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!
