How does that old saying go? Time flies when you are having fun? Well I can attest to the truth in that statement because it seems like only yesterday that I was in Las Vegas being crowned. As I reflect back on that day and on this year, I truly had no idea the adventures that were in store for me.

          Nine states and 15,000 miles later,  I’ve been as far east as Kissimmee, FL, as far north as Cheyenne, WY, as far South as San Antonio, TX and as far west as San Francisco, CA. I have pushed cattle from the arena, packed flags of all shapes and sizes, ridden in parades, helped out at special rodeos, made appearances with sponsors, read to kids all over the state, given TV and radio interviews, signed thousands of autographs, and educated hundreds about rodeo and Nevada. This meant some late nights, early mornings, long hours behind the wheel, countless cans of hairspray, laughter, smiles, many hours on horses I’ve never ridden before, a small addiction to caffeine and a whole new definition of “hard work”.

           But for all of the fabulous places I’ve been to as Miss Rodeo Nevada 2011, the thing that has meant the most to me has been the relationships that I’ve built along the way.   Host families, rodeo committees, rodeo fans, sponsors, my fellow state rodeo queens and many others have all touched my heart and enriched my life. I only hope that I’ve done the same for them. This crown is something that I will only wear for a year but these friendships will last a lifetime. Being Miss Rodeo Nevada truly is a blessing, and I know I’m so appreciative of everything that this has meant to me.

          Thank you does not adequately express my gratitude to everyone who has made this year what it was but for lack of a better word, it will have to do. First, thank you to my friends and family who have supported me on this wild ride. Mom, Patt, Laura, Joe, Crystal, Auntie Kay and Uncle Brooks, Joyce, and my Reno Rodeo family, your never failing love and constant presence have been the source of my success and kept me grounded.              

          Thank you to the Miss Rodeo Nevada Association. Buttons, Cyndie, Chris, Terri, Anna and Linda, your time and dedication is often not acknowledged but never goes unappreciated. My year would not have been so wonderful without your involvement. Each one of these wonderful women is a volunteer. They do not get paid for their efforts, time or talents. I hope that as you read this letter that you will keep that in mind throughout this week and take time to thank them for all that they do. Thank you also to the faithful sponsors of Miss Rodeo Nevada. Your generosity is much appreciated and your continued support allows our organization to prosper.

          As an association, we have seen much change in the last few years. There will continue to be growing pains as everyone works tirelessly to improve our organization and the brand of Miss Rodeo Nevada. This organization can only continue to grow if we have dedicated and passionate individuals committed to the development of the program. There is a growing need to have support committees for our board of directors and each of you reading this would bring a unique skillset to the table. Therefore, I challenge you, in a time when it is easy to get involved in a variety of organizations and activities, to help us keep the Western Way of life strong and prosperous by donating your time, effort or talents to the Miss Rodeo Nevada Association. Your participation will help young women, like me, better themselves, the sport of rodeo and our generation. 

          To the families of these contestants, this is an experience that will challenge your daughter in new ways. Many times it will force her out of her comfort zone. Your support will be crucial to her success. When I was a senior in college, I applied for an internship at Microsoft Licensing. I interviewed the same day as the orientation of the Miss Reno Rodeo Pageant. It was the most stressful thing I’ve done but it is also one of the best. At the end of my internship, my boss told me that when she originally interviewed me, I was not at the top of her list because my skill set wasn’t as strong as she wanted. However, we had such a great conversation during my interview that she changed her mind and changed my life. Interpersonal skills, dedication, attention to detail, knowledge, and public speaking are all things that I had prepared for the pageant that I was able to use in that interview.  I was awarded that internship because of those skills. Whether your daughter walks away with the title or not, she has added to her repertoire and will benefit from this experience the rest of her life. If she is the young lady chosen to be the next Miss Rodeo Nevada, she will continue to need your support more than ever.

          To all of the contestants, each of you has spent countless hours studying, riding, designing your wardrobe, practicing your interview skills and preparing as best you can for this pageant. Whether you win or lose this week, the skills that you have been developing will benefit you the rest of your life. The desire to challenge yourself in new ways will keep you motivated to continue growing as a person. You are all smart, beautiful and talented young ladies, and I wish you all the best of luck this week. Just remember to be yourself.

          It is bittersweet that it is time to say goodbye. This year has been life changing and is something I will never forget. However, as I look forward I have a very bright future ahead of me and so does the Miss Rodeo Nevada Association. I only hope that next year’s lucky lady will enjoy the ride as much as I did.

With undying gratitude and love,

Ann Clemmitt

Miss Rodeo Nevada 2011

 Well since I’ve written last, I’ve had some wild adventures! At the end of January, after I got home from Denver, I headed out to the Elko Cowboy Poetry Gathering. The Gathering was a fantastic exhibition of western talent. I enjoyed three days of taking tickets, seating guests, and visiting with show patrons. If you love the all things Western, you should definitely add this to your bucket list. There was so much collective history in the minds of the attendees and tons of charm to boot! I had so much fun that I plan to go back next year!

After visiting Elko, I had about 2 weeks at home before it was off on a whirlwind three week trip. The adventure started in Kissimmee, FL. Mark

Speaking to children in Florida with Jamie Udell Miss Rodeo Utah

and Laura Kessler along with the Silver Spurs Rodeo annually invites all of the state queens to come and visit the Sunshine state in conjunction with their festivities. In the week prior to the rodeo, our group visited countless elementary schools. Many kids had no idea where Nevada was located but sure seemed to know a lot about our neighbor to the west. By the end of my stay, the kids knew all about our nickname (The Silver State) and where it comes from (mining).

Visiting schools in FL.

One of my favorite schools to visit was where Miss Clemmie Jo Lamb works. Clemmie Jo was one of our fabulous chaperones at the Miss Rodeo America pageant in December and I so enjoyed seeing her again. She owns a part time catering company in Kissimmee and treated us girls to some fantastic Southern cooking! Between her and Laura, I think we all gained a few pounds with their fabulous meals.

Napleton Dodge

Besides school visits, we also went to visit some sponsors. One stop was Napleton Dodge, and I was slightly surprised that they had a boat in the middle of their show room but I guess when you have as much water as Florida does, boats are as common as cars!

Ann air boating with the other state queens.

You can’t go somewhere and expect all work with no play so Laura made sure we had plenty of time for “fun” activities. One afternoon included air boating on a Florida lake. There was so much wildlife to see. Birds that ran on water and huge crocodiles certainly captured my attention during that ride! We watched one of the most breathtaking sunsets I’ve ever witnessed and even saw trees that were 300+ years old. The Florida scenery was something I will never forget, and I can see why so many people go to visit every year. 

Climbing the rock wall

On another afternoon we had the opportunity to meet

Going down the zip line at Lake X.

the Sheriff of Osceola County and take a tour of the forensics lab. Even having taken Forensics as a science class in high school, I’m still amazed at what technology can tell us. The lesson learned from that visit? Don’t commit any crimes because they can almost always figure out who did it! The Sheriff and his deputies also graciously hosted us queens out at Lake X where were had the chance to climb a rock wall, go down a zip line, take a ride around their beautiful lake and bond with the girls over some team building activities. I’ve had an opportunity to participate in events like this through the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corp program in High School with leadership camp, so I took a walk on the wild side and went down the zip line upside down. What an adrenaline rush! The whole day was a neat opportunity to get to know some of the Florida queens as well as the 2012 state queens.

The Silver Spurs rodeo has it’s pageant in the days leading up to the rodeo and we were invited to hear the girls speeches, impromptu questions and watch their modeling. All of the Miss and Little Miss contestants looked fabulous and did a great job.  Congratulations to the new royalty Melissa Albert and Courtney Claire! We got to see both girls in action on the first night of the rodeo. They looked beautiful in their pink duds for Tough Enough to Wear Pink night. I thoroughly enjoyed the rodeo and signing autographs afterwards. Thank you so much to Sydnye Webber, Miss Rodeo Florida ’08 for letting me use your wonderful horse for grand entry! 

Jamie Udell Miss Rodeo Utah 2011, her sister, and mom Beverly and I had the pleasure of staying with Laura’s mom, Sharon and Susan while we were in Florida. Their house was always full of people and there was never a dull moment. They introduced me to some of the best Italian food I’ve ever had and made all of us feel so welcome. Not only did they open their home to us but they opened their hearts over a generous serving of Oreo ice cream cake. I feel so blessed that we got to stay with them. I also had a blast tagging along with Jamie, Beverly and Sarin. Between the 4 of us we practically wrote a new dictionary and I can thank them for a new addiction to slurpees! Thank you so much to Beverly for capturing many of the week’s great moments on camera!

Thank you to the Miss Rodeo Florida Association, Mark and Laura, Sharon and Susan, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Department, the Silver Spurs Rodeo and everyone else who made that week so fabulous.

Pretty in pink in TX!

Sadly I missed the famous beach day but I had a good reason… I was off to San Antonio, TX! It was my first time in

Lauren and I outside Star Experience

Texas for a rodeo and it won’t be my last. I had a blast hanging out with Lauren Graham Miss Rodeo Texas 2011 since I hadn’t seen her since December. Before each rodeo performance, we would hang out at the Star Experience. Patrons of the experience pay the equivalent of one cowboy or cowgirl’s entry fee and enjoy a great dinner with a seat right on the floor for the concert after. The contestants love it and so do the patrons! It’s a win win deal and I would make a bet that you will see more things like this cropping up at other rodeos.

Of course the rodeo itself was awesome. Circle I and Binion Cervi’s crew had some awesome stock for the world

class contestants. After the rodeo, it was autograph signing time. One night there was a young lady in pink who matched me in pink and we hit if off! She had so much fun that she came back the next night to see me even though we weren’t matching then. After we signed tons of autographs we got to enjoy the musical talent of some of country music’s finest! Miranda Lambert blew my socks off! I’ve never seen her before but love her music. She is a dynamite performer and I would definitely go see her again.

Ann with Lauren and Genesis.

On one afternoon I was fortunate enough to visit Christus Santa Rosa Hospital with the Ropin’ Dreams foundation. We spent the afternoon with 9 children who were all battling life threatening illnesses. The experience was truly life changing and touched my heart. Those kids were so courageous. It definitely reminded me that no problems I have are insurmountable because I’m lucky enough to have my health. Be thankful for all of the healthy people in your life because it can be taken away so quickly!

While I was in Texas I stayed with Ms. Julie Kallison who is a

Ann with Lauren and Genesis.

member of the Miss Rodeo Texas board. She was very gracious and shuttled me back and forth to the arena. Thank you to Julie, Lauren, everyone with the Ropin’ Dreams Foundation, the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo staff and everyone for making my trip to Texas unforgettable!

Cowboy Poetry - Mesquite, NV

 My next stop was back in my home state and boy was it good to be back in the Silver State after being gone so long! I flew in to Las Vegas where Buttons Warburton and I headed to Mesquite for 2 days of cowboy poetry at the Western Round Up. We heard some fantastic poetry by some fine cowboys and cowgirls and also enjoyed the musical talents of Mary Kaye from Utah. Her voice was out of this world, and she was a great entertainer. Buttons and I enjoyed hanging out with Jamie Udell Miss Rodeo Utah 2011 and her mom Beverly. As I mentioned above, I had just spent a week with them so it was great seeing them again. All in all, the event had all the makings of an awesome weekend. Thank you to the Western Round Up folks for having me attend, and of course thanks again to Beverly for the fantastic photos.

I flew home Sunday and had a day to recover before I was on the road again! Tuesday I flew into Las Vegas and rented a car and drove to Laughlin for the AVI River Stampede. Even at night, I thought the drive was beautiful. Early Wednesday I got right to work with Johnny “Backflip” Dudley the clown, Virginia Honeycutt and Joe Butler the bullfighter giving away free tickets to lucky shoppers. Next it was off to the AVI Resort and Casino to help them celebrate their 17^th anniversary. After drawing some raffle tickets, there was cake and champagne served. I know the guests enjoyed the celebration as did I.

Hanging with Jessi from KLFG

Thursday brought the first rodeo performance. Honeycutt contracts that rodeo with the help of my good friends from Bar-T. I’ll be honest and say part of me was dreading this rodeo because of the infamous wind. I’ve heard tales from queens in years past that the gusts take your hat right off no matter what you do to keep it on. Well this year the venue changed and it was nice and calm indoors so I was able to breathe a big sigh of relief! Needless to say Honeycutt kept me busy in the arena and out. I enjoyed visiting with many of the VIPs during the break in the performance.  Many folks Friday in the Tri Cities area aren’t full time residents and are “snowbirds”. I chatted with many people from Minnesota, Wisconsin, etc…

On Friday, I got to hang out with Jessi from KFLG country. We had a great time handing out

With my New Zealand friend. It was his first rodeo and my last as MRN

prizes for the listeners who go to spin the prize wheel. I also met a very nice gentleman from New Zealand who was experiencing his first rodeo. It was very fitting that I was able to take a picture with him and celebrate the growth our sport continues to have at my last rodeo as Miss Rodeo Nevada 2011! Saturday night we had a dance at the AVI where I was asked to judge best dressed cowboy and cowgirl. It was a very tough competition because everyone looked so good and ended up being an evening full of laughter and dancing.

 Thank you again to Honeycutt for providing me a mount for the rodeo and to the crew at the AVI for such wonderful hospitality. Needless to say it was a great last rodeo.

As April draws near, so does the end of my reign. Everyone told me that the year would go by in the blink of an eye and it has. I have been blessed beyond words this year thanks to everyone’s support. As the pageant draws near, you can keep up with all of the activities on our Facebook page. The 5 contestants have been announced and I’m looking forward to a fabulous week in Vegas coming up quickly! I hope you will be able to come and show these ladies your support!

Until Next Time,

Ann 

Event Sponsor Flag - 9 News

When I first saw the performance schedule for the Denver Stock Show, I knew I was going to be in for a treat. With 3 performances the first day I was there, it was shaping up to be a busy rodeo. The Northwest Stock Show is unlike any other rodeo I’ve been to for one reason. They use queens as much as possible. Jodie Witt has done an AMAZING job of building a relationship with the NWSS committee so that the queens can carry sponsor flags, event flags, help with Mutton Busting, help with a t-shirt giveaway, help with a Justin Boots giveaway and of course sign countless autographs. I also had the honor of riding in the Touchstone Energy Percheron Hitch one night. What an experience! The rodeo itself was awesome as it brought in some of the best Circle I stock and contestants. Binion and Chase Cervi were generous to share their horses Scott, Fargo, Deets, Lazy, Dakota and Lance with us girls while we packed flags. The hospitality folks were wonderful as well. They took such good care of us making sure we always had something to eat. It was definitely one of my favorite trips so far because everyone was so welcoming. 

When I had some downtime I checked out the WESA Denver Market. I’ve heard about Market before but had no idea what I was in for. I thought Cowboy Christmas had a lot of shopping but this put Cowboy Christmas to shame. If you couldn’t find what you wanted at Market then it was almost certain to be found at the tradeshow happening in the rodeo coliseum. I was very impressed that I was able to keep both of my bags under 50 pounds on my way home.

Utah, South Dakota, Idaho, Nebraska before the performance.

This trip was also my first chance to get to know many of the new state queens. Miss Rodeo Nevada is one of 5 other states who start their reign later than the standard January to December. Of course it was nice to see the “oldies” as we refer to ourselves but I enjoyed visiting with all of the new girls. I think they are going to have a fun year and I can’t wait for the new Miss Rodeo Nevada to meet them. As we get closer to April, I’m reminded that I only have a short time left. I’ve loved every minute of my reign so far and intend to travel as much as possible right up until the end. After all, you only get one chance to live it up.  

Until Next Time,

Nevada, New Mexico, Canada, Oregon & Idaho

Ann Clemmitt

Ann with Colorado, Utah and North Dakota before Grand Entry

When you win a state title, one of the first things you think about is going to Miss Rodeo America. It’s usually part of your contractual obligation but for me it was much more than that. It’s something I have thought a lot about since meeting a Miss Rodeo America. How did she get started with rodeo and queening? What did she do to get where she did? What was her journey like? Those questions and more bounced around my head before I got to meet a former MRA in person.

 The first Miss Rodeo America I met was Selena Ulch-Pope MRA 2005 who was also Miss Rodeo Nevada 2004. I attended the Utah Boot Camp twice and Ashley Andrews-Alderson MRA 2007 and Kelli Jackson MRA 2010 stick out in my mind. At the Miss Rodeo America Clinic I got to spend more time with Kelli and also Amy Wilson MRA 2008. All four ladies made an impression on me. Each was kind hearted, generous and beautiful; not just on the outside but inside as well. It was with their image in mind that I’ve always imagined Miss Rodeo America and when Mackenzie Carr Miss Rodeo Oregon was crowned MRA 2012 I couldn’t have been happier. Mackenzie has all of the above qualities and is an amazing person. She did an outstanding job as Miss Rodeo Oregon and will do the same as Miss Rodeo America.

MRA Kick-off Party - Vintage Clothing

On some level it’s hard not to take the judge’s decision personal because it’s a rejection of sorts but at the same time I look at it from a business perspective that they had a job do. And let me tell you that the decision could not have been easy. Each of the contestants did a great job all week. Each girl came to Miss Rodeo America with different expectations, different pressures, and different experiences. While we were all very unique individuals there was one thing that we all shared in common… the love of our sport. It’s easy to think the Miss Rodeo America pageant experience is typical of the common stereotype of a beauty pageant with cattiness, fighting among the girls etc… While we all didn’t see eye to eye, the experience brought us closer together as we were able to bond over the week. Anyone who has gone through that experience can attest to a similar experience I’m sure. I really enjoyed getting to know the girls better. I think we had an exceptional group of girls and I’m so honored that I competed with them.

The pageant started with Orientation which was very exciting. Getting to actually meet the judges we had all read about was nice to put a biography to a face. It was also the time to receive our official state banners from the Miss Rodeo America Committee. It was like a dream walking across the stage when they called my name. That moment was something I had thought a lot about and all of a sudden it was here! When I had the chance to introduce myself I had the opportunity to talk about what impact opening my own IT consulting firm might have on the sport of rodeo. I’ve said this many times before and will continue to say it after my reign… One of my favorite parts of this year has been chatting with my business colleagues and members of my Toastmasters group about rodeo. Some have attended a rodeo before but many have not. The conversation usually starts because I’ve worn cowboy boots to work or because I’m carrying my Miss Rodeo Nevada 2011 briefcase. In the case of my Toastmasters group, they’ve sat through a series of speeches I did on Animal Welfare and rodeo. Our conversations will usually progress to talk about some of the common misconceptions of rodeo and will usually end with me inviting them to attend the next rodeo. I take so much pleasure in being able to talk to and related to a group of individuals who are not usually involved with rodeo in anyway. Our sport is not as mainstream as we might like and so any chance I get to help make it mainstream is great. Opening my own IT consulting firm is a dream which will help me continue to grow our sport even when I don’t have a crown to help me.

After the Bucks for Bags Auction

It was great to share that during orientation. Each of the girls answered a question that was from their application so not only did the audience get to know us better, so did the judges. We were then shuffled off to dance rehearsal where it felt like we spent half of our time preparing for the infamous fashion show. The fashion show committee did a great job of coordinating a fabulous show. The theme was “A Night at the Movies”. It featured music from several popular movies such as Dirty Dancing, Pretty Woman and more. The show itself was so much fun to dance in and I hope the audience enjoyed watching it as much as I enjoyed participating. In between dance rehearsals we had a series of interviews, one that was horsemanship focused and one that was focused on personality. We also showed off our horsemanship skills at the Excalibur arena during the Horsemanship portion. We each rode two horses provide by the NFR stock contractors and while we all rode the same first pattern, we then had

Miss Rodeo America Orientation

an opportunity to do a freestyle pattern. The horses were tough but fair. The horsemanship committee did a great job of putting that event on.

Outside of the judged events was the chance to go to the American Country Awards as guests of the MGM. It was a phenomenal chance to see some of my very favorite country artists perform and be acknowledged for their talent. We also attended the 6 performance of the NFR. It was great to cheer on the contestants we’d seen all year long. It is something I will never forget.

Of course I could say that about the whole pageant. The pageant was an 8 day blur of laughter, glitter, late nights, dance rehearsals and of course hairspray. I had spent many hours working on my horsemanship, studying, practicing interview questions, coordinating clothes with the help of Cyndie Heinrich and practicing my speech but it seemed like the pageant was over in the blink of an eye. It was the experience of a lifetime and I would like to thank everyone who voted for me for People’s Choice, sent me emails, flowers or gifts. Your support meant the world and truly helped me get through the sometimes stressful week.

I apologize that I don’t have more pictures to post from the contest but I haven’t ordered my photos from John Shooter yet. As soon I get them I will post some of them for you to see. In the meantime you can check them out at www.shooterenterprises.com.

On an unrelated note, we’ve transitioned our Facebook page. If you were friends with “MissRodeo Nevada” please be sure to find our new page “Miss Rodeo Nevada” and “Like” it. The Miss Rodeo Nevada Association and I appreciate your continued support of our organization!

Until Next Time,

Ann Clemmitt

Miss Rodeo Nevada 2011

 Happy New Year everyone!

 The holiday was here and felt like it just vanished! One thing that I don’t like about the holiday season is, you wait all year for the big Christmas dinner and anticipate Christmas morning as you can’t wait to wake up to open presents. When it’s FINALLY here, the time seems to fly by!

2011 Nevada Day Parade

 I had a wonderful Christmas with my whole family. It’s always a good time when the whole family gets together and spends good quality time as one.

 My family this year decided to play a board game, I believe it’s called “Last Word”.  Well let’s just say my family is VERY competitive!  We all ended up yelling at each other and as a result, I think I can safely say “My family will not be playing “Last Word” again!”

It’s crazy to me that 2011 is gone! What a year I had.

• A big birthday, turning 18. 
• I became Miss Teen Rodeo Nevada,
• I won the honor of carrying the American flag for the Reno Rodeo,
• I graduated High School,
• I received a Millennium Scholarship,
• I got a great job at Costco

 Whoo! Talk about a lot to be thankful for. I didn’t want to say goodbye to 2011, but I have a good feeling 2012 will be a great year and I’ll push myself to make 2012 even better.

Nevada Day Parade

 As it comes closer to April 6th, I see my horse Lilly showing her pregnancy. I cannot wait.  I’ll be raising my first baby horse! I have seen horses give birth, but they were never mine! Barbie my palamino mare was bred last year.  We were hoping she would foal but, she lost her foal due to having cyst on her ovary. The vets determined her miscarriage was due to the foal attaching to the cyst and not having enough blood supply.  

 I am pleased that Lilly is in foal so I can still enjoy a baby horse!

 I’m excited for my 19th birthday at the end of January.

 I hope that everyone has a great start to the beginning of 2012!

 ~ Life’s a journey, Enjoy the ride ~

Welcome to Utah & Circuit Finals

Last weekend, I had the honor of attending the Wilderness Circuit Finals Rodeo in Ogden, UT with Audrey Hall Miss Rodeo Arizona, Tricia Crump

Queens ready for Grand Entry - Miss Wilderness, Utah, Idaho & Nevada

Miss Rodeo Idaho and Jamie Udell Miss Rodeo Utah. Cowboys from Nevada, Utah, and Southern Idaho competed in their respective events for a gold buckle and a chance to go to the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City, OK in April 2012. Bar T put on a great show as the cowboys and cowgirls battled it out. In the end, the Wilderness Circuit Rodeo Champion in each event was crowned. These contestants, along with the year-end winners will travel to the RNCFR and represent our circuit on a national level.

Presenting the Bull Riding Saddle from Reno Rodeo

Each night I was honored to carry the Nevada Flag as part of the grand entry with Tricia, Jamie, and Morgan Blackhurst the Wilderness Circuit queen. The last night I presented the year end bull riding saddle on behalf of the Reno Rodeo Association to Travis Atkinson who won more than $20,000.00 this year! Congratulations Travis and all of our circuit finals contestants! It was a great rodeo and a fun way to give recognition to our weekend warriors.

This was really the end of my travel for a bit. I have a sendoff party in Las Vegas and one in

Announcer Wayne Brooks & Miss Arizona

Reno and then it’s time to put my nose to the grindstone and prepare for Miss Rodeo America! So far, I’ve enjoyed every second of my reign and I’m so excited to see what is in store for December!

Until Next Time,

Ann

Kayla and I enjoying a break in between events.

The middle of October found me traveling with some members of the Reno Rodeo Executive Committee to the Grand National Rodeo at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, CA.  I was very excited about this trip because the Cow Palace is a historic venue which has hosted many agriculturally based events since 1941. Because the venue is in the city, there was a great opportunity to do some outreach and education about our sport. The rodeo committee hosted a Rodeo 101 session that was open to the general public before the rodeo. It was great interacting with many inter-city folks who knew nothing about our sport and giving them a taste of the show that they would be seeing later in the evening.

 During the rodeo itself, Kayla Roundy Miss Reno Rodeo 2012 and I were very busy helping Hollie Kucera Miss

My partner during the Rodeo 101 session.

Grand National by keeping the arena clear and packing sponsor flags. We were so busy in fact that Bob Tallman nicknamed Kayla and me the Reno Buckarettes because we were in the arena as much as the cowboys! The Committee and I had a chance to sit down with Bob for breakfast, and I can say with certainty that it was the most educational breakfast I’ve ever attended. Bob’s unique perspective from behind the microphone combined with his many years of knowledge gives him a great insight to all things rodeo. I really enjoyed hearing about our great sport from one of the best announcers in the business.

Another thing that is unique about the Grand National Rodeo is that there is a livestock show happening in conjunction with the rodeo.  That meant we got to enjoy a parade of livestock as part of the grand entry! It was very cool to see the hard work that all of those kids put into raising and caring for their animals. We also enjoyed getting to watch Jeff Shearer, a Flying U pickup man, and his trusty partner Diamond Lil take a stab at a working cattle dog trial. Diamond Lil is one of the highlights of the Reno Rodeo thanks to her hard work during the bull riding to keep those big bulls in line and it was fun seeing her try something new. Although the trial was entertaining to watch, I think those two are better suited for the rodeo arena.

With Kayla, Clint and Alan

 My trip to California was over in the blink of an eye but it was truly one of the best of my year thanks to the company. Thank you to Clint, Alan,  for a truly memorable trip. Thank you to Cotton Rosser and the whole Flying U crew for letting me use Buster the whole weekend. Up next, I’m off to the Wilderness Circuit Finals in Ogden, UT and then to Las Vegas for a sendoff party! I hope to see you down the trail!

Until Next Time,

Ann

          October has been a busy month with lots of travel! The month started in Las Vegas when the Western Heritage Foundation put on a team roping. Unfortunately the turn out wasn’t as good as we hoped but it was still a fun roping. Thank you to everyone that came out to rope and help! After the roping, Buttons and I headed over the hump to Pahrump where we attended the rodeo out there. When we went, we hadn’t planned on me riding since it was a last minute decision to attend the rodeo in the first place. Well of course when we got there, the Pahrump committee wanted me to ride so they found me a horse, and I had just enough time to jog him around the warm up arena before the rodeo started. As is typical with most stock contractors, I was warned that this fellow (who happened to be a pick up horse) might buck with me. Well my entry wasn’t that exciting since we barely got out of a slow lope. After the painfully slow grand entry, a cowboy stopped me behind the chutes to comment on my ride. It started with, “Ma’am you sure are pretty” and ended with, “But even someone as pretty as you can’t make that paint horse look good.” Needless to say, there are some situations as a rodeo queen where you just have to go with the flow and that grand entry was one of them! The rest of the rodeo was pretty laid back and we enjoyed a good show.

                I stayed with Buttons (my national director) and we enjoyed a “break” in between rodeos where we were able to get a lot of things done

Reading to Wendall Williams Elementary School 1st graders

in preparation for the Miss Rodeo America Pageant. We even made time to stop by Williams Elementary School where I read to the 1^st graders. Many of the kids remembered me from when I read to them as kindergartener’s back in May, and I learned that kids have great memories! Someone asked me why I was wearing a brown hat instead of my white one. It just goes to show how impressionable kids are and how important it is that we spread the word about our sport to these youngsters. I even handed out bookmarks with the Cowgirls Prayer on it to remind them how important it is to read. 

With Brenda and Hadley the Fernley Senior Pro Royalty

Wednesday brought about the first night of the Senior Pro Rodeo Finals and with it came a torrential downpour. Luckily they were able to move the roughstock events up and get through all the events with no weather related injuries. Thursday dawned warm and sunny, albeit a bit cooler than I would have liked. Thankfully the weather held every day thereafter as we enjoyed 3 awesome nights of rodeo with the NSPRA group. I was honored to represent the NSPRA group as the Fernley Senior Pro Queen in 2008, and it was wonderful to see many of the same individuals still involved and active within their organization.

The last two nights of the finals, I was joined by this year’s Fernley Senior Pro Royalty. I enjoyed visiting with

Ann & Hadley Herrera the Fernley Senior Pro Princess

Brenda Steffan, their queen and Hadley Herrera, their princess. We played Vanna for the live auction, and Brenda and I stayed very busy during the performance by keeping the arena clear of cattle. It was a truly memorable rodeo thanks to the hard work of so many people!

          Thank you to Jon Scolari for letting me use Chunky Monkey aka Fargo. Jon had me a little worried the first night when he showed up at 5:50 and grand entry was supposed to start at 6 with me carrying the Nevada flag. To top it off, Fargo had never carried a flag before. Luckily I was able to get mounted in time and Fargo had no issues with the flag. I fell in love with Fargo instantly and would have taken him home if I had the means to transport him. Thank you to John South, who swears he doesn’t know what to do with queens but sure kept me busy. Also thanks to Bob Stoddard, the Herrera family, the Broken Heart crew, Kenny Eggleston, and Donnie Gay for making it such a pleasure to be there! This was the first year that the NSPRA finals have been in Vegas (previously they were in Winnemucca) and I think the association did a good job of keeping the production running smoothly.

Donnie Gay and Kenny Eggleston - NSPRA Announcers

My last afternoon in Vegas a few of the committee members got together to grill me with impromptu questions. I don’t use the word “grill” lightly, as I’m guessing I answered close to 40 questions in an hour and a half. Nonetheless, it was great practice and I enjoyed hearing my committee’s different perspectives. Thank you to Chris Lemke, Man Chris (Chris’s husband), Linda and Buttons for spending the afternoon with me making sure I’m as prepared as possible for December.  

          10 days is a long time to be in Las Vegas for this Reno girl, but I enjoyed every second of it with my director Buttons. I know I sound like a broken record but I am SO blessed to have such a dedicated committee. I’ve come to regard many of them as family and Buttons is no exception. I had such a great time getting to know her more. Nevada is lucky to have someone so passionate about our queen program. Her extensive rodeo background and contacts are absolutely invaluable to our program. And that applies to our entire committee. You guys are the absolute best. With that, I will close out my rather lengthy blog and say that I continue to feel so blessed to be supported by such a phenomenal committee. Their support really allows me to enjoy my job! I know I’m a bit behind on my blogs but I’m working on my Grand National update. First though I’m off to Ogden, UT for the circuit finals where I will anxiously be waiting to see how our circuit standings shake out.

Until Next Time,

Ann 

With Miss Rodeo Nevada 1980 Arlynn Taylor-Kemp and her horse Josi.

In the middle of the month I attended the Lions Dixie Round-Up Rodeo in St. George, UT. I arrived Thursday night and was picked up by Arlynn Taylor-Kemp. Arylnn is a former Miss Rodeo Nevada who relocated to Utah. Arlynn judged me at the Miss Rodeo Nevada pageant this year so it was nice getting to see her outside of a pageant setting. Of course late nights for rodeo queens usually mean an early morning and this trip was no exception.

Visiting Washington Elementary School

 Friday got started early with a radio interview with Carl from 99.9 Kony Country. Myself, Jamie Udell Miss Rodeo Utah, Stephanie Jimmerson the Dixie Queen, and Mikayla Miller the Dixie Princess clowned around with Randy Munns, the Rodeo Clown and the bullfighters in one of the most entertaining radio interviews I’ve ever done.  It was a great way to kick off the day because after that we were off to visit two local elementary schools to promote the rodeo. It was neat to do that because later that evening some of the kids we had visited earlier in the day came up to me to say hi. The rodeo itself was awesome with stock provided by Bar T Rodeo Company. They are without a doubt one of my favorite stock contractors (next to Flying U of course) because they are great to work with and have high quality bucking stock.

Saturday brought a pancake breakfast hosted in the Dixie Sunbowl. Besides getting my fill of pancakes, I got to see some awesome race cars that were there. I was very bummed when

Don't worry, they didn't let me drive it.

they told me I couldn’t take the Corvette home or drive the car that averaged 230 mph but it was still fun to sit in them. After breakfast it was time to have the parade! Arlynn let me borrow her horse for the parade and rodeo. I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful ride. Josi is a gorgeous buckskin mare who was perfect for me that evening! It was another exciting evening of rodeo, and I have to say the bulls won because nobody covered the entire rodeo!

I've always wanted a Corvette...

Although this was another short trip, I made some lifelong friends and cherished memories. Thank you to Arylnn and Sarah for being such gracious hostesses. There seems to be something about me and horses named Jack lately but I can’t complain because Jack in St. George was just as awesome as Jack in Payson. Thank you to Chad and family for sharing him with me for the evening. Thank you to the Lions Dixie Round Up Rodeo committee for being so welcome and putting me right to work.

As with all of my blogs, I always have more photos to post then I have room for. You can check out more photos from my year by clicking this link: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150202147363539.330022.792888538&l=0413f30e7d&type=1. Up next on my schedule, you can catch me at my fundraiser in Reno and then down in Vegas at the end of this month.

In the beautiful land of Dixie

Until Next Time,

Ann