So, you know how I said that the last post would be longest in rodeo queen history, here I am trying to beat my own record, with another very (very, very, very) long post of my travels through the summer months of August and September! After Atlantic, we made the trek south, to Kearney, MO for a Six Crowns Rodeo event. I was lucky enough to convince my wonderful father to let me take not one, but two horses down with us! This was our first trip taking two this summer, so it was kind of a test! Sassy and Tank (of course!) were the choosen few for the trip! Dad and I headed out early Friday morning. I was honored when dad even let me drive with the new truck! We made it to Kearney and had time to settle in, stretch the horses out, and then get ready to watch some bull riding! Tankers and I made a hot lap carrying one of my personal favorite flags, the NFPB Flag! Since he hadn't been out in public most of the summer, he made sure to make his hot laps smokin'. A huge thank you goes out to Billy S. for helping get Tankers into the arena, without me taking out some people! Dusty was the clown again at this show and was as funny as ever! Saturday I had the opportunity to go to one of the local sponsors with a few of the bull riders to sign autographs and talk with people. That was such a blast getting the chance to talk with the guys! After the meet and greet Tyler and Sarah Freeman (who are expecting their first baby any day!) stopped by and hung out at the trailer, which helped passed the time because before we knew it, it was time to get ready for night 2. Again Tank and I were excited to carry the NFPB flag, however, I think Tank was way more into it, since he had missed queening this summer! There was an autograph signing afterwards where we signed bandanas, t-shirts, and pictuers galore! Thank you so much to Six Crowns Rodeo Company for letting me come to their event and represent the NFPB. The next part of the trip may have been the longest experience of my time as Miss NFPB, maybe even in my life! So here dad and I were sleeping somewhat well, the horses had been a little restless being tied on the same side of the trailer and all, but when they were tied on opposite sides you would of thought they would die without each other. We tried to keep the hay bags full to help them pass the time, then roughly 2:30 Tankers pulled back, in a gentle way of course, breaking free of the trailer. Thank goodness that horse loves his hay, because all he did was stand there eating hay from the ground until we had crawled out of bed to retie him. Once again we filled the hay bags hoping that would do it so we could get some more sleep before heading home. Some how my little Princess, Sassy, managed to continue getting herself and Tank very tangled. After Dad and I had both had enough, keep in mind this was all before 3 a.m., we decided to pack up and go home. Neither of us were sleeping so it just seemed like the best idea at the time. What I have failed to mention thus far is that on the way down we had trouble with a trailer, which we thought we had fixed, as you will soon see, we didn't solve the problem! So here we are pulling out before 3:30 in the morning planning on being home in time for breakfast! We started the trek home knowing we needed to check the tires because of our issues on the way down. Well we did check them and the rear trailer tire on the drivers side continued getting very HOT! So over the course of the next hour we would stop, let it cool, etc. We even tried redistributing the weight of the horses, aka putting the big boy in the very front instead of the very back. No such luck. Finally, about 5 in the morning rolls around and we managed to get to where there were phone numbers for roadside repair men. After a few phone calls, and a few more miles (we would drive like 10 or so, then wait 15 minutes for the tire to cool, etc. etc. etc.) we got a hold of one that could meet us at a rest stop by 6:30 (still a.m.!). So we put the old Chevy in park at a rest area. Dad and I tried to get some shut eye before the repair man showed up, with little success. Once the man came, he decided there would be more room to fix the tire and figure out was going wrong at the next exit. We drove there, unloaded the horses, and then mister fix it man began to work his magic. I might have also left out the part of the story that I had to move to school that night! Yikes! So after much deliberation over what was wrong, a bunch of technical terms about tires that I didn't know, and a nap for Tank, Sassy, and I, it was eventually determined that I was not going to be making it home in time, unless someone came to my rescue! Thank goodness for small town Iowa and great neighbors. One of our neighbors, Eric Fara, hooked his truck (sadly a dodge) up to our livestock trailer and drove all the way to pick up this queen and her horses! Even though it was a Dodge I was glad to see it pull up. We moved all of my necessities, so pretty much everything I packed, into their truck, then loaded horses. We left dad behind in Missouri while he awaited the return of our repair man. Luckily we got home and unloaded just before it started to rain! A HUGE thank you to Eric Fara for coming to my rescue! So how many trucks and trailers does it take to get a rodeo queen home...answer: 2! For those of you wondering, my dad made it home that evening and we got the trailer repaired and ready to roll for our next trip and I made it up to Ames to start my junior year! And that's the rest of the story.....Once I moved back to school it was time for "spirit week", which in sorority terms is practicing for our formal recruitment! Sadly, I had to leave that and part of that and recruitment to rodeo! I headed to New Windsor, IL for a rodeo put on by the Hampton Rodeo Company. This was a full on rodeo, which I hadn't had the chance to watch in a while so I was very excited. It was also the first time the NFPB was in town! At the beginning of the first night I rode in on a stage coach pulled by 6 horses! Then I could walk around, sign autographs, and mingle before the bull riding portion of the evening started! I ran into Carley Hagey, Miss Rodeo Illinois 2008, and her family! I had was so greatful to stay at the lovely home of Dee and Russ Robb! I can't thank them enough for their hospitality and everything they did for me. Another huge thank you to their daughter Cait for letting me stay in her room to have a place of my own. I want to wish her and her family the best of luck in the Illinois State Fair pageant, you go girl! I had Saturday to rest and relax before night 2! I was lucky enough to get to ride in the stage coach the second night as well! I even got to make a hot lap before the NFPB section of bull ridings! New Windsor put on a great rodeo and I was honored to be a part of it! Thank you Dave Schatteman and the New Windsor Rodeo Committee for allowing me to come and be apart of their event. If you are ever out that way, be sure to stop by and check it out! That very same weekend I headed to Viroqua, WI for a CC Bucking Bulls event. The Check family was so welcoming and fun to be with! The first night of bull riding was great, perfect weather, and I was even brought in on another stage coach! I could get used to the stage coach thing. At the end myself, along with the clown, announcer, and cowboys signed autographs. I even got to stay at the cutest Bed and Breakfast, the Viroqua Heritage Inn Bed and Breakfast. Thank you to Trish, the Inn Keeper, for all she did. Staying there was so neat, and something I wouldn't have gotten to experience otherwise! Day 2 of Viroqua was an afternoon appearnace and due to some rain during the night the stage coach wasn't able to be brought in, but I was introduced before the final section of bulls. Again, thank you to everyone in Viroqua and the Check family! After my time in Wisconsin I drove back to Ames to help the women of Pi Beta Phi finish formal recruitment. Pi Beta Phi ended up getting a fabulous pledge class, so congrats ladies! That next Friday I headed to Owatonna, MN for Great Frontier Bull riding's last event of the year! It was so great to see the Kattevold family once again. I was honored to be introduced and hold the American Flag for the National Anthem. I had time to chat it up with the fine Policemen of Owatonna, MN, and they were a riot! I even got to ride a camel, yes, you read that right, a CAMEL! I have to tell you, he was a a little stinky, but I think he liked me! Thanks to everyone who made that short trip so fun! That night I headed back to Ames so mom and I could hit the road again in the morning. We left bright and early to make it to Kelsea (one of my fabulous coordinators) and TJ's wedding! It was gorgeous weather, stunning bride, and overall a fabulous wedding! Thank you Kelsea and TJ for letting mom and I be a part of your special day! The fun was short lived when we left bright and early the next day. Luckily, Amanda Eason, not only my hero in the rodeo queen world, but one of the best people I know, got to ride back with us, she helped entertain us all the way home! We were both dragging getting back to Ames knowing we were starting classes the next day. Don't be disappointed by my next weekend, I took it off, relaxing in Ames before the hard class work set it. However, I made up for it the first weekend in September, heading all of the way to Palestine, IL. I helped at the Miss Rodeo Illinois 2010 pageant. We had a blast Saturday hitting up downtown Palestine for some delicious pancakes, which were in part made by yours truly. It turns out that Palestine had been warned about what happens when I am around fire, hot things, or cooking in general, but we all survived my cooking experience, even those that consumed my creations. We had the rest of the morning to walk around and see what the great people of Palestine had to offer! After a fun autograph signing we headed to the arena for the Horsemanship portion of the competition! Then it was back to the hotel for a quick nap time before the bull riding began! The bull riding, put on by one of my personal favorite contractors, Jackson-Walkowe was a smashing success! It was great to see Clint, Frank, Tara, Deana, and the whole crew too. A special thanks to Lisa Boeding and the Miss Rodeo Illlinois Board for all they did during my stay in Palestine. Congrats to Katie Lea Chaffin on being crowned Miss Rodeo Illinois 2010! Also a big congrats goes out to Rebecca Marie Kloker, Miss Rodeo Illinois 2009. Rebecca you have done a fabulous job representing Illinois! I had a great time in Palestine with the both of you. Thank you to everyone that was behind getting me a horse for both nights of bull riding and the parade! Again, thank you to everyone in Palestine for all you did! Then, being the slacker I am, I took yet another weekend off to attend the Iowa vs. Iowa State football game. Needless to say, I wouldn't have missed much if I had gone to the PRCA Rodeo in Ft. Madison, IA, where the Miss Rodeo Iowa and Miss Teen Rodeo Iowa pageants are held. Congrats to Jordanne Blair (MRI 2o10) and Hannah Hilsabeck (MTRI 2010). Also congrats to Lindsey (MRI 09) and Shelby (MTRI 09) you both did a great job and we are all very proud of you both! Holy cow, I am about caught up with this! This last weekend I headed to Bloomington, WI for another CC Bucking Bulls event. I was so greatful to work with the Check family at their event, they truly have a family show, with everyone involved. It was such a great atmosphere and bull riding. I can't thank them enough for having a horse for me to ride when I was introduced right before the last section of bulls! Congrats to the bull riders on a job well done! Thank you to everyone in Bloomington and the Best Western in Lancaster for their hospitality!
No comments:
Post a Comment