakota Skellenger, Jr Queen Rebecca Hall, and Princess Lauren Nouch. These girls will have an unforgettable year traveling with the posse! I was sad to leave one of the favorite rodeo's... Big Thanks to Wendy Purdie for hosting Tricia and I all week! Also thank you to the posse for opening your hearts to my friend, I know this was an event that truly made a great impression on her. I am very grateful for everything that the Kern County Sheriff's Mounted Posse has done for me over the last few years and look forward to going to their rodeo every year! Lastly, a Special Thanks to Anthony Mungary for his thoughtful donation to my travel fund. He is a very dear friend and I appreciate his generosity so much! 

    On to Ramona Rodeo... This is an event that I have never had the pleasure of attending. I was excited to kick off the week and woke up early for my 7 1/2 hour drive! I was able to take my friend Sierra Smith, Miss Rodeo Tehachapi, with me due to the very long drive down. I was thankful to have her because I was tired of being in the car and we hadn't even made it past Bakersfield yet! My first day there was a wednesday and after the long drive we got settled into our hotel then went over to the rodeo grounds for flag practice. That's where I met the lovely girls named Sally and Jolinda who would take us around all week. Sally was a former Ramona Rodeo Queen and Jolinda is the coordinator's (Joani) daughter. They were absolutely amazing and we had so much fun! Thursday was filled with school and sponsor visits. We talked to some of the cutest kindergartener's and taught them about the sport of rodeo. I think everyone had a lot of fun at the school visits! The girls took us all around town to meet the sponsors. The community of Ramona does so much for their rodeo and it is so great to see a town come together for that event. Thanks to Aunt Pam for scheduling the school visits as well as to Cheer's Bar and Grill for sponsoring my trip to Ramona! 

    Thursday night was the kick off party and fashion show! This was a really fun event and I want to thank the Chamber of Commerce for allowing us to be a part of it!

One of the sponsor's is Bella Mia salon and Sierra and I took advantage of a little down time on Friday to get much needed massages! That night started the rodeo and I have to tell you about my awesome horse. A local couple, Chad and Cindy, brought horses for Sierra and I. When I met Chad he asked me the infamous question of whether I can ride. That is my least favorite question because horses can humble even the best of riders. I told him that I was pretty handy and he proceeded to tell me about "Snort" the HUGE white gelding that I would ride. Well Snort got his name as most of you can assume because he spooks and snorts at everything. Well this rodeo really uses their visiting royalty. We carry sponsor flags throughout the night, do a queen run, push cattle and do happy trails. That is a lot to do on what I thought was going to be a rough riding, spooky horse.

    I got to the rodeo grounds early on Friday to try out my horse. I had nightmares all night after what Chad had told me but when I jumped on Snort, he was an angel! He did snort at everything but he was so great in the arena and I was able to do everything on him without any problems! Thank you so much to Chad and Cindy for allowing me to use their horse! On Saturday I got a little surprise with some friends coming down to see me. Janet and Don Moore drove down and came to the rodeo with us. I was so happy to see them and I am very thankful that they came to the rodeo!

Sunday was a pretty special day with Cowboy Church in the morning then an event called "Kid's Day" in the arena. Hundreds of children from the community come out to learn about the sport. They were able to barrel race, learn to rope and ride a horse! We met a lot of happy kids that day and the grandstands were packed for the rodeo! I was really happy to see Doug and Cindy Wozny that day. They drove upto watch the rodeo and I am so happy that they are turning into great friends! After the performance it was time to hit the road for the long drive back home. I was really sad to say my good bye's because I met some of the most amazing people there! Congratulations to the Queen Sarah and Jr Queen Megan, I know you will have a fantastic year! Thanks to a wonderful antique store called Sandy's Place for the generosity and fabulous queen earrings! If anyone has a chance to visit they have some of the best jewelry I've ever seen! Special thanks to the Thompson/Georgeson family for all that you did to make my trip so special. Thanks to Sally Jones, The Pyeatt Family and to Kayla Duba. Thanks to Honeycutt Rodeo for putting on a great show and to the entire community for being so wonderful to me. I LOVED my time in Ramona and it is definitely a place that I will go back to in the years to come.  

Springville Sierra Rodeo

    I spent Easter weekend in what has to be one of the most beautiful places in our state, Springville. I arrived on Friday afternoon and quickly fell in love with the beautiful mountains, warm weather and hospitable community. That night was the barrels and bulls competition. This is a special event highlighting some of rodeo’s favorite events but it does have a twist. Not only do spectators get to watch cowboys and cowgirls compete but they end the night with motocross. Motorcycle riders, quad riders and even golf cart drivers tried their luck at running a barrel pattern. Some were dare devils and we saw a few good wrecks and others chickened out and made a very clean (slow) run. It was a pretty fun and exciting night. I was able to mc the queen coronation which took place after the barrels and bulls event. Congratulations to Elizabeth Brown the 2011 Miss Springville Sierra Prorodeo Queen, Taylor Brown the Springville Sierra Rodeo Junior Queen and Emily Baeze the Springville Sierra Rodeo Princess.

     On Saturday we started off the day with the parade. It was down a small country road and the town greeted us with lots of cheers and happy faces. We had a long break in between so I was able to hangout with an old friend, Sofia Fisher. That night we rode in the grand entry, helped Riata Ranch Cowboygirls and signed autographs. On Sunday I woke up and went to Cowboy Church. It was great to spend Easter Sunday singing songs and in great company. It was a great rodeo and I was so happy to see some old friends and make new ones. Thank you to Leah Herron and Cindy Dabney, Diane Shew and the entire Springville committee for having me!

 

Western Frontier Pro Rodeo in Pocatello, Id

    Last time I logged in, I was sitting in my hotel room in Pocatello, Idaho about to really kick off the rodeo week. One of our first events was the kick-off party where the visiting queens were introduced on the balcony of the host hotel. The party was centered around the pool area and had a really neat atmosphere. We ate, mingled and were entertained by some pretty cute, young, dancing cowgirls. There are a surprising amount of Californian's that travel to Idaho to help put on this rodeo. Don and Janet Moore are becoming such great friends and I really love seeing them out on the road. Especially when they bring their fabulous little gelding Nic for me to ride! Doug Wozny came to help with the production as well as Ted Hoffman and Chad Nicholson was the announcer. Along with some of our best cowboys and cowgirls, California was really well represented!

    Extreme Bulls was our first night at the rodeo and it was pretty cool to be able to watch. The stock contractors really brought some amazing bulls and they  really tested the cowboys that night! All week long we visited schools and hospitals, and had a lot of autograph signings! During the rodeo we were able to help carry sponsor flags. Thank you so much for Don and Janet for bringing Nic, he really was a superstar all weekend! Special thanks to Carma Madsen the queen director for making our trip so much fun! Thank you to the entire committee for allowing us to come and help at your rodeo! Thank you to Tricia Crump Miss Rodeo Idaho for being a fabulous room mate and to her mom for making sure we were well fed and always looking our best! Thanks to the state queens from Nebraska, Wyoming, and Florida- it was a long two weeks but we sure did have fun!

    There was a very special part of my trip where I was able to meet a young man named Robert at the Special Kids Rodeo on Saturday. He is the most amazing kid and I was so happy to spend my day helping him learn the sport of rodeo. While I know he had fun, I truly think that I walked away with much more that day. He touched my heart and I was so pleased to share the joy that our sport provides with him. Special thanks to Tuf Cooper for helping him learn to rope. My roping skills are lacking so I figured rather than embarrass myself I might as well take him to the best. I know he really enjoyed meeting the cowboys and it is a pretty special event that we all were a part of.  After Saturday nights performance we headed back to our room for a little ice cream party courtesy of Tricia's dad. We got home late so by the time I packed up it was nearly time for me to catch my 3am shuttle! Thank you so much to Kezia Morrison, Miss Rodeo Canada for driving me to the shuttle stop so early!! I really appreciate it and truly loved getting to know you!

    After a long couple weeks on the road I got pretty sick and am just now feeling back to normal. I head to Springville this weekend for the Springville Sierra PRCA rodeo!

Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo

On Wednesday the March 30th I traveled to Oklahoma City for the DNCFR! There were over 20 state queens who came out for this event and we had a blast. We started out with dinner at Toby Keith's where I had wonderful ribs and chicken. Then we took a water taxi through the canal for a tour of historic bricktown. The rest of the week was filled with many autograph signings, flag practices, and meals at some pretty neat places. We went to a place called Pop's for lunch where they had thousands of types of soda aka pop. I was able to tour the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. I could have spent a full day in there but we only had an hour. The rodeo performances were awesome! They had really great opening ceremonies each night and the rodeo was incredibly well run. There was a shoot out on Friday where I learned that I'm not a great shooter. Martina from Utah won the top shot award and now I'm determined to go home and get better! The only consolation was that one of my fellow Californians was a terrible shot as well. I won't name names.... I was really excited to get to know our California contestants better. We have such an awesome group of people traveling representing our state and I was very proud to cheer them on! Thank you to Melissa Heaton for coordinating our trip, to the entire Miss Rodeo Oklahoma Board, to Bronc Rumford and his crew for providing horses and helping us with flags. I had a fabulous time in Oklahoma City and now I'm in Pocatello Idaho. I purchased an iPad so that I can try to keep you more updated while I'm on the road... I got into Idaho around 4am and spent the day at Miss Rodeo Idaho's grandparents house. They fed us extremely well and I was thankful to have a home cooked meal! Tomorrow starts the rodeo with extreme bulls! I will get pics up ASAP!