My Weblog

June & July

We recently decided to update our Miss Rodeo USA blog in order to add more pictures and really showcase our wonderful sponsors. I  hope you like it!!!! I can't believe how fast this year has gone by - wow - it's already the end of August.  I have stayed real busy the past few months and have been having the time of my life.  The third weekend of June I was able to attend the Westville IPRA Rodeo in east Oklahoma.  Carissa Stewart joined me for the weekend and let me tell you it was fun.  We were honored to stay with Kevin & Gina Hampton all weekend in Chewy, Oklahoma. We were also treated to a steak lunch cooked by Wade Hampton, homemade ice cream Gina made and wal-mart potato salad Carissa & I brought.  From the rodeo grounds we headed to the Hampton's in Springdale where Kevin took all of us and 10 teenagers out on the river for KL's birthday - it was so nice to relax and swim.  Straight from Springdale I headed to Pauls Valley for their annual IPRA Rodeo.  I was greeted by Jerry & Lili Norton from Norton's Jewelers.  We spent the entire week visiting sponsors, appeared at more than 10 radio remotes and had three days of rodeo in 2 Ft of mud.  I was there for 8 days and it rained every day.  We were very lucky that before each performance it cleared up and the crowds flocked in.  The muttin' bustin' and calf scramble was so fun in the mud that the kids didn't want to get out of the arena.

Over 4th of July I attended the Caraway, Arkansas rodeo put on by the local community and Merritt Emery. At the rodeo each night I carried all of the event sponsor flags, signed autographs and even helped the clown out with his act.  On the 4th I rodeo in the parade which went through down town and included every tractor within city limits. The best part of the week was attending cowboy church. Clyde & Elsie Frost were there.  It was so nice getting to meet them and having them share their passion with me as well as the hundreds of others that attended.   Next, I was off to Shawnee, Oklahoma for the International Finals Youth Rodeo.  There were  more than 1,200 high school kids there competing in three different arenas.  It was so neat to watch and to be a part of. I was honored to ride the one and only "Brushie" - Bennie Jordan's pick up horse/bucking horse.  Susanne Gilbert put together a Hall of Fame at the IFYR and there first honoree was Mike Outhier.  She did a great job and it is nice to honor the youth who are the future of rodeo.  From Shawnee I headed straight to Bolivar, Missouri where I was escorted all weekend by Dakota Studenkemper.  I was able to visit all their sponsors, push cattle out of the arena with Chad Doughty and spend time with the Hampton's.  The treated me to Bredoux pizza for the first time and the desert pizza could be dangerous.  I also had the chance to ride one of my favorite horses "Dunny".  Dunny is Gina Hampton's horse but on the weekends - he's mine.  The next week Dunny and I headed to the Ozark rodeo.  I had so much fun with Rick & Linda Chaffin, Joel & Amanda, Carrie & Cory and the entire Ozark committee.  We visited more than 20 sponsors in one morning alone and I was treated to my favorite - Sushi!!!  Ozark was great and I look forward to returning to the Springfield rodeo in November and spending more time with the Chaffin Family.

I mean it when I say that this year has been amazing.  I have meet so many great people and have visited so many places I would have never had the chance to see if i wasn't Miss Rodeo USA.  I am honored to represent and organization that promotes sportsmanship, family togetherness and a strong passion for this sport of rodeo.  I tell people all the time that I am the luckiest person I know and that I have the best job ever - and I mean that from the bottom of my heart! I hope you have enjoyed reading my stories and there will be a ton more coming!

Happy Trails! Candice

5th Annual Queens Clinic

Join us October 12-14, 2007 for the 5th Annual Miss Rodeo USA Queens Clinic.  The clinic is for ages 10 through 26 years of age.  Many attendees have won local, state and national pageants!  Visit the Miss Rodeo USA web site for registration information at http://www.missrodeousa.com/org/clinic.htm.

This year we will be having several past Miss Rodeo USAs presenting. We are very excited about our host hotel and will have all of the meeting and clinic presentations at the Biltmore. The Biltmore is also the host hotel for the Miss Rodeo USA pageant and this will give upcoming contestants a chance to get familiar with the hotel.

The one item that last years participants wanted more of was the horsemanship, so this year we will be offering a hands on horsemanship with all of the presenters assisting. This will be a comprehensive day of nothing but horsemanship. We will begin at 8:30 am and ending around 3:30pm, this will give the participants an opportunity to get help with their own horse if they choose to bring it, or work with committee horses and ride several to get the feel of different horses. Since we have rented an indoor arena, rain or shine we will ride, ride, ride.

With all aspects of the pageant world being covered such as: Modeling, speeches, impromptu questions, horsemanship, interviews, platform information, photogenics, applications, hair and makeup, and all topics relevant this should be the most comprehensive clinic you will ever attend. We look forward to seeing you and helping you to set, aspire and attain your goals.