Wednesday, September 30, 2009

!!!CANBY RODEO!!!

August... oh the end of August... This time of year is exciting for me because it means that my favorite rodeo is here! Canby Rodeo! This is where it all started...In 2006 I held the title of the Clackamas County Fair and Rodeo Princess representing the 100th fair. I went on in 2007 as Queen and represented the 50th Rodeo. And then I had the wonderful opportunity to go back to the Clackamas County Fair and Canby Rodeo as Miss Rodeo Oregon representing the PRCA and Oregon in its 150th Anniversary! SO EXCITING! The beginning of fair/rodeo week is kicked of with the Kiddie Kaper parade through downtown Canby that is then followed by opening ceremonies to open the fair to the public and promote the rodeo to all of our fans around Canby!Darrel Ricksger and I at the opening ceremoniesThe girls and I after racing off our horses to opening ceremonies, luckily we had Dwight Knapp, Canby Rodeo Associate and Fair Volunteer, to pick us up in the Golf Cart, we then had pie with him many times through out the week!Tuesday night through Saturday night holds two and a half hours of dirt flyin', horse kickin', quick ropin', rowdy rodeo fun! WooooHoooo Let's Rodeo Canby!Fans get your tickets!Cowboys get ready!Wayne Brooks kicks the night off by introducing some sponsors and welcoming fans! The Rodeo Fly Girls Drill Team then busts out of the bucking shoots and sets flags for visiting royalty and team penners to race around for the ultimate grand entry!Oakley and I running the Oregon Flag! :) With all four feet off the ground! My heart was racing!
Tiffany Gary, Canby Rodeo Associate, and 2007 Rodeo Court Princess and good friend, runs Old Glory on her super fast horse, Jazz! Beautiful Job Tiffany! Seeing her run that flag to John Waynes voice gives me goose bumps every time! Then to hear local youth sing the national anthem with the whole crowd singing back brings tears to your eyes, I still have yet to find a grand entry that moves me the way the grand entry at Canby Rodeo does.Canby draws in the world top cowboys! Like Trevor Brazile, seen here raising his hat to the crowd! Team Penning, a special event at Canby. Right after grand entry a heard of cows enter the arena, the royal court holds them until "cattle are ready, your number is 4, number 4" is called out by Wayne Brooks. The court then races back to a holding pen while 3 cowboys or cowgirls work as a team and sort/cut out their number from the heard and put the cows with that number in the pen on the other end of the arena. And if they are good they will have all 3 cows with that number in the pen. What a exciting event to watch when executed with speed and skill.
But we can't forget the Canby Crazees! This is our rowdy bunch of rodeo fans! If you sit over here be sure that you will be yelling the loudest, starting the wave, hootin', hollerin' and having a great time!My Girls! Canby Rodeo Court, Princess Ashley Howe, Princess Elizabeth Sloop, and Queen Rebecca Thompson!Only the best Pick Up men! We like to take care of our cowboys! Mitch Coleman, Sunny Hansen, and Flint Hemstead is probably on the other side of the arena waiting for the stock to blow out!Hello Visiting Royalty
What a pretty little lady in her red hat! But she sings even prettier than she looks. We were lucky enough to have her sing The National Anthem at our rodeo! She went on and sang beautifully at the 2009 Pendleton Round Up!
Another night of rodeo, another night of awesome rodeo action!
Santiam Canyon Stampede Queen Kami Smith and I busting a move on horseback! I think we were doing the robot?
Dick Mero and I right before warm up. Dick is an amazing horseman and friend, he has helped me tremendously with my horse Oakley and I cant thank him enough for everything that he has taught me. I learn more and more every time we ride and talk about horses and most of all life! What a great man, it's an honor to know and train with him.

Waiting to rodeo, chatting with friends and family in the stands! This rodeo is my home :)
Me, Kami, and St. Paul Princess Nicole Bruntz, with helper and rodeo friend Emily Widmer in the back right corner with a huge smile on her face! She is always having a good time!

A day at the fair is filled with ice cream, cotton candy, 4-H, FFA, Les Schwab boys which are always fun to chat with about new wheels and tires for my dodge...for free? In my dreams!
Then I mosey on over to the National Guard and they asked if I wanted to go on their "bouncer". Its basically like a slingshot that you are harnessed into and you bounce around and do front flips and back flips on. It was really fun! I'm just happy I didn't eat too many corn dogs before flipping that many times.
Crazy Canby girls and I goofing around
Tough Enough To Wear Pink Night!
Interview during the rodeo with Wayne
Tiffany Gary and I enjoying our night working the Canby Rodeo



I cannot thank all of the directors, sponsors, associates, volunteers, rodeo contestants, and every individual that makes this rodeo happen enough. Canby Rodeo is a part of me, and it will be the rest of my life! It, along with the Clackamas County Fair has given me so many opportunities and has taught me so much over the years, all I can do is give back to them and that's all I want to do is help make it a bigger and better event! I cant wait for the future and all my years of Canby Rodeo to come!

The week after Canby Rodeo is when I sent my Miss Rodeo America Application. This is part of my application and explains how much Canby means to me...

A rush of emotion and pride runs high as I sit in the middle of my hometown rodeo arena in Canby, Oregon. When I put my hand over my heart, when I see Old Glory fly, when I hear the whole crowd sing the National Anthem, I am proud of the values that rodeo and America embodies. Patriotism and pride, a strong handshake and a kind heart are the things that Miss Rodeo America stands for while she encourages and builds a love of the sport in the youth of America. It is a lifestyle that cowboys and cowgirls from all over the country represent and these are the values that Oregon elevates and inspires. I would be honored if given the opportunity to represent the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and its rich heritage as the first lady of professional rodeo.

Thank You Canby!

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Joseph, Santiam, Klamath Falls

The end of July and beginning of August was just as busy as Cowboy Christmas. Well I left all of you back in Cheyenne, Wyoming and the Daddy of Em' All, Cheyenne Frontier Days. From Cheyenne I hopped back on a little puddle jumper airplane to Denver, Colorado. I ran across the airport to catch my connecting flight to Portland. I barely made my flight...after waiting at the luggage carousel in PDX I realized my bags weren't as fast as I was in Denver. Knowing that I was leaving for Chief Joseph Days the next morning I had go back to the Portland Airport once my bags came back in at Midnight.
6am the next morning I was in the truck with my horse in my trailer and my Mom and Aunt tagging along, and we were off to Joseph!
I was in such a hurry to get to Chief Joseph Days I almost forgot my favorite travel companion-My Dog Carli!
CHIEF JOSEPH DAYS
JOSEPH, OREGON
Jul7 23-26th, 2009

Queen Sarah Butterfield
Princesses Meagan Mckenzie & Sierra Hopkins
Carli and I stopping in Elgin to fill up the truck!Just a few of the cool things I see drivin' down the road...

Meagan McKenzie one of the Chief Joseph Days Princesses and I... She likes to sport the wild rags just like me! Especially on Pink night!
A Joseph Grand Entry
Getting ready for the Kiddie Parade...
The 2009 Chief Joseph Days court and I showin' our better selves1980's Jazzercise Work Out Girls
We had to stretch and flex before the parade started, this enhanced our dancing ability down Main Street.
Yes, that is a Boom Box on my shoulder!
Wallowa Lake Boat Races
Sarah, Meagan, and I warming up our paddle boat to race St. Paul and Canby!
Let it be known we won both of our races. And both heats were back to back!
Gary Linton of Canby Rodeo & John Growney of Growney Brothers Rodeo Stock.
They just couldn't compete with the leg muscle that powered the boat the Joseph girls and I were on...
Luncheon
My Favorite Boots! Made by Tres Outlaws through my FABULOUS sponsor Desperado in Bend, Oregon.
Geordie Richards (Salem Queen) and I tellin' rodeo stories! This cowgirl is hilarious if you ever get a chance to meet her you will be sure to hear some awesome stories, mixed with a outstanding personality, and big dreams!

Chief Joseph Days Grand Entry, you cant beat the setting of this big rodeo in a small town tucked into the foothills of the Wallowa Mountains & about five minutes from Wallowa Lake
Headed to the Parade down Main Street with my St. Paul girls! The shot right before this we are drinking our waters and eating blueberry muffins, food to go!

Lemonade for sale! 1 cup = 0.50 cents
Cant beat that deal... especially that little boys smile :)
Talking to rodeo friends while pushing stock.

A big thank you to the Chief Joseph Days Rodeo Comittee, their amazing court Sarah, Meagan, Sierra, and hard working coordinator Gail Hillock for making Joseph so much fun! This rodeo will always have a place in my heart while being an annual vacation spot for my friends and family!



SANTIAM CANYON STAMPEDE
SUBLIMITY, OREGON
July 30th - August 1st, 2009
Queen Kami Smith
The week started off with the Jr and Teen Miss Rodeo Oregon Pageant.
All the beautiful young ladies competed for the coveted title of Teen Miss Rodeo Oregon!
Congrats to Ariel Overstreet our 2010 Teen Miss Rodeo Oregon
&
Our 2010 Jr. Miss Rodeo Oregon Savanah Ball
We also held our first annual Sweet Heart Pageant which was a great success with 8 fantastic little cowgirls who gave it their all!
2007 Miss Rodeo Oregon Jennifer Steffen and I after grand entry warm up! Pick Up Man, Ricky Shannon, and I pushing steer wrestling stock out to the catch pen.Run Oakley Run
Are you Tough Enough to Wear Pink?
My great friend Kami Smith who is also Queen for the Santiam Canyon Stampede! I cant tell you just how many goosebumps I got when she posted Ol' Glory and sang the National Anthem beautifully while I stood behind her with the Oregon flag and watched the smiles and tears on her friends and family's faces. The moment was perfect!




THE KLAMATH FALLS GREAT NORTHWEST PRO RODEO
KLAMATH FALLS, OREGON
August 7-8, 2009
One thing that I really enjoy is walking around and getting to know each town for the short time I am there. All the local cowboys told me to visit Drew's Man Store on Main St. This is one awesome western store, complete with Pendleton Wool Products, Wild Rags, and so much more! They have just about everything a man would need and of course many more things for the ladies!
This little Gal and I were showin' off our boots!
Boots = a cowgirls love next to her horse, dog, and truck!
DREW'S BOOTS But the one thing Drew's Mens and Womens Apparel Store is known for is their boots! And huge selection and remarkable quality with a great repair shop. This is Pat Cavanaugh (owner) on my right and their top boot repair man, James on my left! The beautiful yellow topped boots I am holding (and purchased) are a Buckaroos best friend- Olathe boots! One of the top sellers at Drew's Boots.
Shaggin' cattle with the Flag Girls, these ladies where a hoot and one heck of a good time! Thank you again girls for making me feel like home in K-Falls.
Talking with Dodge Pick Up Man Flint Hemstead

Grand Entry at Klamath Falls, Chirs Ledoux, Huge sliding stop on a little grulla horse, and a Soldier that presented one of the many American flags then repelled down into the arena into the group of horses while the National Anthem was ringing.





Another mile, another rodeo, the days are long but filled with memories and unforgettable people! Thank you for making this trip a dream come true, i know it leads me down the road to many more dreams.

:)