MRSD Travel Log - January Newsletter
Honored and humbled; appreciative and in awe. To list everyone that helped
make my Miss Rodeo South Dakota Coronation above and beyond of what I had
anticipated would cover this entire page! However, the story starts much
earlier than January 7th.
The pageant is held during the Fourth of July at the Black Hills Roundup.
When my name was called as Miss Rodeo South Dakota 2012 in the Belle Fourche
arena, relief swept through me. The years of preparation and planning,
countless hours of studying and practicing had finally paid off. At that
moment, I realized that in 18 months I would be in Las Vegas, competing for the
title of Miss Rodeo America, a once far-fetched dream now within my reach.
Shortly after coming home for the contest, reality crept in. In just the six
months as Lady in Waiting, I had traveled 6,000 miles, leaving the state only
once for the Badland Circuit Finales in Minot, North Dakota. With fuel, food
and lodging, the expenses quickly piled up. Although my reign did not
officially start until January, I was already seeing the large financial
contribution my year as Miss Rodeo South Dakota was going to take.
The main purpose of Miss Rodeo South Dakota is to promote the state,
professional rodeo, and the western lifestyle. To serve as an ambassador for a
way of life so many of us in SD take for granted. In laymen’s terms, each girl
that wears the crown has one year to share our state’s story.
I have always been impressed with the unity and support of our state, and
never was it more evident than the night at the American Legion in Sisseton
during my coronation. Although I have always enjoyed writing, I am still unable
to put into words everything that happened that evening. Synergy is when the
outcome is greater than the sum of its parts. That is exactly what happened in
Sisseton. In one night a town came together to support a member of the
community, not just a crown, not just a title, but because it’s simply what
South Dakotans do, believe in and support each other. And that is exactly what
the western way of life about!
Not only did I have an outstanding coronation, with a record amount to
finance my year, but now I can afford to share what SD is all about, and I have
experience firsthand the exact thing Miss Rodeo South Dakota stands for! So
thank you! Thank you for giving me the chance to live an opportunity of a
lifetime! I will never be able to say it enough; thank you to everyone for your
support not only that night, but throughout the years. Just like I said at the
beginning, I am truly honored and humbled, appreciative and in awe.
Yours truly,
Courtney Peterson
Miss Rodeo South Dakota 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
Miss Rodeo South Dakota 2012 Coronation
Miss Rodeo South Dakota coronation event gives Courtney Peterson a boost to
2012 reign
By Alaina Mousel, Editor
Tri-State Livestock News
Nearly 400 people made time on Saturday, Jan. 7 to attend the 2012 Miss Rodeo South Dakota (MRSD) Coronation festivities in Sisseton, SD. Courtney Peterson, who was officially crowned at the event, was overwhelmed by her community’s support.
“People from the community that have nothing to do with horses or rodeo came to support me,” Peterson said of the turnout. Each incoming state rodeo queen has the responsibility of planning her coronation event, which doubles as a fundraising endeavor for her year-long reign. Saturday night’s festivities included a social hour, silent auction, dinner, coronation, live auction and dance. After speaking with past MRSD queens, Peterson set her fundraising goal at $20,000.
Peterson was unsure if she reached that goal, since Sisseton isn’t a huge community, and asked the auctioneer if she had reached her goal. The figure was easily surpassed on auction items alone, with the night’s total just over $30,000.
“Some people gave a lot; but everyone gave a little,” Peterson said.
One outpouring of community generosity was the donation of 10 ropes and a custom saddle. Peterson explained that 14 families and businesses purchased a saddle from Sisseton’s local feed store along with 10 ropes which people would have to purchase for a chance to win the saddle. “The ropes kept going higher and higher throughout the auction. It made it fun and people were really interested in it,” she said. When it was all said and done, Peterson figured the ropes averaged $600 – starting at $325 and building to $975.
“Everyone who purchased a rope was asked to come to the front of the room,” Peterson said, as a way to acknowledge their generosity. Once everyone was assembled, a number was drawn one at a time until there was only one person left standing; they became the lucky recipient of the saddle.
Auction items were practical in nature, such as hay hauling services, Peterson said, which helped her fundraising endeavors. Donations came in all forms – some a complete surprise. At the beginning of the night Peterson knew of 120 donations, but by evening’s end 180 items sold.
“The generosity of the community was overwhelming,” Peterson said. When asked if she had any difficulty soliciting donations, she was quick to respond “no,” noting that people volunteered to help gather donations. “It wasn’t like I had to pull teeth for fundraising.”
Big dollars for a budget
The next challenge on Peterson’s radar is to wisely budget these funds to fuel her reign in 2012. “Now I can do my job right and not have to worry about being able to attend this event or that event,” Peterson said of contributions. “I can’t spend it all on a pretty dresses or flashy belts.”
Travel is the largest money item for MRSD, and Peterson’s schedule is already filling up. From Jan. 15 through Feb. 21 she will be home a total of eight days. “If someone wants me to attend an event, I want to be able to go,” she said.
Peterson’s schedule is entirely up to her, thanks to flexibility provided by the MRSD Board of Directors. It will include a variety of in-state and out-of-state events, which will aid her preparation for the Miss Rodeo America contest in Las Vegas next December. In-state events help encourage younger girls to compete for the crown title; out-of-state events help MRSD queens interact with a variety of people.
“Without supporting in-state events, you don’t have many future queen candidates,” Peterson said. “In South Dakota we have a lot of younger queen titles that you can run for. Most of the visiting queens at my coronation event weren’t even 18 yet. These girls are learning skills you can still use after you’ve taken off the crown.”
The woman behind the crown
Peterson laughed when she recounted how her father had her working cattle most of the week leading up to the coronation event. “It’s a good thing I had to wear a long dress so people wouldn’t see all my bruises,” she said after helping a neighbor pregnancy-check cattle and work a group of calves. “I wouldn’t trade my upbringing for anything.”
Peterson’s family has been in Sisseton for five generations when her great -great-grandfather came to the area from Sweden. Nearby are the Coteau Hills, complete with brush and rough pastures, which makes horses a must to move cattle.
“I learned from a young age that you don’t cry, and if you fall off, you get back on because they’re waiting for you back at the corrals,” Peterson said. One mile west of her home is rangeland, a mile east is dark, flat farmland. There they raise cattle, corn, wheat and soybeans.
Peterson graduated from South Dakota State University in May 2011 with degrees in agriculture business and agriculture resources and economics. She began pursuing a master’s degree in agriculture economics, which she’s put on hold during her MRSD reign. “It would be nice to go back into production agriculture, but I have three brothers,” she said. “I think my future career will be educating people about where their food comes from and why.”
Not afraid of challenges
The tomboy-turned-cowgirl hasn’t stopped pursuing her dream, despite challenges she and her family have faced. After the horrible winter conditions of 1997, her mom was diagnosed with cancer. It was five years before she died, leaving Peterson’s father with four kids under the age of 15. “How many people have quit when something got hard?” Peterson asked. The loss of her mother left Peterson without a clue as to how to apply makeup or do her hair. Despite this, her coronation event was anything but a pity party.
“I never thought I could be Miss Rodeo South Dakota, but a few ladies along the way encouraged me not to give up. If you have a dream, no matter how impossible it seems, don’t give up and go for it,” she reflected, stating her family has been lucky to grow up around people who encouraged them to “go after your dream.”
“It’s not just about the turnout we had at my coronation, the money we raised, or what I do with my year – it’s about not giving up on a dream,” she concluded.
By Alaina Mousel, Editor
Tri-State Livestock News
Nearly 400 people made time on Saturday, Jan. 7 to attend the 2012 Miss Rodeo South Dakota (MRSD) Coronation festivities in Sisseton, SD. Courtney Peterson, who was officially crowned at the event, was overwhelmed by her community’s support.
“People from the community that have nothing to do with horses or rodeo came to support me,” Peterson said of the turnout. Each incoming state rodeo queen has the responsibility of planning her coronation event, which doubles as a fundraising endeavor for her year-long reign. Saturday night’s festivities included a social hour, silent auction, dinner, coronation, live auction and dance. After speaking with past MRSD queens, Peterson set her fundraising goal at $20,000.
Peterson was unsure if she reached that goal, since Sisseton isn’t a huge community, and asked the auctioneer if she had reached her goal. The figure was easily surpassed on auction items alone, with the night’s total just over $30,000.
“Some people gave a lot; but everyone gave a little,” Peterson said.
One outpouring of community generosity was the donation of 10 ropes and a custom saddle. Peterson explained that 14 families and businesses purchased a saddle from Sisseton’s local feed store along with 10 ropes which people would have to purchase for a chance to win the saddle. “The ropes kept going higher and higher throughout the auction. It made it fun and people were really interested in it,” she said. When it was all said and done, Peterson figured the ropes averaged $600 – starting at $325 and building to $975.
“Everyone who purchased a rope was asked to come to the front of the room,” Peterson said, as a way to acknowledge their generosity. Once everyone was assembled, a number was drawn one at a time until there was only one person left standing; they became the lucky recipient of the saddle.
Auction items were practical in nature, such as hay hauling services, Peterson said, which helped her fundraising endeavors. Donations came in all forms – some a complete surprise. At the beginning of the night Peterson knew of 120 donations, but by evening’s end 180 items sold.
“The generosity of the community was overwhelming,” Peterson said. When asked if she had any difficulty soliciting donations, she was quick to respond “no,” noting that people volunteered to help gather donations. “It wasn’t like I had to pull teeth for fundraising.”
Big dollars for a budget
The next challenge on Peterson’s radar is to wisely budget these funds to fuel her reign in 2012. “Now I can do my job right and not have to worry about being able to attend this event or that event,” Peterson said of contributions. “I can’t spend it all on a pretty dresses or flashy belts.”
Travel is the largest money item for MRSD, and Peterson’s schedule is already filling up. From Jan. 15 through Feb. 21 she will be home a total of eight days. “If someone wants me to attend an event, I want to be able to go,” she said.
Peterson’s schedule is entirely up to her, thanks to flexibility provided by the MRSD Board of Directors. It will include a variety of in-state and out-of-state events, which will aid her preparation for the Miss Rodeo America contest in Las Vegas next December. In-state events help encourage younger girls to compete for the crown title; out-of-state events help MRSD queens interact with a variety of people.
“Without supporting in-state events, you don’t have many future queen candidates,” Peterson said. “In South Dakota we have a lot of younger queen titles that you can run for. Most of the visiting queens at my coronation event weren’t even 18 yet. These girls are learning skills you can still use after you’ve taken off the crown.”
The woman behind the crown
Peterson laughed when she recounted how her father had her working cattle most of the week leading up to the coronation event. “It’s a good thing I had to wear a long dress so people wouldn’t see all my bruises,” she said after helping a neighbor pregnancy-check cattle and work a group of calves. “I wouldn’t trade my upbringing for anything.”
Peterson’s family has been in Sisseton for five generations when her great -great-grandfather came to the area from Sweden. Nearby are the Coteau Hills, complete with brush and rough pastures, which makes horses a must to move cattle.
“I learned from a young age that you don’t cry, and if you fall off, you get back on because they’re waiting for you back at the corrals,” Peterson said. One mile west of her home is rangeland, a mile east is dark, flat farmland. There they raise cattle, corn, wheat and soybeans.
Peterson graduated from South Dakota State University in May 2011 with degrees in agriculture business and agriculture resources and economics. She began pursuing a master’s degree in agriculture economics, which she’s put on hold during her MRSD reign. “It would be nice to go back into production agriculture, but I have three brothers,” she said. “I think my future career will be educating people about where their food comes from and why.”
Not afraid of challenges
The tomboy-turned-cowgirl hasn’t stopped pursuing her dream, despite challenges she and her family have faced. After the horrible winter conditions of 1997, her mom was diagnosed with cancer. It was five years before she died, leaving Peterson’s father with four kids under the age of 15. “How many people have quit when something got hard?” Peterson asked. The loss of her mother left Peterson without a clue as to how to apply makeup or do her hair. Despite this, her coronation event was anything but a pity party.
“I never thought I could be Miss Rodeo South Dakota, but a few ladies along the way encouraged me not to give up. If you have a dream, no matter how impossible it seems, don’t give up and go for it,” she reflected, stating her family has been lucky to grow up around people who encouraged them to “go after your dream.”
“It’s not just about the turnout we had at my coronation, the money we raised, or what I do with my year – it’s about not giving up on a dream,” she concluded.
With the winners of the Little Cowgirl (Holly Leiseth) & Little Cowboy (Ty Fagerland) Contest.
After the crowning with Miss Rodeo SD 2011, Vanessa Ternes.
Amber fox fur coat, presented by Jerry Westphal.
Rope buyers for the saddle drawing (L-R) Myrone Johnson, Rhonda Martenson, Richard Hanson, Tyler Hellwig, Brett Hanson, Gordon D. Peterson, Tate Johnson, & Parker Hanson (not pictured: Deb Hove)
Visiting Royalty (L-R) Courtney Peterson, Miss Rodeo SD 2012; Natalie Prins, Easter Dakota 4-H Rodeo Ambassador; Kendra Peterson, Miss Rodeo Aberdeen; Calie Kalkowski, Jackrabbit Stampede Ambassador; Kay Marrs, Jr. Miss Rodeo SD; Roni Jankord, Jr. Butte Co. 4-H Rodeo Ambassador; Lauren Hagg, Miss Faith Stock Show & Rodeo; Maggie Nielson, Central SD 4-H Rodeo Ambassador; Brielle Yackley, SD High School Rodeo Queen; and (Kneeling) Jacque Lee, Miss Days of '76.
The Family (L-R) Mark
Peterson (Dad), Betty Gilchrist (grandmother), Courtney Peterson, Derek Peterson (brother),
Matt Peterson (brother), Betty Peterson (grandmother), and Darin Peterson
(brother).
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