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.
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