March
Madness is often used to describe the seemingly unlimited basket tournaments
throughout the month. However, my March
madness consisted of more oil changes than I thought possible in a 30 day
period! The month was off to a great
start when I attended the North Dakota Winter Show in Valley City with Miss
Rodeo North Dakota, Sadie Warner.
Congratulations to Krystal Carlascio who took home the title of Miss
Rodeo North Dakota Winter Show and best of luck to her at the Miss Rodeo ND
Pageant this fall!
The following Sunday
I was able to attend the RBM Livestock Bull Sale in Florence, SD. Mike and Barb Bergh were a pleasure to meet,
and along with their son Ryan, exemplifying the quality of people found
throughout South Dakota! I am truly grateful for their support. I was also able
to meet Brittany Bush, the SD Angus Queen, from the neighboring community of
Britton, and it was great to see another young lady passionate about promoting
our western lifestyle and agricultural industry.
The following week I was
in Des Moines, Iowa, for the National Postsecondary Agricultural Students
Organization (PAS) Conference. I enjoyed
being on the other side of the interview table, serving on the nominating
committee to select the 2012-2013 National PAS Officer Team.
The following week yielded an invitation to
the Cowboys and Candlelight fundraiser for the Black Hills State University’s
rodeo team in Spearfish. Along with Kay
Marrs, Jr. Miss Rodeo South Dakota, we spent the night enjoy the company of
past rodeo legends in our state, as well as celebrating the upcoming college
rodeo stars. The following day, I was in
Rapid City for the SDRA rodeo, and able to catch up with some old friends that
were in town to compete.
Rounding out
the month was my trip to the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma
City. The week consisted of visits to
the veterans hospital and National Cowboy Hall of Fame, painting houses for
Habitat for Humanity, and of course early morning practices for the rodeo. This year Clay Cowan of Highmore, SD won his
first national title in the steer wrestling, and it was a thrill to watch,
especially when it came down to the 4 man round during the final
performance.
The biggest reminder throughout the month was the quality of people that rodeo and agriculture attracts. From rodeos to bull sales to conferences, each trip provided a different set of activities, but the values remained consistent. In order to make a living with livestock, sick days and paid vacation are nonexistent. To witness first hard the hard work and determination of everyone I met, makes the numerous oil changes, early morning practices, and long hours on the road well worth it! Maybe the best way to describe it is by a quote from award winning football coach, Vince Lombardi.
Gentlemen, we are going to relentlessly
chase perfection, knowing full well we will not catch it, because nothing is
perfect. But we are going to
relentlessly chase it, because in the process we will catch excellence. I am not remotely interested in just being
good.
Although perfection does not
exist, the beautiful spring weather and high caliber of people I have met are
reminders that 2012 continues to be an excellent year!
Until next time,
Courtney
Peterson
Miss Rodeo
South Dakota 2012
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Visiting with Erica Flores, my former National PAS Officer Coordinator in Des Moines, Iowa, for the National PAS Conference.
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Cowboys & Candlelight fundraiser for the Black Hills State University's Rodeo Team.
Kay Marrs, Jr. Miss Rodeo South Dakota, Ruth Ann (Marty) Sprague, Miss Rodeo South Dakota 1969, and myself.
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Stopped at "Pops" on Route 66 with Caitlin Thorne, Miss Rodeo Idaho; Cassiy Cabot, Miss Rodeo Colorado; Kim Kuhn, Miss Rodeo Wyoming; Sadie Wardner, Miss Rodeo North Dakota; myself, and Brittney Truman, Miss Turquoise Circuit during the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City, OK.
Sponsor flags during the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
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