Apple, banana cream, blueberry, caramel apple, cherry,
chocolate, lemon meringue, mixed berry, peach,
peanut butter & cream cheese, pecan, pumpkin, rhubarb, sour cream &
raisin, strawberry, strawberry & cream cheese, strawberry & rhubarb…and
more! Never in my life have I seen so
many varieties of pie than when I was in Abbyville, Kansas this past month. But Kansas wasn’t the only place that
impressed me with its food. Miss Rodeo
Oklahoma’s mom is quite the cook as well.
I could have foundered on her chicken & dumplings (with fresh from
the oven dump cake served as dessert). However,
becoming a food connoisseur was only part of my May adventures.
To start off the month, I flew south to spend time
with Miss Rodeo Oklahoma, Kallie Baker.
My first few days in Oklahoma City involved eating entirely too much
good food, struggling to keep up with Kallie and her personal trainer during her
grueling workouts, and a memorable visit to the Children’s Center. During our visit to the children’s hospital,
I was quickly reminded of how much of a blessing this year has been. The parents were great to visit with and
excellent examples of having hope for the future. The sobering sight of young children who can
no longer articulate and communicate their ideas as freely as they use to
helped keep all my traveling in perspective.
Also while in Oklahoma, Kallie & I, along with
her family, drove to the Panhandle for the 80th Annual Guymon Pioneer
Days Rodeo. Guymon proved even more
eventful than the first part of my Oklahoma trip. On our first day there, we visited six area
elementary schools and the local nursing home.
In addition to the start of the rodeo, Friday involved judging the rodeo
clown dress up contest and Spikes & Spurs Golf Tournament. Although I had never golfed before, my team
was patient with this first timer. We
did end up placing, so if this rodeo business doesn’t work out, I may have
another sport to fall back on! We were
able to ride great looking palominos from Carr Pro Rodeo during the parade and
rodeo performance, and it is such a treat to have good horses to ride. When the
weekend wrapped up, I was still more comfortable on the back of a horse than having
a golf club in my hand.
My week at home allowed me to help get the rest of
the corn planted before heading back south. Thankfully, carrying around the 50 pound seed bags helped get me back into shaped before my next trip.
This time I was driving to Abbyville, Kansas with Sierra Peterson, Miss
Rodeo Nebraska. With all the Badland
& Prairie Circuit girls there, we had a good time showing Oregonian
Mackenzie Carr, Miss Rodeo America, the wide open Great Plains. She got her laughs in too, when she showed us
all up in a game of volleyball during some down time! Abbyville was another chance to spend time with Bronc Rumford and his family, providing great horses for us to ride for the rodeo. With a population of around 70 people, it was a much appreciated change of pace. It is still hard to beat the feeling of a good hometown rodeo.
Wrapping up the month I was able to be much closer to home when I attended the Miss Foothills
Rodeo contest in Wessington Springs during the Foothills SDRA Rodeo. I enjoyed seeing some familiar faces compete,
and getting to meet the younger, upcoming queens. Traveling the country is an experience in
itself, but I always enjoy the chances I have to help out closer to home.
With all the calves branded and cattle out to pasture, I am looking forward to June. Rodeo season will be in
full swing. I am anticipating getting to compete again, and even the opportunity to announce
during a couple regional high school rodeos.
Until
next time,
Courtney
Peterson
Miss
Rodeo South Dakota 2012
Getting challenged to a race during one of the school visits in Guymon, Oklahoma.
Photo courtesy of Sherri Stewart.
Thank you to the Guymon Daily Herald; eating healthy on the road!
We were able to hold the baby chicks while waiting for the little kids to get their rodeo clown outfits on.
Photo courtesy of Sherri Stewart.
Riding in the parade for the 80th Annual Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo with Paige Jarrett, Miss Rodeo New York.
Photo courtesy of Sherri Stewart.
Helping plant corn on my week home. I just got the seeder ready; I don't have the patience to plant, especially in straight lines!
By the only sign for Abbyville with Sadie Wardner, Miss Rodeo North Dakota; myself; Heather Temple, Miss Rodeo Kansas; and Mackenzie Carr, Miss Rodeo America.
When we saw the Christmas tree outside of our bunkhouse in Kansas, we couldn't help but stop for a photo.
"Merry Christmas from the Badland Circuit girls."
One of the little "contestants" during the Miss Foothills Rodeo contest. She was such a doll!
Getting calves branded before taking them to their summer pastures. Always a family affair.
My youngest brother, Derek, taking a newborn calf to the trailer. He was to young to be able to keep up with herd when we moved them.
He is riding the same horse I use to run barrels on in high school, unsure which job the horse enjoys more.
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