Monday, October 27, 2008
NPRA Finals and Pageant
Our last hoorah...
September 19 2008 found me back in one of my favorite towns...yep you guessed it Sisters. The trip there alone was pretty unique as my mom's volleyball team had a game 6 hours in the opposite direction of where I needed to be on Friday. She pulled in to the ranch at 1:30 in the morning where she found me and our dog Ruby asleep in the horse trailer waiting to leave for Sisters. We got into Sisters at about 6:30 in the morning and hit the ground running. I attended the horsemanship portion of the 2009 Miss NPRA pageant. The contestants all did a great job. We changed out clothes and then headed for the tent to to watch the speeches. That evening we did run-ins at the rodeo and then sat in the rain to watch the rest of the performance.
Saturday afternoon I was on hand to watch as Mackenzie Carr was named 2009 Miss NPRA. The rodeo followed and I can't tell you how much fun I had pushing cows 2008 Miss NPRA Alice Monroe and Teen Miss Rodeo Oregon Ashley Ekstrom. During our run-ins that night I blew a kiss to my mom which Angie our amazing coordinator caught on film. My mom told me later it made her tear up. Not my intention but I really wanted her to know that she was with me as I made my last dash around an Oregon arena as Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon.
Sunday morning we attended the awards ceremony and ate a fantastic brunch under the tent, and then I saddled up my horses and competed in the Open 4-D Barrel race. I had so much fun and actually won some money which is always nice.
This week I am preparing for the Senior Pro Rodeo National Finals as well as carrying the American Flag for several Homecoming activites one of which is the parade.
See you in Redmond for the Miss Rodeo Oregon Good Luck Party!
Until next time
Staheli Jo Wilkinson
2008 Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Humboldt County Labor Day Fair and Rodeo
August 29, 30 and 31
As the fair was approaching I was looking forward to showing my 4-H steer just as I had for the past 3 years, unfortunately he died just one week before we were to leave for the fair. Can you believe my luck? We picked him this time last year and spent hundreds if not thousands of hours halter breaking, bathing and clipping him. My brothers steer weighed in at a whopping 1543 lbs. He was a monster!
After the show each evening I took off my muck boots and got all dolled up for the rodeo. This year my entire family stuck around to watch me do run-in's and wow, was that cool? There were so many of them and they made some serious noise when I rode into the arena. I was also asked by the clown (Val Byrom) to help out with his clown act both nights. His act was a hat cleaning scam where he threw dirt on my hat, poured a bottle of baby powder on top of that and then....blew it up. Yes, he BLEW it up! Relax it wasn't my good hat it was one he had given me just after my run-in. I sported it around the grandstands for a while with my crown so people would think he had blown up my good one. It was a real kick as the crowd was still asking the next day about it. He signed one of the blown up hats and gave it to me as a momento.
I had a chance to spend some time with my Grandpa Rackham's wife Marilyn and her best friend Bonnie. They drove down from Driggs Idaho to spend the weekend with us. It was wonderful and I know my Grandpa was there in spirit. I feel very blessed as I already have two of the most fantastic grandmothers on the planet and I now have two more!
See you in Sisters for the NPRA Finals, until then...
Happy Trails and Sweet Dreams!
Staheli Jo Wilkinson
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
2009 Miss Teen and Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon Pageant
Thursday July 31, we were back in Sublimity for the the Santiam Canyon Stampede. I have a soft spot when it comes to this rodeo as it is the home of the Miss Teen and Junior Miss Pageant. It is almost like coming home. Thursday nights rodeo was a good time and afterwards Ashley and I stayed up until 2:30 a.m. working on gifts for the contestants and trying to get our scrapbooks caught up.
Friday Morning brought the start of the pageant and with it came the rain. Not just a mist either, it was an all out rain storm. Not a nice environment for horsemanship but all of the contestants made the best of a wet situation and only my hair and hat showed the effects of the tropical storm. We had just a short time to dry out and get ready for the interviews and written test. The girls all looked amazing and before we knew it we were horseback again for Santiam's tough enough to wear pink night. The rain began to fall again and before I knew it my hair looked like that stuff a cat coughs up. Yuck!
Saturday morning we attended the Fireman's Breakfast. The sun was shinning and I was happy to finally be dry. Later that morning was the speech and impromptu questions. We had the honor of having both the 2008 Miss Rodeo Oregon and 2009 Miss Rodeo Oregon on hand to help out. And lets not forget Oregon's High School Rodeo Queen and first ever Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon Molly Stubblefield spent the weekend with us as well. After the speeches which by-the-way were great and the dresses were all so beautiful we hustled back over the Anthony Hall for a lunch provided by Reeser Foods and Safe Way. Thanks to all who helped pitch in to make it a success. That evening just before the rodeo I had a few minutes to reflect on my year as Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon and suddenly became overwhelmed by the thought of handing the crown off to next years title holder. I know it sounds silly but I was truly saddened by it all. I have loved every single minute of the past year and would not trade this experience for anything and I mean ANYTHING in the world. Congratulations to 2009 Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon Stephanie Esterly and 2009 Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon Nicole Bishop. To the other contestants, you all did a fabulous job.
Finally I want to again extend a huge thank you to Diane Utberg, Charlene Morris, Jean McPhearson and Lynn Haynes I think you guys are the best. You always make me feel special when I am around you and I hope I have made you as proud of me as I am of being one of your girls.
Angie Vachter and Tanya Marie Utberg I love you and those three little words are meant for those closest to me. You are family now and always.
Ashley I read a quote the other day and it made me think of you...Chance made us friends, time made us sisters!
Staheli Jo Wilkinson
2008 Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Chief Joseph Days Rodeo
If I had to sum up my weekend in Joseph with just one word it would likely be...Unforgettable!
This was my first trip without my faithful steed Cody and let me tell you loading all of my gear for a weekend in the back seat of our pickup was a feat in itself. Yikes, I didn't even have room to lean my seat back and sleep. A great big thank you to Vixen and Ryan Barney for being such wonderful hosts. They let us sleep at their house and allowed me to borrow three horses over a three day period. I also rode 2009 MROP contestant Celeste Hillock's bay mare. My dad has always said that to be a truly good rider you need to ride a lot of different horses. I do that on the ranch but have only borrowed one other horse over the 4 years I have been queening.
Thursday night at the rodeo we did the serpentine and then signed autographs. It was Tough Enough to Wear Pink night which is always a favorite of mine. That night we were treated to dinner ala Brent Ekstrom. He Barbecued hamburgers for us at midnight while Ashley and I made the french fries in their camper. We had a fantastic time catching up with the Ekstroms, and our newest family member our coordinator, Angie Vachter.
Friday morning we loaded up the raft that Ashley's brother brought from Texas and headed to Lake Wallowa. BRRRRRRR. The lake was crystal clear and iceberg cold, but that didn't keep us out of the water. Believe it or not this desert rat can actually swim.
Friday nights performance was a real hoot as Ashley and I were the first Junior/ Teen MRO to ever do arena runs in Joseph. The pressure was on and I think the horse I was riding could feel it as he tried to crow hop everytime I kicked him to pick up speed. Bob Tallman even made a crack about him trying to buck me off during warm up. We finally came to an agreement however and our run-in was a success.
Saturday morning found us all too early as we raced to get ready for the parade. I rode another of Vixen's horses which happened to be a paint mare. I will have to admit that my pink accessories looked particularly good on her. After the parade we attended the queens luncheon with MRO Nichole Andrews. Thanks again to Queen Paige Bailey and Princesses Shelby Tiehaara and Shelby Harshman you guys have done an amazing job and treated us, well....like royalty.
Saturday nights rodeo will go down as one of my favorites as we watched one of my favorite Oregon cowboys Trevor Knowles compete in the Steer Wrestling on probably my second favorite horse in the world. He calls her Reba and if you get a chance to watch her do her job you will likely fall in love with her as well. Ashley and I attended the Teen Dance that night and then ate breakfast at the rodeo grounds at midnight at Joseph's annual Cowboy Breakfast. YUM!
Happy Trails To You, Until We Meet Again..
Gosh, I love that song :)
This was my first trip without my faithful steed Cody and let me tell you loading all of my gear for a weekend in the back seat of our pickup was a feat in itself. Yikes, I didn't even have room to lean my seat back and sleep. A great big thank you to Vixen and Ryan Barney for being such wonderful hosts. They let us sleep at their house and allowed me to borrow three horses over a three day period. I also rode 2009 MROP contestant Celeste Hillock's bay mare. My dad has always said that to be a truly good rider you need to ride a lot of different horses. I do that on the ranch but have only borrowed one other horse over the 4 years I have been queening.
Thursday night at the rodeo we did the serpentine and then signed autographs. It was Tough Enough to Wear Pink night which is always a favorite of mine. That night we were treated to dinner ala Brent Ekstrom. He Barbecued hamburgers for us at midnight while Ashley and I made the french fries in their camper. We had a fantastic time catching up with the Ekstroms, and our newest family member our coordinator, Angie Vachter.
Friday morning we loaded up the raft that Ashley's brother brought from Texas and headed to Lake Wallowa. BRRRRRRR. The lake was crystal clear and iceberg cold, but that didn't keep us out of the water. Believe it or not this desert rat can actually swim.
Friday nights performance was a real hoot as Ashley and I were the first Junior/ Teen MRO to ever do arena runs in Joseph. The pressure was on and I think the horse I was riding could feel it as he tried to crow hop everytime I kicked him to pick up speed. Bob Tallman even made a crack about him trying to buck me off during warm up. We finally came to an agreement however and our run-in was a success.
Saturday morning found us all too early as we raced to get ready for the parade. I rode another of Vixen's horses which happened to be a paint mare. I will have to admit that my pink accessories looked particularly good on her. After the parade we attended the queens luncheon with MRO Nichole Andrews. Thanks again to Queen Paige Bailey and Princesses Shelby Tiehaara and Shelby Harshman you guys have done an amazing job and treated us, well....like royalty.
Saturday nights rodeo will go down as one of my favorites as we watched one of my favorite Oregon cowboys Trevor Knowles compete in the Steer Wrestling on probably my second favorite horse in the world. He calls her Reba and if you get a chance to watch her do her job you will likely fall in love with her as well. Ashley and I attended the Teen Dance that night and then ate breakfast at the rodeo grounds at midnight at Joseph's annual Cowboy Breakfast. YUM!
Happy Trails To You, Until We Meet Again..
Gosh, I love that song :)
Staheli Jo Wilkinson
2008 Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
