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Three Rodeos, Two Nights and One Trick Rope – Memorable Combo

Moments after posting my last blog, I was on the road and headed for Springfield, Missouri for the Central & Southern Region Finals for the weekend. The drive up to Missouri flew past and I arrived by nightfall to the home of my host family and rodeo producers, Rick & Lyndia Chaffin in nearby Ozark, MO. As we tend to do, we were up visiting for a couple hours and then it was time to turn in for the night with a full weekend on the horizon.

 

What gorgeous weather we were blessed with! Sunshine and warm weather was Friday’s forecast and it put us all in a wonderful mood preparing for that evenings performance. After running a few errands around Ozark, Lyndia and I headed to the arena early on in the day to get set up for the crowds that would soon file their way through the double doors of the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds. Between setting up merchandise displays and receiving the latest rodeo gossip from Garrett Yerigan (Lyndia said we sound like a hair salon J ), we decorated and organized our way through the hours before the gates opened.

 

I had an EXTREMELY important duty at the beginning of the evening that I took VERY seriously! The first 50 kids in the door received a free trick rope from Miss Rodeo USA! Now, what kid is going to just take the rope and automatically know how to operate such an advanced piece of equipment? Apparently quite a few, but regardless I made sure I was a true professional by the time the kids began to crowd around! I probably had more fun with the ropes than the kids but luckily Lyndia sent me away to saddle up just as I was about to attempt the jumping through the loop trick! J

 

Saddled up, chaps on and American flag in hand, I was ready for Friday night grand entry. The crowds were enthusiastic as Garrett, our talented 15-year-old announcer, brought me in for the “cowboys on parade” and later, the National Anthem. Thank you to the Chaffin’s for loaning me their great horse, Zebell and to Cory and Joel Chaffin for their constant help and assistance! Best stable boys I’ve ever had! Just kidding guys! After walking the crowds and visiting with the fans and supporters, I even enjoyed part of the excellent Hampton Rodeo Co. performance for myself! Friday night concluded on a high note and after a visit to the local Waffle House, we were all done in for the day!

 

With a busting-at-the-seams day planned out for Saturday with two performances, the Chaffin’s were wonderful to give me some extra time to sleep in (something practically unheard of in my line of work J ). Amanda, Joel’s wife, picked me up from the house and together we visited a few sponsors as well as enjoyed a wonderful lunch before making our way to the rodeo grounds. I quickly changed and was manning my post as the new trick rope performer as the fans arrived. Again saddled up on Zebell, I led the contestants through the now very familiar serpentine of grand entry followed by standing spotlight with the American flag. Always a highlight for me!

 

As quickly as the afternoon began, the performance seemed to wrap up and the stands emptied as we all prepared for the evening rodeo in a few short hours. Thank you to Rib Crib for catering a truly delicious meal and re-energizing some dragging worker, including myself, between events! Excellent blackberry cobbler! J It seemed like moments after the doors closed on the last fan, they were reopened to invite them all back into the show. Two down, one to go! After the Spring Cowboy Classic in Springfield back in March as well as the Ozark Booster Club Rodeo in July, I seem to have some reappearing fans who I enjoyed visiting with again and recognizing many familiar faces. There are some truly dedicated rodeo fans in the Springfield area! Seeing many of them take their seats, I knew I was on once again. Zebell and I entered the arena one last time and kicked off the rodeo before the excitement began with the first bronc out of the chute. I was able to enjoy much of the rodeo side-by-side the fans and was front row as the winners were issued their custom Case knives. Congrats to all the event winners!

 

What a day it had been and we were all thankful to see our pillows that night! A BIG thanks to the entire Chaffin family for their continued hospitality and friendship. I’ve truly enjoyed my time spent working with you and getting to know you all better! We will see you all in January!

 

Now I find myself in Oklahoma City with a weekend full of horse shows, shopping, autograph signings, sponsor visits and western store grand openings….hmm, how much can I do in three days? We will soon find out! Until next time, God Bless and happy trails!!

“You Must Be Winding Down in Your Reign About Now, Right?” How WRONG They Are!

It seems as if I’m busier this time of year than I’ve ever been! I fully expected to have a blog posted much sooner than two weeks after my last post, but my hectic schedule isn’t slowing down anytime soon. I left off in my last blog with my director, Amy Duvall and I headed south to Dallas for the Apparel Market and some prime shopping!

 

We loaded up the car (with some extra room for items purchased!) and hit the trail toward Dallas on Friday afternoon. It was a pleasant drive and always fun to catch up and joke around with Amy! We arrived in the fast-moving city that evening with a truly gorgeous sunset beyond the skyline of massive buildings featured in down-town. We settled into our fabulous hotel and headed out for dinner before turning in to prepare for the events yet to come.

 

Saturday morning we were up and going with market in mind! The Dallas Markets is for distributors to purchase items for their business or company and for the Miss Rodeo USA Association it is a chance to visit with numerous sponsors who participate.  With fifteen floors of shopping at its best, we were hitting the ground running from the moment we walked in. We window shopped as well as met with potential sponsors and visited with existing contributors before giving our feet a rest for the day. Another dinner out on the town plus catching a movie (Couple Retreat – FYI: VERY funny!) and we hit the hay, completely exhausted!

 

Sunday was for wrapping up all the Cash & Carry deals where the exhibitors and vendors sell their display items for good deals. We made our rounds once again before we were headed back home from an exciting and very productive weekend in Dallas!

 

That Tuesday, Amy and I were northbound to Tulsa for my fall photo shoot with Jim Grillot. This photo shoot features many of the sponsor items that hadn’t arrived back in January and sponsors we’ve added since the pageant. Jim, Amy and myself worked for nearly four hours in his studio then were off to dinner before returning home after 11pm. It was a long night but thank you to Jim for the gorgeous photos and to Amy for all her “there’s a hair out of place” help! J

 

A couple days later I was on the road again and patting myself on the back for investing in a library card to check out books on CD! I cruised across the Oklahoma border and into a STUNNING Arkansas fall drive full of vibrant colors that was breathtaking in its beauty. I was behind the wheel for nearly six hours in my trek southeast to Greenville, Mississippi for a Saddle Up 4 Good benefit rodeo.  For a bit of background on the organization; Dr. Ray Charles Lockamy and Mr. Morris are two urban cowboys who serve as inspirational leaders in order to inspire others to dream and believe in their goals. These two DC metropolitan area horseman use history and the love of animals to attract children and families to their program and inspire youth of America but holding events, such as the rodeo in Greenville. I was thrilled to be apart of such an inspirational project and was welcomed with open arms and attitudes from the Saddle Up 4 Good committee as well as the community.

 

Despite the all day rain, Friday evening was our first performance and I was saddled up (with the help of my new friend, Morgan) with flag in hand, ready to kick off the show. After carrying ol’ glory for stock contractor, Art Todd, I was off of my sturdy horse, Cactus and in the crowd. The folks of Mississippi were so friendly and I truly enjoyed moving from group to group and getting to know the locals! Our event wrapped up just as the rain let up and we all turned in for the night with the hopes of sunshine tomorrow!

 

Someone was listening to our prayers for decent weather because I awoke to beautiful rays of sunshine and 70 degree weather! What a way to begin the morning! With a leisurely morning in front of me, I was fully ready to get to the afternoon performance of the Saddle Up 4 Good rodeo. Morgan had Cactus saddled and warmed up for me (How great is she!?) and we were rip’raring to go for the grand entry. As it always is, it was a pleasure to carry the flag and that much more enjoyable knowing the committee appreciated my attendance so greatly. I spent the rest of the performance roaming around chatting with fans and learning more about the Saddle Up 4 Good organization from all of their fantastic volunteers.

 

Final perf was set to begin at 7pm that same night, therefore all the workers agreed we would enjoy our down time before we hit it hard once more. Back at the grounds just hours later I was greeted by a smiling 5-year-old little boy named Emmanuel from New Jersey. We had quickly become friends that afternoon when he introduced himself as one of the followers of Saddle Up 4 Good. He chatted my ear off ever since and spent most of the evening acting as my loyal shadow while I loved every minute of it. He was a fun and bright little boy who stole my heart even BEFORE he invited me back to New Jersey so we could learn to ice skate together! J In between my in-depth conversations with E-Man (as they call him) I wandered the crowds and eventually said my goodbyes to my many new friends in Greenville, Mississippi.

 

Thank you to Art Todd for your support, to Scooter for the use of his fantastic horse, Eddie for all your incite and laughs, Morgan for your steadfast dedication and help, and all those involved with the Saddle Up 4 Good organization. I had a wonderful time in Greenville and I’m happy to say that I was apart of such a good cause. Thank you all!

 

Hopefully you all can’t tell by my writing techniques but this afternoon puts me back on the road and headed to Springfield…just as soon as I can post this! I’ll be sure to share with you all my stories from the Central & Southern Region Finals in Missouri! Until then, God Bless!

 

P.S. Photos from Dallas, TX and Greenville, MS will be up Monday! Sorry for the delay!

Quarter Horse Congress, Queen Clinics and a Whole Lot of Craziness!

The month of October began in a rushed attempt to get my schedule under control before my events began, simply because I won’t slow down now nearly until January. I kicked of the month with a flight northeast to Columbus, Ohio for the annual All American Quarter Horse Congress and a chance to visit with some good friends, Dee Staley and Lonnie Best.

 

The morning of the ninth I was off to Tulsa to catch a 6am flight that brought me into Columbus that afternoon on a sunny but chilly Friday. Dee was there to pick me up at the airport and take me directly to the Ohio Expo Center where the 43rd annual Congress was held. After moving into Dee & Lonnie’s “humble little horse trailer” (I hope you all catch the sarcasm because it was nicer than most homes! J ) for the week, we were off to explore the grounds. If there is one thing Dee and I have in common it is our love for shopping and with 400 some-odd vendors on site, we were ooh-ing and aw-ing from booth to booth before we ventured over to the barns for a visit with Dee’s friends and trainer. They were a rowdy, fun, story-telling bunch who never failed to get a laugh out of me! Dee’s trainer Bill, aka Hank, was a hoot and entertained me the whole week and when his friends joined in, they made for memorable experiences! Dee was set to show on Saturday so we turned in early to get a jump start on the day coming up.

 

Buttons is a gorgeous 3-year-old mare who Dee entered to show in a halter class and they spent all morning primping and preparing. Do I mean DEE primped all morning? Nope! Bill had Buttons shining by the time they entered the arena but he pampered her for over 3 hours prior to the class! I know now how a hand vacuum, gel baby oil and white spray paint are used on a show horse. It might have been at that moment that I realized and accepted that this truly is NOT my world! Lonnie showed up that morning in time to join us all in watching Dee show and although she didn’t place how she hoped she would, we all had a wonderful evening none the less, including a trip to my favorite restaurant, Texas Roadhouse! Yum!

 

Sunday was queen day! I had the pleasure of mixing a little of Jamie with a little of Miss Rodeo USA on this trip and only dressed up a few times while relaxed during the rest. On Sunday, Dee had arranged for me to sign some autographs at Leonard’s Truck and Trailer booth on the grounds and I was pleased to wake up to sunshine regardless of the 50 degree weather! It was a tad cold for this girl! Apparently, I’ve been in Oklahoma too long and my blood can’t handle much less than 50 degrees, I’m in trouble for winter! Leonard’s was kind enough to set me up a booth in the heart of traffic that morning and I had the chance to meet many Congress-goers and sign a few photos. The rest of the afternoon was spent making the rounds in Congress Hall amongst the retail vendors, many of which took a special interest to this rodeo girl in a horse show world. I would like to thank the new and blossoming company of Good Ride out of Florida for their generous donations. They loaded up a bag full of shirts, caps and misc items for me and I was thrilled to receive such fun clothing and help get the word out about their growing business. Monday was the biggest day yet to come with Dee showing her stallion Wandy in the Performance Stallion Halter class. Off to bed to begin fresh!

 

To give you a bit of background on Wandy (or Mr. Wonderful as Dee lovingly refers to him) is Dee’s prime barrel and pole horse. He is a gorgeous stallion who apparently can really move and kick it into high gear! Dee has been really pleased with his performance in the arena but it was her trainer, Bill that decided they needed to enter Wandy into the Performance Stallion category that was recently created at the Congress. Admitting she was slightly nervous, Dee confessed she has never shown Wandy in halter before that day. When she stepped in that show ring, it would be their maiden voyage (at least afoot!) and she jokingly will tell you that she would have rather thrown a saddle on and entered at 90mph instead! With family and friends watching, Dee and Wandy did their thing in the arena and soon it was time for placings. We were thrilled to hear how nicely each of the four judges where ranking her and Wandy and by the time the overall scores were being tabulated, we knew she had a chance at first. When the moment of truth came, Dee came out on top! She strutted her stuff across that arena as I was coming unglued in the stands! We were all so excited for Dee and a Congress Champion is something to be extremely proud of! We were all on cloud nine for the rest of the evening and put us on a high going into Tuesday.

 

My final day in Columbus turned out to be a beautiful morning but I was sad to leave. I had had such a wonderful experience getting to witness the largest horse show in the country and to watch a dear friend win such a prestigious award. It truly was a wonderful trip and I can’t thank Dee and Lonnie enough for all they did to bring me to Ohio as well as what they do for the Miss Rodeo USA Association. Not only do they provide the career advancement award but they donate a tremendous amount of time to the pageant and we are extremely grateful for their involvement. Dee & Lonnie; you two are the best and I am SO thankful to have had the opportunity to get to know you both better, thank you for the laughs and the unique experiences of Congress, I can’t wait to see you both again soon! It was hard to leave but that afternoon I took off for Tulsa and was greeted by the whole Duvall family at the airport and enjoyed a delicious meal out on the town before heading home to Henryetta.

 

I barely had a moment to take a breath before Thursday arrived and girls for the seventh annual Miss Rodeo USA Queen Clinic arrived with it! This year we pulled in 10 participants from six states who were eager to learn more about our pageant as well as the queen world in general. Because of how the economy has been and how deeply everyone has been affected, our association made the decision to hold the clinic in the comfort of the Duvall home instead of an hour and a half down the road in Oklahoma City. Financially, it cut the cost dramatically for both the association and more importantly, the clinic girls. On Thursday night, girls began filing into the Duvall home in preparation for Friday’s kick-off. By 9am the next morning we had a full house and we were all anxious to begin! We dedicated all day on Friday to horsemanship and provide horses as well as coaching for each girl in order for them to have the opportunity to jump on various different horses and receive feedback on their skills. A BIG thank you to Tanner McElhaney for saddling and warming up all the horses for the girls, we appreciated being able to just jump on and get to work! We spent the morning on horseback, broke for a quick pizza lunch and were back in the saddle for a few more rotations. That evening we thawed out in the living room where we discussed horsemanship in more detail as well as all categories of interest.

 

Saturday was a FULL day for the girls of the clinic! We began at 9am and weren’t in bed until nearly 11pm because we had filled the day so full of activities and lectures in attempt to find everything in that needed to be covered. While I was able to do most of the clinic myself, with the aide of our incredible clinic notebook, I was thrilled to have four past queens on hand for additional opinions and feedback. Thank you to Joannna Blackwell (MRUSA 2005), Katie Woods (MRUSA 2004), Kristin Scott (MRUSA 2008), and Amy Duvall (National Director, MRUSA 1995), and Katie Wood’s mom, Janet who all helped out tremendously! What a great group of ladies! We covered anything from personal interviews and appearance to speeches and modeling. After putting in a full day, we all crashed to be up and going on Sunday to finish out the clinic.

 

One of the most beneficial aspects of the Miss Rodeo USA clinic is that we video each girl and send them back with clips of themselves as well as tips and critiques to help them improve. Sunday morning we add the most important video to their DVD, a mock personal interview. We spend the majority of the morning interviewing each girl and working with them one on one and tried to wrap up the weekend early enough to get the far travelers back on the road.

 

We had a phenomenal group of young ladies who attended this event and I’m thrilled to know that they all had a positive (and FUN!) experience at the 2009 Miss Rodeo USA clinic. Thank you again to all who contributed to the clinic; Clinicians (Joanna, Katie, Janet, Amy, Kristin), those who organized food and overall help (Julie Hettich, Debra Jones, Athie Duvall), Dr. Jones for the beautiful photos, and Tanner for helping out with the horses. We had a successful weekend due to the help and dedication of all those who attended and participated, THANK YOU!

 

Up next, “Amy & Jamie’s Dallas Adventure!” Stay turned to find out what kind of trouble we can get into at the Dallas Market this weekend. Look out Texas! J

How Many Autographs Does It Take Before I Spell My Own Name Wrong? I Now Know!

Last Saturday brought me to the northern part of Oklahoma to the town of Enid for an Atwood’s Ranch & Home reopening. I traveled a few hours on the turnpike to reach my destination early evening on Friday in preparation for the Saturday event. The staff at the Holiday Inn Express in Enid was wonderful and treated me well as I enjoyed a relaxing evening before turning in early for a fresh start the next day. Being a girl from Washington and hailing from the town of Ellensburg, with arguably the world's highest per capita concentration of espresso stands, I have learned to never pass up a Starbucks! With my treasured vanilla latte in hand, I made my way through the already forming crowds at the entrance of the Atwood’s store to my, now very familiar, Ariat sponsored autograph table. I was immediately greeted by the friendly employees of Atwood’s and felt at home with their hospitality. As many of the Atwood’s grand openings feature, I shared the spotlight with Radar the world’s largest horse and the smooth vocals of R.W. Hampton singing the Atwood's theme song . It was a treat to share a photo with both of them for the local paper even though R.W. and I agreed that that horse steals our thunder each and every store opening we participate in! We enjoy Radar and his handlers just the same, as does the crowds that flock to see this enormous animal.

 

I flew through autographs as quickly as my hand would allow me to write and I had a wonderful time meeting the people of Enid and visiting with a few that had seen me from Greenville, Texas the week before. For a minute I allowed myself to think I was a big enough celebrity to have a following of groupies but it turns out it was just a coincidence! J Amongst the smell of new leather Ariat boots and the Atwood's theme song over the loud speaker, I sat and visited with shoppers and fans throughout the day. A big thank you to the people of Atwood’s for continually allowing me to be a part of your events and to Stephen Edwards of Ariat for helping to set up these appearances. We all had a fun day at Atwood’s in Enid and I look forward to my next Ariat sponsored event in November at the AQHA World Show in Oklahoma City!

 

After traveling home that night, I hung up my cowgirl hat for a few days of rest and relaxation before getting back to work. However, this time my work consisted of being home in Hitchita, OK and preparing for the seventh annual Miss Rodeo USA Clinic! National Director, Amy Duvall and myself have been hard are work in preparation for this phenomenal clinic. As one who as attended this clinic as well as numerous others across the country over the past few years, I’ve always felt this was the most beneficial to me. Will we cover the categories of modeling, speeches, impromptu questions, horsemanship, interviews, platform information, photogenics, applications, hair and makeup and all topics that are relevant for a contestant to prepare for a queen pageant. It is sure to be a wonderful time and with some additional changes from last year, we are providing even more one-on-one time with each participant! With the clinic only a couple weeks away, Amy and I are working our way through our to-do lists to get ready to host girls from across the country interested in furthering their queening career. If you are interested in attending or have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to contact myself at jamie@missrodeousa.com or my director, Amy Duvall at duvall@oklatel.net or (918)466-3474 in the evenings and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

 

In the midst of our clinic prep, I am also packing for my next trip! Next week I will be jet-setting to Columbus, Ohio for what is sure to be an incredible experience. I am headed to the 2009 All American Quarter Horse Congress with Miss Rodeo USA career advancement sponsors Dee & Lonnie and Mrs. Staley! What an incredible opportunity it is to see such a famous event as well as spend some time with wonderful friends. I can’t hardly wait to see what kind trouble we can get in! I’ll be back soon to give you all the scoop! Until then, God Bless!

You Can Accomplish So Much More If You Refuse To Sit Down!

In my last blog I left off on my way to Poplar Bluff, Missouri for the 2nd Annual Three Rivers Shrine Club Championship Rodeo. Hitting the trail on a Thursday was the start of nearly an eight hour trek northeast to the welcoming community of Poplar Bluff. In order to break up the drive and visit some friends, I made an overnight pit stop in Ozark to the home of Rick and Lyndia Chaffin. They graciously allowed me to crash overnight and start fresh for Friday morning. It was great to catch up since my last visit during their rodeo in Ozark awhile back. Thank you to the Chaffin’s for letting me drop in and visit!

 

Friday morning I was back in the car and pointed east to the boot heel of Missouri on the beautiful winding Highway 60. It was a bright and gorgeous morning that made it easy to enjoy the stunning scenery of southern Missouri. By early afternoon I was pulling into the friendly community of Poplar Bluff and checking into my host hotel of the Guesthouse Inn. After unloading my rodeo queen essentials from my Jeep, I was off to explore the rodeo grounds and meet up with committeeman Steve Johnson for a few radio interviews. Thank you to Clear 94 Country, 95.5 the Bone, and News Radio 930 for getting me on the air and allowing me to invite everyone down to the opening night of the Three Rivers Shrine Club Rodeo. After visiting with some friends from the MFJ Rodeo Productions, I was back at the hotel to gear up for the rodeo and back on the grounds within a blink of an eye. A big thanks to Tonya Crites for loaning me a few of her drill horses over the weekend! Saddled up and awaiting grand entry, I experienced a first for this now-seasoned queen…I had to find my spot in line-up amongst a herd of Shiner’s on their wild (stick horses) ponies! Once my poor horse got accustom to the small stuffed horses nuzzling him, we all enjoyed the alley-way conversations before kick-off! As the stands filled and the rodeo action began, it was clear this is a community who embraces the wonderful cause that the Shrine Club represents. With proceeds going to the Shriners Hospitals for Children, we were all ready to enjoy the rodeo and help out the children in the process. What a night it was! Beautiful weather made for a fantastic show and as the finale, Great American Freestyle Bullfighting! It was a great addition to the rodeo and the crowd loved every dash, dive and jump the bullfighters made in attempt to earn points for their ability to keep the bull as close to them all the while entertaining the fans with their quick moves! It was a great way to end the night with anticipation for tomorrow’s show!

 

The following day brought a few sponsor visits and a radio remote at TNT Western Store with myself, announcer Monty Stueve, and a few of the bullfighters featured in the freestyle bullfighting event. Thank you to the Belt family of TNT Western Store for having us out and to the multiple radio stations for allowing us all on the air! It took some effort to get ourselves out of the comfortable rocking chairs located on the porch of the store but nothing gets us all motivated quite like a good meal, so we all headed to Buffalo Wild Wings for some lunch. Soon it was time to rodeo once again and we were off to the arena. The cooler evening brought an even larger crowd than the previous night and you could feel the crowd’s excitement as Monty grabbed the mic and kicked off the show.  After grand entry, I had the pleasure of driving out during calf roping and steer wrestling and enjoyed the extra time in the saddle before hitting the stands with autographs and Sharpie in hand. Such wonderful and welcoming people in Southern Missouri! On this particular night I was determined not to miss a second of the freestyle bullfighting because our announcer, Monty had roped himself into a bit of a challenge earlier in the day. Over the radio, with many to hear his promise, he said he would willingly get in the barrel during one of the bullfights featured that evening. This I had to see! From the perch of the announcers booth, I watched Monty hand over his mic, climb in the barrel, and the gate fly open as the bull entered the arena. The bullfighter did an excellent job and was sure to use the barrel just enough to rile poor Monty! At the end of the round, they stood the barrel upright and even though a little shaken-up, he made it out of the barrel and was back at the mic as the applause still rang out. It was a fun way to close the Three Rivers Shriners Rodeo! I was sad to say my goodbyes to my new friends in Poplar Bluff but the following day I was scheduled to be back on the road, as usual! Thank you to the wonderful committee for allowing me to be apart of such a wonderful cause and a specific thank you to Steve Johnson for his support and sponsorship of a room at the fantastic Guesthouse Inn! I had an amazing time in Poplar Bluff, thank you to everyone who made my experience so great!

 

With a good friend recently relocating to Nashville, Tennessee I decided to drive the additional three hours for a quick visit and a chance to see this famous town. Already near the boarder line of Kentucky, I decided to take a beautiful scenic route through a foreign state and enjoyed the drive filled with new sights! Upon arriving, I had a wonderful time seeing the well-known sites and places in the birthplace of country music, from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Music Row, to the exciting Broadway Street and my favorite, souvenir shopping! We even attended the legendary Grand Ole Opry that featured many well-known performers and stars who dropped in! It was a wonderful vacation but it was soon time to pack up the Jeep with my souvenirs and hit the trail back home to Oklahoma. While I broke up the driving into three portions on the way to Tennessee, I was forced to make the entire 10 hour trek home in one stretch and by the time I reached the Duvall’s, I was overjoyed to be home!

 

Early the next day, I woke up ready for a very special occasion! Amy’s son Nathan’s kindergarten class was studying the letter “R” and I was the featured speaker representing “R”odeo! With Amy being a 5th grade teacher at Midway Elementary, she was able to set me up with presentations in all the classes after wrapping up an exciting chat about rodeo with some wide-eyed kindergarteners! While most of the kids at Midway are extremely familiar with rodeo and its details, we were able to focus on my platform of community service as well. They were great listeners and I enjoyed signing autographs for all the kids that I’ve come to know over the year by frequently visiting Amy’s class!

 

After a fun morning with the kids of Midway Elementary, I sped home and grabbed my suitcase in order to immediately hit the road for Greenville, Texas. (It’s amazing how much you can do if you never stop to sit down and relax! Hehe! ) A few hours on a southern route, I found myself in the small town of Greenville with Stephen Edwards of Ariat for a promotional grand opening for a local Atwood’s store. I had a fantastic time signing autographs for an Atwood’s opening in Corsicana, Texas in March and was thrilled they wanted me back for another opening! After a late meal at Red Lobster, I hit the hay to be fresh for the big opening the next day. Thank you to Stephen for setting me up with a beautiful room that allowed for an amazing (and much needed!) nights rest! We woke in the morning to sunshine and a crowded parking lot at the new Atwood’s store. I was quickly set up with an autograph booth and instantly began flying through photos! The people of Greenville were so wonderful and I was pleased to meet so many of them as they passed by with their loaded carts filled with great buys, and of course, their new Ariat boots! The day flew by and before I knew it, I had gone through at least a three inch stack of autographs and two Sharpies! Phew, I had a hand cramp! Thank you to the employees and executives of Atwood’s for allowing me to participate in your big day! Luckily, this coming weekend brings another chance for some grand-opening fun at a local Atwood’s in Enid, Oklahoma. I’ll be hitting the road tomorrow for Saturday’s event and I can’t wait to share with you all the stories of my trip! Until then, Happy Trails!