Yellow Jacket Stampede Rodeo

(L to R) Kristina Maddocks-Jr. Miss Rodeo South Dakota, McKenzie Haley-Miss Black Hills Stock Show and I at the Yellow Jacket Stampede Rodeo.

Miss Rodeo Nevada Pageant and Clark County Fair & Rodeo

After three back-to-back blizzards in the Black Hills, I was ecstatic to make my next trip to the Clark County Fair & Rodeo in Logandale, NV, which is also host to the Miss Rodeo Nevada Pageant. My first day in Nevada started in sunny Las Vegas where Miss Rodeo Wyoming, Miss Rodeo Montana, Miss Rodeo Nevada, Miss Teen Rodeo Nevada and I toured many different places. We started at Child Haven, where we had the opportunity to meet with children that are waiting to be placed into foster homes. Our next stop was Opportunity Village, where we toured the facilities and met with the various workers. Our day ended at Nellis Air Force Base where the visiting queens and I were given the VIP tour of the air force base. We toured the weapons training museum, the jet hangers, the helicopters, and we even walked out onto the runways! A special thank you to Christopher Smith at Nellis Air Force Base who educated us about the Air Force. To all of the Air Force men and women, I applaud them for their service to our country. 

The next day we started the morning at the Mesquite Rotary Meeting, where each state queen spoke about her favorite experience so far as a rodeo queen. We then ventured to Mesquite’s Highland Manor Nursing Home to visit with the residents. I truly enjoyed meeting with all of the residents and learning about their pasts. We then ventured to the first performance of the Clark County Rodeo. Each night we were introduced during the grand entry. A very special thank you to Flint Hempstead for allowing me to borrow one of his pickup horses for each grand entry.

Friday morning, we headed back to Las Vegas for the orientation portion of the Miss Rodeo Nevada Pageant. It was so wonderful to meet all of the contestants, they each did an outstanding job competing for the title. After orientation we had a fabulous lunch in the healing gardens of St. Rose Dominican Hospital. We then toured the hospital and met with several patients.

Saturday morning brought a down pouring rain. The visiting queens and I warmed up the horses for the Miss Rodeo Nevada Horsemanship. After the horsemanship portion of the contest, Tom & Cathy Collins treated us to a tasty lunch at their ranch. After drying off, we modeled for the fashion show back at the fairgrounds. We were then treated to a barbeque dinner complete with our own impromptu country singer who sang about every rodeo queen present!

On Sunday morning, we spent some time soaking up the sun outside and packing for our travels home, but not before one more spectacular rodeo performance. During the performance on Easter Sunday, they crowned the new 2009 Miss Rodeo Nevada. Congratulations to Andrea Lynch, I look forward to representing our states together in 2009! A huge thank you to Anna Bavor, Miss Rodeo Nevada 2008, you did an amazing job this past year.  I am so happy I got to spend a few months with you as a state queen, and to make a long lasting friend. Finally, thank you to the Miss Rodeo Nevada Association, especially Joanna Alvarado and Melanie Mooney, for hosting the visiting state queens, it was an unforgettable trip!

Visiting royalty and I at Opportunity Village in Las Vegas, NV.

Weapons Training Museum at Nellis Air Force Base

Our air force tour guides and visiting queens at Nellis Air Force Base.

Highland Manor Nursing Home visit in Mesquite, NV

Miss Rodeo Nevada Pageant Orientation

Modeling at the Miss Rodeo Nevada Pageant Speeches and Modeling.

(L to R) Miss Rodeo Nevada-Anna Bavor, Miss Rodeo Wyoming-Allie Bass, myself, and Miss Rodeo Montana-Lesli Furniss enjoying the sunshine and palm trees!

Miss Rodeo Nevada 2008, Anna Bavor and I at the 

final performance of the Clark County Fair & Rodeo in Logandale, NV.

SDSU Jackrabbit Stampede Rodeo

The month of April was a spectacular month as Miss Rodeo South Dakota. I started off the month in my college town of Brookings, SD. I was honored to judge the Jackrabbit Stampede Ambassador Contest. There were five lovely contestants and I truly enjoyed getting to know each one during the pageant. Congratulations to Becca Stevens, who will represent South Dakota State University as the new Jackrabbit Stampede Ambassador, you will do an amazing job! A special thank you to Tammi Cole-Rebelein, the Jackrabbit Stampede Ambassador Coordinator, for allowing me to be apart of the pageant, I had an amazing time! After the pageant it was time to rodeo! I got to participate in four college rodeo performances and the Sutton Saddle Bronc Match. Once again the Sutton Rodeo Company did an exceptional job producing the rodeo and I feel very lucky to be involved with their rodeos throughout my reign. Another big thank you goes to my friend and past equestrian teammate Anna Taylor, for allowing me to stay at her house during the week, thank you!

SDSU Jackrabbit Stampede Ambassador Pageant

Miss Rodeo SDSU 2008, Erica Reinesch and I 

at the Jackrabbit Stampede Ambassador Pageant

Friend and former SDSU equestrian teammate, 

Kelsey Likness and I before the rodeo

(L to R) Myself, Erica Reinesch - Miss Rodeo SDSU, Amber Dell - Miss Range Days Rodeo Queen, and Courtney Peterson - Miss Rodeo Aberdeen at the Jackrabbit Stampede.

Carrying sponsor flags at the 55th Annual SDSU Jackrabbit Stampede Rodeo