NRA Finlas- Butte Round-2!

This year I did something that no other Miss Rodeo Montana has ever done… I attended the Northern Rodeo Association Finals twice in one year!! The NRA Finals Rodeo has been held in Billings for the last 37 years and this year was held the end of March 2011.  However, the NRA decided to move the NRA Finals to Butte and to schedule it at the end of their rodeo season in September.

This was my first rodeo in Butte this year and only the third time I actually got to ride my own horse.  My wonderful mother and I arrived Thursday afternoon for a Thursday, Friday, and Saturday performance. Sug and I carried the American flag while Amy (MTRM) carried the Montana flag on her 32-year-old horse Touchdown!

Friday was a BIG day for Amy and I.  We visited five schools that day between 8:30 and 4 p.m. Thank goodness for GPS on my iPhone or we would not have found our way on time to all the schools (K-2^nd grades in Ramsey, Hillcrest, West, and Emerson). We also stopped by and signed autographs at a pre-school, which was a lot of fun.  We talked to the kids about our travels, the sport of rodeo, the MRM pageant, and answered a LOT of questions. The questions were quite interesting, ranging from “Do you ride the bull?” to “Are you two sisters? Twins? Best friends?” They kept us laughing and we had a great time together touring all around Butte! Later that afternoon we also helped promote a kiddie rodeo at Murdoch’s Western Store and had an awesome turnout which was very nice to see.

Friday night at the rodeo, the committee did something I had never seen before --- they had U.S.A. lit up in flames on the arena floor.  I didn’t know how my horse Sug was going to respond to this but it didn’t even phase him! He’s becoming quite the Queen Horse!

Saturday morning, Amy and I were invited to emcee the very first Annual Murdoch’s Style Show at the Butte Mall. Kathy Baldry (who we have both known since we started rodeo queen pageants) asked us to take part and tell funny stories during “downtime” while the models were changing clothes.. We had a lot of fun and, of course, eyed clothing and boots that we wanted!

Saturday night at the rodeo was my favorite, it was “Tough Enough to Wear Pink” night, and for this special night the rodeo committee had placed a large cancer ribbon on the arena floor and lit it on fire.  Quite a spectacular sight and a great touch to draw attention to such a wonderful cause!

It is bittersweet knowing my year is soon coming to an end and that there are fewer than 60 days left until the Miss Rodeo America Pageant!!! The Northern International Livestock Exposition is scheduled October 19-22 in Billings and I am VERY excited to attend this rodeo.  It is in my home town and one I have been anxiously waiting to attend as Miss Rodeo Montana 2011!

United Way Day of Caring!

This year I was asked to be a part of something in my home town of Billings that was very humbling ---  take part in the

United Way

’s Day of Caring, the largest day of service in the state of Montana. I had met Carol Burton, Chairman of Billings, when I spoke at our local Rotary Club meeting and she arranged for me to be a part of their big day.

The event was held at the Rimrock Auto Arena, on September 14^th.  Everywhere you looked was a sea of blue tee-shirts!  I helped greet people as they came in for lunch, talked to them about the Miss Rodeo Montana program and thanked them each for taking time out of their day to help give back to their community.

While I did not speak at this function, I was introduced to the 1400 in attendance and enjoyed lunch with our Yellowstone County Commissioners.  I’ve gotten to know them well over the years as Miss Teen Rodeo Montana and now as Miss Rodeo Montana.

After lunch, my mother and I were able to help with various projects around Billings, starting at Zoo Montana, a place I had never been to in the seven years I have lived here! We took ladies from Autumn Spring Assisted living, for a tour around the zoo, where we viewed bald eagles, and visited Bruno the bear.

We then went back to the Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark to help paint the bleachers and preserve the outdoor accommodations at the complex.

It was great to see people from all walks of life helping with the Day of Caring and I was honored to be part of such a wonderful organization and to get more involved in my community!

Montana Pro Rodeo Hall and Wall of Fame- Beef and Beans BBQ

On July 14^th, I was honored to be both a guest and a scholarship recipient at the annual Beef and Beans BBQ sponsored by the Montana Pro Rodeo Hall and Wall of Fame.  This event introduces the twelve high school seniors that will each receive a $3,000 scholarship to continue their education at an accredited college of their choice.  Corporate sponsors and supporters of the organization were invited to personally meet the students and see first hand the results of fund raising efforts by MPRHWF. 

These 12 high school rodeo athletes are selected by the Montana High School Rodeo Association and are chosen using a balanced criteria of scholastic achievement, participation in rodeo, community service, future education plans, and financial need. In addition to the twelve $3,000 scholarships to graduating seniors, the Montana Pro Rodeo Hall and Wall of Fame awards Miss Rodeo Montana a $2,000 educational scholarship and $1,000 to Miss Montana High School Rodeo. 

I greatly appreciate receiving this scholarship and it will definitely help me further my education after completing my year as Miss Rodeo Montana.

Over the years, I have gotten to know many of the Montana Pro Rodeo Hall and Wall of Fame members.   My mother serves on their Advisory Committee and she is also the Miss Teen Rodeo Montana advisor. The Montana Pro Rodeo Hall and Wall of Fame maintains a monument site to honor Montana PRCA rodeo champions and legends at the MetraPark complex in Billings and raises scholarship funds year around.  Check them out at http://www.montanaprorodeo.org/.  They are truly a wonderful group of people.  One Board Member in particular is Lucille Hill.  She has truly been a blessing this year. At the beginning of my MRM year, she offered to proofread all my blogs before I publish them onto the Miss Rodeo Montana website and she is truly a lifesaver!!!  Sometime my mind is thinking way faster than my fingers will type and she always helps with my errors! So Lucille, thank you, thank you, thank you! You don’t know how much I truly appreciate all that you have done for me this year!