Miss Rodeo Oregon 2020 Samantha Henricks!

Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon 2020 Ainsley Goughnour!

What an interesting month March has been.  I started out the month with so much excitement for this was to be my busiest month of my “queen” year so far. The first weekend, I was in Baker City for the 2020 1A state basketball tournament.  Unfortunately, I had gotten a concussion (playing basketball) in January and I still wasn’t cleared to play at state nearly 2 months later.  I’m so proud of how my team played; we just fell short of winning state and placed 2^nd. I was disappointed that I was still having symptoms from my concussion which ended up ending my basketball season.  Even though there was some disappointment and frustration from my season ending so soon, I needed to be patient and let my body heal. I know that next season I’ll be back and ready to play.

Little did I know that this would be the beginning of many cancellations.  I had a very full MTRO schedule that was just about to crash.  I’ve chosen to make the best of the situation and stay positive through this difficult time for everyone. I’m blessed that my family and I are still healthy.

The 2^nd weekend of March I was supposed to attend 2020 Miss Teen Rodeo Washington’s Coronation. It had to be postponed due to covid-19 and I am hopeful that I can make it to her coronation when it is rescheduled. Then more cancellations the following  weekend when I was supposed to be at the FFA State Convention as well as attend Samantha’s coronation which was cancelled for the safety of everyone attending.  As you know, pretty much everything was canceled from school, rodeo events to everything in between. I could have used this time to sulk and continue to ask WHY?? But for me I’ve used this time to let me body continue to heal from my concussion.  And I’m happy to report that I am doing very well and I haven’t been having any symptoms related to the concussion.  So in that way this break has been good for me.  Who knew that a hit to the head would take nearly 3 months to heal?

Another exciting thing that’s taking place this month is that I FINALLY got my braces off so of course my mom and I pulled out my camera for some new pictures WITHOUT the braces.  We took pictures with my custom made chaps and with Pete my beloved horse. I’d say the pictures turned out pretty well considering they were taken by a couple of amateurs!

As our quarantine time continues to get longer and longer, I started asking myself, “What can I do from home that would still allow me to be the ambassador that I have so longed to be? What can I do to make a difference?”  I came up with the idea of writing thank you cards to the residents at the Oregon Veterans home not far from where I live.  I had seen that they were locked in their facility without any family or friends being allowed to visit and this just broke my heart.  So, I had time and I had cards and I began to write.  The cards were mailed off last week.  I hope to bring some joy to those who have worked so hard for my freedom and country.

If you have any ideas for community service that I can do from home, please message me. I’d love to hear your thoughts.  I hope you are staying safe and healthy and I can’t wait to see you on the rodeo road.

Yours Truly,

Ainsley, Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon 2020

Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon 2020 Morgan Brownell!

Congratulation to Canby on their coronation. You guys did it just in the nick of time. It was really fun to go to support you ladies. It was my last event before quarantine and it was a fun one!

While I’ve been in quarantine, I’ve been doing some roping practice, working on breaking a pony named Charlie, working with my project horse Custer, and just giving my horses the love and attention they need. Charlie is a 4 year old paint mare and is so sweet. I have been working on breaking her for some people that bought her for their kids. She is working so hard and has been learning so much. I’m so proud of how far I’ve gotten with her. Custer is my 6 year old gelding that I am working on as a project horse. He is bred to cut but we are trying out some different things on him like team roping and barrel racing. We are just trying to see what he does best and what works out for him.

Other than all that I have just been riding my horses and I plan to come out of this quarantine better than ever. I have really been working towards some things with my show horse Kid and I can say we are definitely getting better. I have also been working with Tommy and our gaming and trying to fix everything that we have problems with! I am so ready for all of this to be over so I can get back on the rodeo road. I can’t wait to meet new people and make new memories.

Gratefully, 2020 JMRO Morgan Brownell

Me working with my project horse Custer and riding him bareback for the first time

My dad and his friend helping me with riding Charlie

Me riding my show horse Kid bridleless for the first time for the both of us

Tommy and I at a local playday. We ended up getting reserve high point for the day and the series and I was the youngest in my division!

Introducing Glenda Franich, Junior Teen Advisor!

A native Oregonian, Glenda grew up in the Oregon 4-H Horse Program and participated in gaming and horsemanship events, winning many high point awards and achieved the “Dad Potter” ten-step 4-H Senior Horsemanship award her last year in 4-H.

Glenda has been judging 4-H horse events for over 40 years. She also holds cards for the Oregon Horseman’s Association, the Pony of the Americas Club, and the Oregon High School Equestrian Team (OHSET) organization. The sport of Rodeo has long been a passion of Glenda’s. She was selected as a Molalla Buckeroo princess and Queen. She has remained active with the Molalla Buckeroo Association as a Director and is President of the Molalla Buckeroo Royals, an energetic group of past Buckeroo royalty.

Glenda joined the Miss Rodeo Oregon, Inc. Foundation in 2007 following participation as a pageant judge for the 2008 Jr. and Teen MRO. Inspired by the dedication of members and their passion to provide encouragement and learning of life skills to young women in pursuit of their dreams, Glenda has been an active member of the Miss Rodeo Oregon, Inc. Foundation for the past seven years as Chair of the Education and Programs Committee, organizing the annual Rodeo Queen Clinic and was recently appointed as the Jr. and Teen MRO Coordinator. Looking forward, Glenda is excited to be an active part of the MROIF activities and working with others to offer opportunities for Oregon youth to explore new adventures in their communities and beyond, learn new skills, and reach for their dreams.

Since 1957, Oregon’s Finest Royalty!

Our upcoming pageants!

Rescheduled Date!

Thanks once more to our sponsors!  We appreciate you!!

Miss Rodeo Oregon 2020 Samantha Henricks!

Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon 2020 Ainsley Goughnour!

Wow, what a month February has been!

I kicked off the month attending the Willamette Valley OHSET meet in Albany. I had fun walking around the barns handing out flyers for the Miss Rodeo Oregon Clinic that will be held April 3-5 in Madras and signing autographs. The following weekend, I attended the Santiam Canyon Stampede tryouts. My sister, Alexis, was their Queen last year and unfortunately she was unable to attend due to work, so I had the great honor of crowing the 2020 Miss Santiam Canyon Stampede. Congratulations Allie on your new title; you will have an amazing year!

On the 22nd of February I made my way to Salem to support Morgan on her special day. At Morgan’s coronation I was able to help model live auction items and enjoyed a delicious dinner. I had fun spending time with all the visiting royalty. Congratulations to Rowdy on an amazing year as the 2019 Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon and congratulations to Morgan on this amazing adventure she is going on! I feel so blessed to share this year with Morgan and Sam.

To finish the month Sam, Morgan and I made our way to Saint Helens to attend the 2020 Miss NPRA coronation. I helped carry around live auction items and was able to meet many title holders that I’ll be traveling with this year. It was a blast hanging out with Sam, Morgan, and other visiting Royalty. Cheers to Emylia on a job well done and congratulations to Nicole on her 2020 title.

With March here now and spring in the air I’m getting more and more excited for rodeo season to begin. I hope to see you all at Sam’s coronation on March 21!

Graciously,
Ainsley, Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon 2020

Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon 2020 Morgan Brownell!

Another month has passed and so many more memories have been made. This month I was delighted to have my very own coronation on February 22nd. I had such a blast and it was a great time. I also got to go to the Miss NPRA Nicole Rice’s coronation which was a blast!

My first event of the month was the Miss Santiam Canyon Stampede queen tryouts. I was able to attend along with MTRO Ainsley Goughnour and the 2018 JMRO Lauren Gibson. Congratulations to the 2020 Miss SCS Queen Allie Nuhring. I had such an amazing time and can’t wait for the Santiam Canyon Stampede. Also, did you know that my mom was the very first Miss Santiam Canyon Stampede Queen?

It took a lot of planning to get my coronation to run just the way I wanted and everyone expected but in the end I couldn’t have asked for a better night. We had a better turnout than expected and I am so thankful for that. I would just like to say thank you to everyone that showed up and truly made the night the best it could be. None of it would be possible without you! I would also like to say a personal thank you to my Emcees Kayla Vincent and Ashley Ferch. Also a huge thank you to my DJ, DJ Glenn. Lastly, I would like to say thank you to all of the people behind the scenes doing all they could do to make the night run smoothly.

I had an amazing time at the MIss NPRA coronation celebrating the 2020 Miss NPRA Nicole Rice. It was so much fun and I had an amazing time. Congratulations on the successful night. I had a great time meeting new people and rodeo queens I haven’t been able to meet yet. I’m excited to travel all around Oregon with you this summer!

Gratefully, Morgan Brownell, 2020 Jr Miss Rodeo Oregon

One of our more recent sponsors, Pendleton Woolen Mills, pulled out all the stops this year for Taylor Ann’s wardrobe.  They provided several yards of fabric for articles of clothing and embellishments, also providing a Pendleton blanket for the Miss Rodeo America Scholarship Auction.  Thanks to the following designers who collaborated with Taylor Ann on her wardrobe:  Ariana Head (custom-decorated Wrangler jacket, boot parade outfit, fashion show dress); Judy Benzel (Horsemanship shirt); Harris Sisters Collaborative (Justin boots embellishments); Kanaine (speech dress); Char Bracher (Interview skirt).  Photo credit for all MRA photographs go to Sherry Smith Photography.

Upcoming Events for March and April!

Upcoming Pageants!

Board Members and Court Advisors!

Two of our board members also serve as Court Directors for their hometown rodeos!  Tanya Cloutier has been the Jefferson County Fair and Rodeo Court Director for twelve years in Madras, Oregon.  Carol Zimmerman has been a dual advisor for the Deschutes County Fair and Rodeo Queen and Grand Marshal for six years in Bend, Oregon.

Tanya serves on the Miss Rodeo Oregon, Inc. Foundation board as 1st VP and MRO Pageant Director.  Carol serves on the MROIF board as Secretary.  We are fortunate to have you on the board!

Upcoming Coronations!

The Miss Rodeo Oregon Spirit Award!

The board of Miss Rodeo Oregon, Inc. Foundation has completely revamped the Spirit Award beginning January 1, 2020.  Beginning with pageants this year, a Spirit Award can be given to any one contestant in a rodeo queen pageant who meets the criteria set by the board.  The pageant director then makes application to MROIF for a clinic scholarship on their behalf.  Up to four scholarships will be awarded to Spirit Award winners for the 2021 clinic.

2020 Scholarship Application for Spirit Award fillable

Miss Rodeo Oregon Queen Clinic–April 3 to 5, 2020!

We are excited for the 2020 clinic with Miss Rodeo America 2019 Taylor McNair!  This will be our 18th year presenting clinics in Oregon, from the very first “Cowgirls and Crowns” one-day clinic in 2003 to our current weekend-long clinic.  In addition to Taylor McNair, we will have MRO 2020 Samantha Henricks, MRO 2018 Jessi Cornforth, MRO 2017 Kayla Vincent, Miss Rodeo Washington 2018 Beth Snider, and Oregon CattleWomen President Diana Wirth as guest clinicians!

Registration is now available on our website:  http://missrodeooregon.com/wpz18/events/clinics/

If you have a girl younger than twelve who wishes to attend, please call Glenda Franich at (503) 819-6548 to discuss our needs and hers!

If you have questions, contact us on our Facebook page, contact Glenda Franich, or send us a note at missrodeooregonincfoundation@gmail.com.

Thank you, MROI Foundation Sponsors!

Miss Rodeo Oregon 2020 Samantha Henricks!

When people tell you, “The time will fly by,” they are not kidding. The months since the Miss Rodeo Oregon pageant in August have done exactly that.

I wanted to kick off my first blog entry by telling you a little bit more about myself! I am twenty-four years old and I have lived in the Rogue Valley my entire life. Currently, I call Grants Pass my home. I grew up alongside my younger brother, Jake, younger sister, Jessie, and my parents, Lyle and Lisa. When I was younger, I was very involved in the 4-H program, particularly the swine and horse projects, where I graduated as a nine year member. I also was a four year member of Oregon High School Equestrian Teams (OHSET), competing for Grants Pass High School, until I graduated in 2014. I played soccer for ten years and alongside my family, was always competing in breed and open shows with my mule.

Currently, I work at Siskiyou Community Health Center as a CCMA and in my spare time I coach the Grants Pass and North Valley High School Equestrian Teams. As I am planning next year, I cannot help but reflect on the reasons I wanted to become Miss Rodeo Oregon. These same reasons are becoming an instrumental part in coordinating this next year. Of course, traveling across the state and country, not only representing Oregon, the PRCA, the sport of rodeo and the western heritage and family values the industry stands for, are all driving factors. However, I want to spend extra time this year representing the youth, especially youth who are involved in agricultural programs like the ones I grew up with. My goal, or platform if you will, for 2020 is to submerge myself into programs like 4-H, High School Rodeo, FFA and Equestrian Team as these programs are where the next generation of rodeo athletes and ambassadors lie. Plus, I believe that the younger generation needs positive role models to show them anything is possible with hard work, grit and determination, qualities nearly every rodeo athlete displays.

During the months after pageant I have had multiple appearances. First, I traveled to Gaston, Oregon where I met 2019 MRO Taylor Ann. Here, we both were able to be a part of their annual car show. Though it was incredibly warm, we had fun walking through all the cars and trucks and even got to select one to recognize with the MRO’s Choice Award! Next, I was able to be a part of the 2020 Miss Northwest Pro Rodeo Association (NPRA) Pageant. I was invited to be a Little Miss Judge and well as the contestant chaperone for the Miss contestants. Both were a huge honor as I served as the 2017 Miss NPRA. In October, I was asked to be a guest at the 2019 Grants Pass High School’s Booster Club Auction. If anyone has ever been to any Grants Pass Athletic event, you will see how instrumental the Booster Club is for the school, and ultimately the community of Grants Pass. If you were following the MRO Facebook page, you will see that I was able to make the trip down to Las Vegas for the 2020 Miss Rodeo America Pageant to support Taylor Ann. And when I say trip, I mean a seventeen hour car ride with my mom. Gotta love snow and chains! Though I have been the National Finals Rodeo before, I had never been to any pageant events. I have to say, if you ever have the opportunity to go to the Miss Rodeo America Fashion Show, do it. That was definitely the highlight of the trip. I also got to see Horsemanship, the Chap Parade, and Speeches. I also attended the 2020 Lady in Waiting breakfast as well as the Rodeo Royalty Seminar.

As January approaches, I am getting geared up for the Columbia River Circuit Finals and the Denver Stock Show and Market. Then I will head north to attend the 2020 Teen MRO Coronation and will wrap up the month at the OHSET Southern District Meet where I was asked to be a guest speaker. I truly hope that time starts to slow down, though I have my doubts! I want to thank everyone who has helped me get to this point and those who will continue to support me. I hope to see you all in my travels!

Sincerely, Samantha Henrick

Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon 2020 Ainsley Goughnour!

Wow! I can’t believe it’s already been six months since my name was announced as the 2020 Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon. What a humbling experience. I feel so honored to be able to represent rodeo and the state of Oregon in 2020.

My time as Lady in Waiting has been so much fun and very busy. Morgan (Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon 2020) and I met the Miss Rodeo Oregon Board at the Clackamas County Fairgrounds to go over our contracts shortly after the pageant. This made things feel so real to me. You couldn’t wipe the smile off my face if you tried.

In August, I attended the Miss Rodeo Oregon Pageant. We kicked off the week with a pajama party. At the PJ party we hung out with the current Miss Rodeo Oregon title holders, Miss Rodeo Alaska, Jonna Drew, and contestant Samantha Henricks. I had a blast playing games; I have to say Meredith and I didn’t win but we made a pretty good team. The next morning was Horsemanship. Taylor Ann used my horse Pete; he was also one of the draw horses. I love being able to share him with the rodeo queen world. During Horsemanship, Morgan and I sold programs and cheered on all the contestants. Right after horsemanship I headed over to the Clackamas County Fair and Canby Rodeo Court Ice Cream Social where I met up with the St. Paul Rodeo Court and Candy Rodeo Court.  We then hustled over to mock TV interviews with the contestants; I was surprised to be called up for an Interview as well. During the fashion show, I helped sell raffle tickets and was introduced as MTRO 2020. I don’t think that will ever get old. Standing with all of the visiting royalty (including my sister who is the Santiam Canyon Queen) was such an honor. I was also able to be there when Samantha Henricks was crowned 2020 Miss Rodeo Oregon.

My first official photoshoot was at the Oregon Gardens. I’d like to thank AZ Photography for all the amazing pictures and for braving the 100 degree day with me. She came up with some great shots. September brought the NPRA Finals and 2020 Miss NPRA Pageant in Salem. I was announced during the performance and was asked to help hand out bandanas to the crowd during the rodeo. I was also able to spend time with Samantha and Morgan as well as 2019 MTRO Meredith and JMRO Rowdy. We all have a great time together and I feel so blessed to be a part of this amazing group.

October was the beginning of rodeo court tryout season in my area. I attended the St. Paul Rodeo court tryouts, my hometown rodeo, where I helped collect score sheets and helped take down the trail course. Congrats to Kearsten, Saige, and Monica — I can’t wait to travel our great state together!

Morgan and I, along with our families, made the drive east to Taylor’s send off party. I had a blast supporting Taylor. We introduced ourselves and enjoyed a delicious spaghetti dinner. Watching Taylor model her MRA outfits and wishing her well before she traveled to Las Vegas was definitely worth the four-hour drive (one way). The Clackamas County Fair and Canby Rodeo Court tryouts were next on my lady in waiting agenda. Spending time with Maddie and Savanna (2019 CCF&R Court), taking pictures and looking through all of their memories gave me even more excitement for my year. All of the contestants did amazing and I’d like to congratulate the 2020 CCF&R Court Nicole, Alexa, and Marlee and I can’t wait to spend more time with you guys this coming year.

Winter arrived with a blast of cold weather and snow in Central Oregon over Thanksgiving so of course I had to take advantage of the beautiful landscape and do a second photoshoot in Bend in the snow. It was very cold but worth it for the amazing pictures. A special thank you to Jed Lowrie Photography for braving the single digit temperatures to get some amazing shots.

I have been working hard on finding sponsors and donations of auction items for my coronation, dinner and auction. My coronation will be held at the Clackamas County Fair and Event Center on January 18, 2020. It should be a great evening of celebration. I hope to see you there. Congratulations to Meredith Moore on an outstanding year as Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon 2019. She set the bar high and I’ll do my best to follow in her footsteps with grace, joy and lots of laughter. Here’s to an amazing start to what’s sure to be an amazing year. Thank you to everyone who has supported me on this journey. I couldn’t do it without you.
Cheerfully yours–Ainsley

Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon 2020 Morgan Brownell!

I can’t believe it’s already 2020!  It seems like just yesterday I got crowned.  I grew up with rodeo queens all around me and I always wanted to be one of them.  When I got crowned 2020 Jr Miss Rodeo Oregon it was the happiest day of my life and I realized I got to be one of those girls I always looked up to as a kid. I can’t wait for all the adventures 2020 has in store for me.

My first event as Lady in Waiting was the Miss Rodeo Oregon pajama party. We had a coloring contest and many other fun games.  The day after that, I helped sell programs with 2020 MTRO Ainsley at Horsemanship and I also got to cheer on the girls in the arena. I wasn’t able to make many appearances at the MRO pageant because I had my youth rodeo finals that weekend but that didn’t stop me from making appearances.

I had my youth rodeo finals in Philomath. On Saturday I ran barrels and had goat tying.  Later that night there were court tryouts for the 2020 Northwest Youth Rodeo Association. I got to make a Lady in Waiting run in during horsemanship and help with speeches. On Sunday, I had team roping and pole bending in which I placed 5th!

My next Lady in Waiting event was going to NPRA Finals. The first night, MTRO Ainsley and I got to go to the VIP seating and during grand entry we were introduced.  I got to attend the Miss NPRA fashion show and later that night see Nicole Rice get crowned as the 2020 Miss NPRA.

My second to last event was going to Miss Rodeo Oregon Taylor Ann’s good luck party for the Miss Rodeo America pageant. I got to help with auctioning off a dessert to help raise money for Taylor to go to Las Vegas.  I also got to write Taylor Ann a little good luck note that was going to be put into a scrapbook for her to take to the Miss Rodeo America pageant with her.

Finally I had my last event of 2019 and that was the Hoof ‘N Holler New Years Eve Rodeo in Albany.  2019 JMRO Rowdy Israel was also there to crown me at midnight. We started off with handing out programs to the people as they came in the door. We then got to help with giveaways in the arena between events. Rowdy crowned me at midnight officially as the 2020 Jr Miss Rodeo Oregon.   

I have been super busy planning for my coronation that is going to be held on February 22nd. It is a lot of work with all of the planning that needs to be done.  I have also been excitedly finding a chap maker and getting my chaps designed and all the leather ordered to get them started.

Until next month–Morgan Brownell, 2020 Jr Miss Rodeo Oregon

January 18 Coronation!!

Thank you to all our wonderful sponsors!

We couldn’t do what we do without the financial and in-kind sponsorship of these folks.  Bob Roy is the leather artist who provides saddles for all our titleholders and leather frames for our judges.  Jeff Wong is our official pageant photographer and generously provides personal albums for all contestants and gives us the official first portraits of every new Miss Rodeo Oregon.  Clackamas County Fairgrounds and Canby Rodeo have been our generous hosts during every pageant since 2011.  The family of Jim Haynes continues to provide financially for too many items to list.  The man who designed our website, Chad Morris of Fervent Media, makes us look good in every way.  Tillamook County Rodeo partners with the Junior Teen Pageant and provides the arena and meeting space.  Jefferson County Fair and Rodeo provides the space and arena for our annual Spring Clinic.  Pendleton Woolen Mills sponsors the blanket that is part of the Miss Rodeo Oregon auction bag at the Miss Rodeo America Scholarship Auction.  Hamley’s sponsored the perpetual serape that Miss Rodeo Oregon uses.  Boot Barn provides the fashions that we use in the Fashion Show every summer.  Best Western sponsors the conference room at the Wilsonville location.  Canby Ford sponsors vehicles for our judges and contestants.  Douglas Harmon CPA tabulates the score sheets for our Miss pageant.  Rocking R5 Ranch Rodeo Co. is the voice of the Horsemanship competition and also provides the cattle.

We salute you all!

Mission Accomplished!

Take three titleholders, all from Eastern Oregon, and send the three to all corners of Oregon (and, in the case of Miss Rodeo Oregon, far beyond) and watch what happens!   At every event they attended, it was apparent they were having a great time and were truly each other’s friend.  They represented with gusto, class, and in their own style which is all we could have hoped for.  They made a difference!

There is hardly a way to adequately express our gratitude for Taylor Ann, Meredith, and Rowdy’s representation of Miss Rodeo Oregon, Inc. Foundation and their dedication to the sport of rodeo.  It was a memorable year with exciting appearances, an abundance of travel, and personal growth.  Miss Rodeo Oregon titleholders continue to set the bar high!!

Taylor Ann represented Oregon with a beautiful smile and brought notice to Oregon’s famed Pendleton Round Up and Pendleton Woolen Mills. Many of her outfits featured splashes of Pendleton fabric, instantly recognizable by the public.  Taylor Ann always had a hug at the ready for the many little girls who want to grow up to be a rodeo queen.  We wish Taylor Ann well as she completes her senior year of studies at Eastern Oregon University and as she makes application to law school.

Meredith represented Oregon and her title well as she traveled to Oregon rodeos and brought awareness to Oregon classrooms of the importance of agriculture in Oregon’s economy. Her infectious smile, gregarious nature, and bright blue eyes have warmed the hearts of many along the way.  We hope to see Meredith attending the Air Force Academy in the future, a longtime goal of hers!

Rowdy and her mother Nicole traveled many back roads in the state of Oregon in their trusty motor home affectionately named “Virginia”, making their way to many Oregon rodeos from home base in Dayville.  They kept odd hours as they traveled from one event to another, doubling up a few on the same weekends.  Some of us have a new appreciation for cacti as Rowdy used them in her chaps and many articles of clothing, giving her reign a special signature.  Rowdy traveled to Las Vegas to support Taylor Ann at Miss Rodeo America and to visit the Junior National Finals Rodeo.

We have appreciated all the photographs taken throughout the year, some by parents/relatives/friends but many by professional photographers who captured some of the most spectacular images of rodeo queens possible.  Thank you to all.  The following are a few of our favorites.

Those Chaps!!

Taylor Ann designed some magnificent chaps!  They were produced by Holly Jones of Walla Walla and reflected Taylor Ann’s distinctive Oregon style with her favorite hide and twisted fringe.

Las Vegas is the cherry on top!

To quote Lynn Haynes (National Director for Oregon), “Our first priority is someone who represents Oregon rodeos well.  If they have fun at the MRA pageant, that’s the cherry on top!”

Taylor Ann was in preparation all year for the Miss Rodeo America pageant.  She focused on a wardrobe which was uniquely Oregonian with many Pendleton fabrics as their centerpiece.  Her fans and supporters were able to get a glimpse of her clothing at her Good Luck Party in Milton-Freewater, but most were unveiled during the competition.  Because of very strict rules regarding the photography or videography of contestants, the only option to see many outfits are by accessing them through Sherry Smith Photography.  We hope to feature them in one of the next newsletters!

Several board members were in attendance at pageant events:  Julie Singer, President; Lynn Haynes, National Director for Oregon; Lois Forester, 2nd VP; Raylah Holm, Treasurer; and Carol Shull Zimmerman, Secretary.  Miss Rodeo Oregon 2020 Samantha Henricks did regular updates via Facebook.  Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon 2019 Rowdy Israel was able to attend the Fashion Show and Justin Boot Parade, also taking in some of the Junior National Finals Rodeo.  Scott and Kelly Skramstad were there to cheer on Taylor Ann as well.  Other Oregon members who attended were Barb Carr, Diana Wirth, Nicole Israel, Lisa Henricks, and Glenda Franich.  It was our collective privilege to applaud Taylor Ann whenever and wherever we could!!

We are indebted to sponsors!

Sponsors, small or large, you are the lifeblood of our organization and titleholders.  We thank you so much for your contributions and hope you find your involvement with Miss Rodeo Oregon, Inc. Foundation, Miss Rodeo Oregon, Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon, and Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon meaningful and rewarding!

Membership Dues!

It’s that time of the year again!  Time to update your membership in Miss Rodeo Oregon, Inc. Foundation.  Send your payment via PayPal by going to the website and then to the Members tab.  If you would prefer to mail your payment, see the instructions on the Members page.

Miss Rodeo Oregon 2019 Taylor Ann Skramstad!

September was certainly a bittersweet month, as it had the last two PRCA rodeos of Oregon’s season.

I started my month about as far south in Eastern Oregon you can get, the Lake County Round Up in Lakeview, Oregon. It was my first time at this rodeo and with it being their centennial year, they had an all past royalty reunion in attendance! It was so fun being able to be a part of their show, tour the museum and spend the day with their Queen, Princess, JMRO Rowdy, and one of the Miss Rodeo Oregon Sweethearts Emma Stoneberg.

I then geared up for the 109th Pendleton Round Up, my hometown rodeo! I loved being able to spend my last rodeo as Miss Rodeo Oregon 2019 at home, surrounded by my family and friends. I was incredibly busy, attending all four rodeo performances, the queens luncheon, riding in the Westward Ho Parade, and visiting my sponsors Pendleton Hat Company, Hamley Western Store, Tamastslikt Cultural Institute, and Pendleton Woolen Mills. I was also joined by Miss Rodeo Florida, Miss Rodeo Kansas, and Miss Rodeo Washington, and I was so excited to share my Pendleton experiences with them. I am also so proud of Queen Sydney (who was a 2017 Pendleton Princess with me) and her court for representing Pendleton so well this year. Also thank you to President Dave O’Neil, Susan Talbot, Nick Michael, Karen Vanderplatt, Justin and Kim Terry, Betsy and Katy West, Penny French, Dr. Brad and Candie Adams, and Virginia and Bobbie Conner for all that you have done for me throughout my year, and especially during the week of the Pendleton Round Up. Let ‘Er Buck.

Cheerfully,

Taylor Ann Skramstad

Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon 2019 Meredith Moore!

Outwest Printing and Design *****  Garner’s Sporting Goods

Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon 2019 Rowdy Israel!

Just when you think it can not get any better, here comes September!

September was full of so many good memories, now made with so many good friends, that I have met along the rodeo road. I started off September in Lakeview for the 100th year Lake County Round-Up! It was pretty amazing how much of the royalty and directors from the past 100 years were able to make it and get introduced at the rodeo each day. Getting to participate in the meet ‘n greet and Grand Entry both days and pack flags both days throughout the rodeo were just a few of the highlights of the weekend. Miss Rodeo Oregon Taylor Skramstad, Miss Rodeo Oregon Sweetheart Emma Stonebrook, and I all were honored to receive trophies in the Grand Parade.

Next it was home for three days of school and volleyball and then I was off to the Lewiston Round-Up in Lewiston, Idaho. Loading up and driving to Lewiston on Friday night late so that I was ready to go for the Saturday Grand Parade. Borrowing an awesome horse for the parade and another amazing horse for the Grand Entry. I was very honored to have been invited to come to the Lewiston Round-Up and also just as blessed to be able to borrow not one but two amazing horses that day! The Lewiston luncheon was also great fun, getting to see Miss Rodeo Idaho and Miss Teen Rodeo Idaho again in my travels along with many other royalty including Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon Meredith Moore.

After Lewiston, I came home to regroup, went to school and volleyball for three days and then it was off to the one and only Pendleton Round Up for four days of events and fun! Thursday morning kicked off with the kids with disabilities rodeo at the Round Up grounds. Always great to be able to help out with such a rewarding event for these kids. Next it was to spend the day with my grandparents while representing and catching up with friends at the rodeo and Happy Canyon event. If you have never been to Happy Canyon you need to go; it is full of so much history and lots of entertainment! Oh, and I was able to meet Trevor Brazil, who autographed my sash! Friday morning it was the Westward Ho Parade, then the Luncheon catching up with Miss Rodeo America Taylor McNair again, then off to watch the Grand Entry of the rodeo, to then go to the Columbia River Circuit booth to sign autographs and help out for a few hours. I finished the day at the Pendleton Hat Company with Miss Rodeo Oregon, Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon, Miss Rodeo Kansas, Miss Rodeo Florida and Miss Rodeo Washington. While visiting with The Pendleton Hat Company, I was very blessed to get their support and for them to become a hat sponsor for the rest of my year. I am very excited to be able to be a Pendleton Hat-wearing Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon! Taking my new hat along for the ride, I started Saturday off with an autograph signing at the Pendleton Woolen Mills with Miss Rodeo Oregon, Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon, Miss Rodeo Kansas and Miss Rodeo Florida. Next, we were off to the Hall of Fame museum, the teepee village, behind the scenes of the rodeo mini tour and then to watch the rodeo! Our last stop of the day was an autograph signing at the historic Hamley western store downtown Pendleton. Then bam, just like that Round Up was over!

Back home for another four days of school and volleyball, then it was off to the Northwest Professional Rodeo Association (NPRA) Finals & Queen contest in Salem. I made it just in time to catch up with friends and watch the horsemanship portion of the queens contest on Friday. Then it was off to Patriotic Night at the Friday night performance. It was a great honor to be able to participate in the Grand Entry and be able to pack flags throughout the rodeo both nights. Attending the Fashion show of the NPRA pageant Saturday before the last performance Saturday night is always a treat. I am so blessed to be able to be a past Lil Miss NPRA Queen and the current Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon Queen! These are two great organizations and I am very proud to be able to have represented both over the past few years.

The Cinnabar Mountain Playday Kids Rodeo series is also a great organization that I have been able to participate in. This year they asked me to help out with the awards banquet and it was a blast. These kids love rodeo and I love these kids! After the banquet, I hit the road to do a sponsor visit at the Pendleton Hat Company in Pendleton, then stopped in Staytoh to meet with the 2020 Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon to sign off on the revolving serape and pass along some of the revolving Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon Items.

Back home for now, school and volleyball until my next event in a couple weeks. Thank you to all of my amazing sponsors, big and small–I could not have done all of this travel without ya’ll!!! Your support has helped me bring my dream to a reality! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! (And thanks to my mom for driving me down the road for countless hours day after day – stay tuned for the mileage count coming soon!)  Bring on October!

Prairie Springs Fish Farm  ****  Canyon City Mobile Market ****  John Day Auto Parts

President’s Message

Greetings!

Time continues to fly by and we are getting Taylor prepared for the Miss Rodeo America Pageant in Las Vegas in less than two months.  One of the activities to help Taylor get ready is giving her questions to increase her knowledge of all things PRCA, MRA, horses, current events and–of course–personality. To keep the questions going to Taylor in a steady flow, please email them to Lynn Haynes (our National Director) at MROregonnd@gmail.com. Please enclose your answer with your question. Thank you for your help.

Remember, the MRA Pageant is Sunday December 1 through Sunday December 8, 2019. Tickets are still available and you can also send roses to Taylor throughout the Pageant by ordering them now.   Go to the Miss Rodeo America website for details. Our 2020 Lady-in-Waiting, Samantha Henrichs, will be giving updates from the pageant on a daily basis with the activities from that day.

Our Junior and Teen 2020 Ladies-In-Waiting are going forward preparing for their upcoming year. Check the website and Facebook Events for dates and places for their coronations. We will be setting the date for a general membership meeting very soon. It will be a conference call and the information for this years election for 1st Vice President, Treasurer, and Junior/Teen Pageant Director will be sent out prior to the meeting. The other news of importance is that with lots of hard work by our treasurer Raylah Holm, we have received our nonprofit status of a 501(c)3, which allows our sponsors to deduct the cost of products and cash they provide to our titleholders and Miss Rodeo Oregon, Inc. Foundation, our new name.

Have a great fall and hope to see everyone at the upcoming activities!

Julie Singer, President MROI Foundation

All the details are here for the first event of 2020!

We greatly appreciate our sponsors!!

Miss Rodeo Oregon 2019 Taylor Ann Skramstad!

It feels like the month of August flew by; however, my schedule is starting to slow down. I started the month with a visit to the Union, Oregon Site of EDP Renewables who is a large sponsor of mine. I got to sight see and learn a little more in depth on what their site provides. Taking pictures at a wind farm proved to be slightly difficult due to none other than the wind.  I also made a quick stop to La Grande to record a radio ad on behalf of Eastern Oregon University. I am so honored to be selected as the student this year that they chose for their advertisement, and it will be played during the Pendleton Round Up week.

After that, I made another stop to the studio of Shana Bailey Photography to have my headshots taken for the Miss Rodeo America pageant! She is so incredibly talented and it made it very hard to choose just one! Thank you Shana, for sponsoring this shoot for me; your support means so much!

I then packed up and hit the road to Canby, Oregon for the Clackamas County Fair and Canby Rodeo as well as the 2020 Miss Rodeo Oregon pageant. It was such a great opportunity to be able to participate during the pageant events to get feedback for my preparations for Miss Rodeo America, and being involved in the Canby Rodeo is such a treat. They are so incredibly hospitable and we can’t thank them enough for allowing us to have our pageant with them.  Another big thank you to the Goughnour family for letting me use their horse Pete for the rodeo and horsemanship section of the pageant, as well as Amber Riesterer for the use of Cinco for Miss Rodeo Alaska, Johnna Drew, who also ended up being my draw horse. While I was there, I also met with designer Ariana Head of Oregon City, Oregon who will be making several of my Miss Rodeo America outfits!  Congratulations to Samatha Henricks of Grants Pass, Oregon, our 2020 Miss Rodeo Oregon!

The following weekend Sam and I attended the Wapato Showdown Car Show in Gaston, Oregon where we judged several cars and handed out trophies to the winners. I was able to attend last year as lady-in-waiting and had so much fun. I was so excited to return this year, and the fun I had again this year definitely did not disappoint.

After that, I headed for home where I completed and submitted my Miss Rodeo America application and am officially a contestant for Miss Rodeo America 2020!

Cheerfully,
Taylor Ann Skramstad
Miss Rodeo Oregon 2019

Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon 2019 Meredith Moore!

August was definitely a month for the books! I had the privilege of attending Rowdy’s hometown rodeo in John Day, where I got to do my fly-by in the grand entry, carry the Prisoner Of War flag, push cattle, and even pushed myself to the limit in the cowhide race! I then went to Canby for their rodeo and the Miss Rodeo Oregon pageant, which was a whole lot of fun. I ended the month at my hometown rodeo in Walla Walla, Washington where I rode in the grand entry and showed my pig “Lilo” at the county fair. August was a great month and I am excited for what September brings!

Outwest Printing and Design   **  Garner’s Sporting Goods

Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon 2019 Rowdy Israel!

Wow! Here we are in August already!

I started August off with traveling to the Deschutes County NPRA Rodeo Friday night performance and then got up early to drive to John Day to make it to the Cinnabar Mountain Playday Kids Rodeo series weekend of events, to represent as Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon along with competing in several events. The Grant County NPRA Rodeo was next on the event list the following weekend. Even though the weather turned out to be a bit wet, with thunder, lightning and a bunch of rain, we made the best of it and enjoyed my hometown rodeo. Miss Teen Rodeo Meredith Moore also joined in on the muddy performance Friday and Saturday. On Sunday was the Grant County Junior Rodeo, in which I represented as Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon, along with competing in a few events. The Grant County Fair officially started on that Wednesday and I was sure to be there, volunteering to run the main entrance gate into the fair, visiting with the community and welcoming everyone to the fair!  I enjoyed signing some autographs and visiting one of my sponsor booths, Bar WB Western Wear, where I also got to see and visit with another great sponsor Charleen Morris of The Morris Ranch. I could not have traveled and done this job this year without all of my amazing sponsors, so I feel that it is always important to take the time to visit with them every chance I can get. They helped me pick out a new pair of black boots (since I wore holes through the bottoms of the black boots I had) for the next event, Miss Rodeo Oregon Pageant and Canby Rodeo, that we left to attend later that day.

Making it to our hotel at 3:33am, we got a couple hours of sleep and were ready to go for pageant orientation at 8am, kicking off the pageant and the PRCA Canby Rodeo! Several events were attended throughout the pageant and rodeo that included getting to go to the Boot Barn in Troutdale to pick out an outfit for the fashion show! The Boot Barn was very generous and let us have full run of the store to pick out and try on anything that we liked. Finding the perfect western trend outfit to model at the fashion show was a great experience.

I attended the pajama party in my unicorn onesie and light-up unicorn headband, having a really fun time! I was able to borrow a horse and participate in the horsemanship portion of the pageant, along with getting to take a ride on the Canby Ferry across the water, visit the Swan Island Dahlia Farm, ride in the barrel truck at the rodeo and be a part of the crowning of the 2020 Miss Rodeo Oregon Samantha Henricks. A little fun fact–Samantha Henricks was the 2017 Miss NPRA and I was the 2017 Li’l Miss NPRA, so it was fun to see her now be crowned 2020 Miss Rodeo Oregon as I have very much enjoyed my time as the Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon!

Next up was back to the last weekend of the Cinnabar Mountain Playday Kids Rodeo series in John Day. I was only able to attend the Saturday performance because we were back on the road to Salem to attend the Oregon State Fair, where Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon Meredith Moore and I took over the Agricultural Stage answering questions and talking about our year so far as state representatives for Miss Rodeo Oregon, Inc. Enjoying the fair activities was fun as I had never been to the Oregon State Fair before. We signed some autographs and had some fun before we headed back home, so that I could start school on that Monday August 26th. School, volleyball and rodeo are on the event list for September!

A new logo and a new name!

Announcing Miss Rodeo Oregon, Inc. is now

Miss Rodeo Oregon, Inc. Foundation

This reflects our new 501(c)3 non-profit status!

Miss Rodeo Oregon 2019 Taylor Ann Skramstad!

July was an extremely busy and exciting month; I can’t believe it’s already over!

I started my Cowboy Christmas 4th of July Run in Molalla to help with their Rascal Rodeo and for their first performance! It was my first time at this rodeo, and I was able to borrow 2020 MTRO Ainsley’s horse Pete! Rowdy and I were there the same night and we pushed cattle out together. We also competed in the Donkey Race, and won!

I then was in Saint Paul for four of their rodeo performances and the 4th of July Parade! I was able to use my own horse, Foxy, for a couple performances and the parade since my sister is the Walla Walla Frontier Days Queen, so they brought my horse over for me. While I was there, I was able to participate in their grand entry, help carry sponsor flags, and be introduced midway through the rodeo. It’s always been one of my favorites and I can’t wait to go back in the future!

I then loaded up and headed down to Eugene for their last two performances. I was able to help with the kids rodeo, as well as be introduced at both performances and help push cattle! There was also a casual queens luncheon which had one of the funniest impromptu clown acts I’ve seen to date! I was also able to use 2018 JMRO Lauren’s horse Babe while I was there!

I was then home for approximately 48 hours and then was on the road to Elgin for the Elgin Stampede. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Elgin, and was able to be introduced all three nights of their rodeo, help with their queen coronation, participate in the parade and attend the queen’s luncheon. I was able to ride three different horses during my time there, and one of them was actually a horse that my parents raised and was my queen horse when I was the Pioneer Posse and Walla Walla Queen. We reconnected like there wasn’t six years in between the last time we’d been together, and it truly made the trip memorable.

From there I went straight over to Nampa, Idaho for the 2020 Miss Rodeo Idaho Pageant, in conjunction with the Snake River Stampede! It was really neat to experience another state’s pageant and see the Snake River Stampede, which truly is like a mini NFR! While I was there I was able to participate in pageant events such as help warm horses up for horsemanship, attend the Airplane Base (where I wasn’t able to do the flight simulator; unfortunately I only was in there for about 30 seconds before the nausea hit me!), debut my new custom pink cowboy hat from Pendleton Hat Company while modeling at the Pink on the Dirt luncheon fundraiser, attended the pancake breakfasts, was interviewed by the local news and was introduced twice during the Snake River Stampede Rodeo.

Directly from there I drove to Cheyenne, Wyoming to the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo and what an experience it was. I started my trip off attending the Queen’s Brunch, then watching the Wild West Rodeo Opener which was one of the coolest ranch rodeos I’ve seen! We finished up the day with the Midland, Kelsey Ballerini, and Lady Antebellum concert! The next day was the parade in Downtown Cheyenne, with the Wards providing horses for us! My horse slipped on the pavement a couple times so I decided to get off half way through to make sure the horse stayed safe, and one of the mounted posse members put me on his horse and sent me down a side street to cut back into the parade. It was quite the memorable experience! We then went to the rodeo grounds for the first performance where we got to tour the grounds! I also got to sign the bar in Chute 8! The next day I got to do my fly by down the track and was introduced during the rodeo! We finished out the day with front row to the Tanya Tucker and Josh Turner concert! I finished my trip having pancakes thrown at me at the pancake breakfast, which was one of my bucket list experiences!

After driving the short 13 hours home, I was home for about 12 hours before I hit the road for the Chief Joseph Days Rodeo! I was so excited to be able to ride on the top of the Stagecoach at Wallowa Lake, interacting with the tourists and giving out kids rodeo tickets! I participated in the serpentine, was introduced during the rodeo and helped push cattle during my time there! I also was in the Kids Parade, the Grand Parade and the Queen’s Luncheon where all the visiting royalty got to share their favorite memory of their year. Such a fun time at one of my other favorite rodeos and I can’t wait to go back as well!

July was a long, but memorable month! I can’t believe it is already August and we are about to crown the new Miss Rodeo Oregon. I truly cannot believe a year has passed, but they do say that time flies when you are having fun! I’m currently gearing up for the 2020 MRO Pageant, continuing to travel through Oregon’s rodeo season and getting ready to return to school for my senior year!

Here’s some fun stats from my month:

2.5 days home

2,880 miles

10 different horses

Cheerfully,

Taylor Ann Skramstad, Miss Rodeo Oregon 2019

Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon 2019 Meredith Moore!

Garner’s Sporting Goods — Outwest Printing and Design

Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon 2019 Rowdy Israel!

July… Cowboy Christmas we all call it, for the simple reason that there are so many rodeos going on all at the same time. Some are close in distance and some are far apart but there are so many options as to which rodeos to attend. This year with the help of all of my sponsors and my mom, I got to leave my home town of Dayville on Friday June 28th to start my week of Cowboy Christmas.  I attended the Crooked River Roundup June 28th and 29th. Then it was off to visit one of my sponsors, The Ochoco Mackie Ranch, for one night. A nice trail ride in the Ochocos and getting to take my horse swimming in a pond in the middle of the forest were just a couple highlights from my short amount of time spent here.

Monday, July 1st we headed to Molalla Oregon to attend the Molalla Buckaroos opening night of their 4th of July Rodeo. I met up with Miss Rodeo Oregon Taylor Skramstad and we had all sorts of fun, from grand entry to pushing cattle throughout the rodeo, along with the one and only donkey races!  I am proud to say that MRO Taylor and I WON!!! The next day, I traveled over to the St. Paul Rodeo for their opening night of rodeo, riding in the grand entry with Taylor!  Getting to be involved in such a big rodeo will always be remembered, along with being able to get my pictures taken with my hometown PRCA cowboy Trevor Knowles and with PRCA cowboy Marty Yates. July 3rd, on my way to the Eugene Pro Rodeo, I got to stop and have lunch with my sponsor Toolin Turquoise Leather Co. and then it was on to the opening night of the Eugene Pro Rodeo. Meeting up with the 2018 Jr Miss Rodeo Oregon Lauren Gibson is always fun and this is her hometown rodeo. I got to participate in the bouncy horse races with the local news crew, attend the grand entry, and push cattle. Fun times were had for sure!

Then all of a sudden it was Thursday the 4th of July!  Leaving Eugene early that morning, I traveled back to my hometown of Dayville, making it just in time to unload and get in the lineup for the parade. After the parade was over, I loaded back up and traveled an hour to Prairie City, arriving there just in time to unload and line up for their parade. It was very important to me to be able to attend both parades in Grant County, my home, and see all of the people that have so graciously supported me throughout this adventure as Jr Miss Rodeo Oregon 2019. Directly after the Prairie City parade was over, I loaded up and traveled to Vale for their 4th of July rodeo performance. NPRA announcer, Scott Allen was announcing and always has something fun to say for my introduction which is always a highlight for me, making the long day of traveling totally worth it! July 5th was now here and I loaded up and headed to LaPine for the Friday and Saturday night performances. In LaPine I also got to attend the queen’s luncheon, carry sponsor flags, push cattle and throw T-shirts to the crowd as part of the rodeo. After the last performance and after all of the fun that was had, my horse and I were ready to be home. So after the 10 days on the rodeo road we arrived back home, with a ton of memories and an experience of a lifetime!

Home for only a couple days, I then had a sponsor visit at Noble Panels which is located just a few miles from the Washington State border. I am very appreciative to have Noble Panels as a sponsor and was beyond excited to be able to pick up my travel corral system from them. Just a day trip, up and back. Home for just a day, then hit the road for the Elgin Stampede, meeting up with Miss Rodeo Oregon Taylor and Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon Meredith! Elgin was super fun… grand entry both nights, kids parade, the main parade, luncheon and a photo shoot with Thomas Duncan Photography. It was then back home for two days, and off to the Snake River Stampede in Nampa Idaho. Attending the Pink on the Dirt event was impressive. It is a huge event to support breast cancer awareness and part of the Miss Rodeo Idaho competition. There I got to meet up with Miss Rodeo Oregon Taylor Skramstad and visit with Miss Rodeo America Taylor McNair! Then it was off to the rodeo that night and after the rodeo, I got to sign autographs at the huge line up of tables that were set up outside of the Ford Center with a bunch of other rodeo queens, contestants, clowns and trick riders. Heading back home that night made for a long day but one I will never forget! Home again for two days and then off to the Santiam Canyon Stampede in Sublimity Oregon. Grand Entry, pushing cattle, riding in the barrel truck and getting to visit with some of the fans horseback from the arena made the night go by fast.

The following Monday through Friday I volunteered at the Calvary Christian Horse Camp in John Day, helping teach the 12 foster girls how to take care of and ride horses. Most of these girls have never gotten the opportunity to ride before so it is always fun to help out and see how much joy the horses bring to them all. Right after I was finished on Friday, we headed over to Joseph for Chief Joseph Days, meeting up with Miss Rodeo Oregon Taylor and Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon Meredith Moore. Friday night rodeo serpentine and autograph signing then Saturday was a full day with the Grand Parade, Luncheon, invitational photo shoot with Robert McLean, rodeo serpentine and run in, along with more autographs after the rodeo!  Getting to do a run in at Joseph was pretty amazing!

I can not thank my sponsors, supporters, family and friends enough for helping provide all of these amazing opportunities and memories for me. THANK YOU ALL!  Hope to see you all on the rodeo road real soon!

Prairie Springs Fish Farm  **  Canyon City Mobile Market ** John Day Auto Parts

The MRO Pageant with Johna, Dona, Donna, and Johnna!!

2020 Contestant Sam Henricks

Samantha Henricks is the twenty-three -year-old daughter of Lyle and Lisa Henricks. She calls Southern Oregon home, currently residing in Grants Pass. Sam grew up in the equestrian community, competing in 4-H, High School Equestrian Team, as well as local and breed shows. However, where most riders competed alongside their horses, her partner was a mule. She states that, “Riding a mule in a horse-dominated sport granted me the confidence to stand out and be unique”.

Sam is currently employed at Siskiyou Community Health Center where she works with the Primary Care team as a Medical Assistant. In her free time, she volunteers her time as head coach of the Grants Pass and North Valley High School Equestrian Teams. Sam enjoys fishing, trail riding, playing volleyball, camping and spending time with family.

Sam’s passion for coaching the youth in her community, the western way of life, and horses is what drives her towards the title of Miss Rodeo Oregon. She states, “To serve as the 2020 Miss Rodeo Oregon and be a voice for the sport of rodeo would be an incredible opportunity”.

Save the Dates!

Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon 2020 Ainsley Goughnour’s Coronation Fundraiser will be held on January 18 at the Clackamas County Fairgrounds!

Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon 2020 Morgan Brownell’s Coronation Fundraiser will be held on February 29 at the Mt. Angel Community Festhalle!

Taylor Ann Skramstad, Miss Rodeo Oregon 2019!

June was an incredibly busy month!

I started really close to home attending the Eastern Oregon Livestock Show in Union, Oregon for their Xtreme Bulls on Thursday, and their parade, queens luncheon, and their first PRCA rodeo performance. Right after that I drove straight home and loaded everything up to leave for the Portland Rose Parade! My parents and I left around midnight, and drove overnight to arrive at the staging area around 5:30am. Despite accidentally leaving some necessity items behind, I got to debut my custom parade outfit which included my new Hamleys serape, and an Oregon-themed custom shirt made by Queenies Custom Creations to match my handcrafted Oregon themed chaps made by Chase’N’Cutters! It was such a fun parade, with perfect temperatures and no rain! I also was selected first place in the State/Association Queen Category! I then finished the weekend at the Sisters Rodeo where I got to help push cattle and carry flags as well as be introduced during their grand entry! It was such a fun rodeo!

I then headed over to Tillamook for the 2020 Junior Miss and Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon pageant. I got to emcee the orientation, announce the horsemanship competition and co-emcee the speech competition with Miss NPRA! I can now officially say I’m the best auctioneer that money didn’t buy! Also, thank you to Tillamook Queen Britney for letting me borrow her horse Huckleberry for the grand entry and cattle pushing both nights! Rowdy, Meredith and I wrapped up the weekend with a visit to the Tillamook Cheese Factory!

I concluded my month in Prineville, Oregon at the Crooked River Round Up. Three nights of action packed PRCA rodeo, one morning of sponsor visits, a parade, queens luncheon, and one terrifying summer storm during the last rodeo performance made for quite the weekend! I can now say I know how to clean about 10 pounds of mud out of fringe.

‘Til next month!

Cheerfully,

Taylor Ann Skramstad, Miss Rodeo Oregon 2019

Meredith Moore, Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon 2019!

Wow has June flown by! I kicked off the month of June in the beautiful eastern town of Union, OR for their parade, luncheon and rodeo. From there, I high-tailed it over to Sisters for their parade, rodeo and luncheon. After Sisters, I came home to the Walla Walla Rodeo Bible Camp where I worked on my walk with God and my team roping. I carried the American Flag at the camp rodeo as Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon, before competing in team roping and break away roping.

After the RBC Rodeo, I loaded up and headed straight to Tillamook for their parade, luncheon, rodeos, and of course our 2020 JMRO and MTRO Pageant! I ended the wonderful month of June in Prineville, where I attended the parade, luncheon and rodeo performances for the Crooked River Round-Up.

What a fun month, right?? Can’t wait for what July has in store!

Rowdy Israel, Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon 2019!

June was here before I knew it and I was off to attend the Joe Wolter Clinic in John Day, Oregon. This is the second year that I have been so graciously sponsored and able to attend this event. Joe is a great horseman and has helped me grow in my horsemanship skills. On Saturday night I attended the clinic social as Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon, signing autographs and sharing my experiences of my year. Everyone was so encouraging and supportive. Just a couple days after that I was headed to Union Oregon for the Eastern Oregon Livestock Show & Rodeo. While getting ready for the parade we all got pelleted with jawbreaker size hail but thankfully, after of course we were all drenched, the sky cleared and the sun came out for the parade and rodeo. Getting to run on the track for a fly by was definitely a highlight at Eastern Oregon Livestock Show! Signing just a few autographs after grand entry, I loaded up and headed for Sisters Oregon that night. I attended the Parade & Rodeo in Sisters on Saturday & Sunday. Many miles were put on during this little weekend adventure, that’s for sure! The very next Friday I joined other local rodeo kids at our local Grant County Ranch & Rodeo Museum for their open house event, trying to help bring awareness to this nice museum that is full of rodeo history for our county. If you have not stopped by to take it all in, you really should take the time to come visit the museum.

The next day was our local Cinnabar Mountain Playday Kids Rodeo series, first double header event Saturday and Sunday. I helped with the grand entry both days and then I also competed in the other 7 events offered. My favorite event is goat tying and I was very happy to win first place both days in this event. Getting back home to turn around and leave for the Tillamook Fair, Rodeo & Junior/Teen Miss Rodeo Oregon Pageant. Yes, it feels a little crazy that the selection of the next Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon is taking place but I know that Morgan Brownell, your new 2020 Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon, will do a great job! Congratulations Morgan, you’re going to have the time of your life (I know I am)! Tillamook had a great rodeo and the second longest parade in Oregon (with the Rose Parade being the longest Oregon Parade). I think we went 7 miles! A visit to the Tillamook Cheese factory with Teen Miss Rodeo Oregon Meredith Moore and Miss Rodeo Oregon Taylor Skramstad turned out to be exceptional; the cheese and ice cream were amazingly good!!!

Crooked River Round Up in Prineville, Oregon was next on the agenda and it did not disappoint. Two great rodeo performances, a parade, a nice luncheon and another bbq social event made for busy times. A slight thunder, lightning and minor flash flood rain downpour was experienced on Saturday but I was very blessed to have it hold out till after the grand entry… but I felt bad for all the cowboys and cowgirls that were out competing in the standing water while I was in the covered grandstands signing autographs and visiting the fans of this grand sport of rodeo. As all of my travels have kept me very busy and on the go, I have to give all credit to my wonderful long list of sponsors that have supported me along my journey this year. I could not do all of this without the support of my sponsors and family. THANK YOU for allowing me to live out my dream and help promote the western way of life and the greatest show on earth, in the dirt that we all call R-O-D-E-O!

Introducing Ainsley Goughnour, MTRO 2020 and Morgan Brownell, JMRO 2020!

Welcome to the Miss Rodeo Oregon family!

(See all pageant results and awards on this website under “Pageants”)

Miss Rodeo Oregon Taylor Ann Skramstad!

May was a great month, and I got to spend all of it at events in Oregon!

I started the month staying local in Pendleton at the Pendleton Cattle Barons Weekend which was so much fun, and so rewarding. Their purpose is to raise money for scholarships for local college students studying agriculture. I was so honored to receive one of their scholarships as well as the Protect The Harvest Scholarship. Protect The Harvest’s mission is to advocate for and protect agriculture and the western way of life, which is exactly why I decided to strive for a law degree. I was so honored to be selected for their 2019 scholarship. While I was there, I also got to see many old friends, help with the ranch horse and working dog auction, as well as present awards. However, carrying the American flag for both of the rodeo performances was the highlight of my weekend. Thank you to the Thackereys for letting me borrow Sanjo for the rodeo. So thankful for my experience while there.

All three of us Oregon titleholders were able to get together to have a joint photo shoot with Robert McLean! We got some amazing pictures and Meredith, Rowdy and I are all so thankful for his time!  After that, I went to my National Director Lynn Haynes’ hometown of Sherwood to attend their third annual fundraiser gala to benefit the Sherwood Police Department. I was able to help when needed, and showcase a few of the live auction items. This was a special event to me also, with my dad being a law enforcement officer. I thoroughly enjoyed my time while I was there.

I finalized my month by traveling just about as far south in Oregon you can get. I spent the weekend in Central Point for the Wild Rogue Pro Rodeo. It was so much fun spending time with their royalty, and we were treated to front row at the LoCash concert, as well as a day at the Family Fun Center. I was introduced all three nights of the rodeo, and helped push cattle as well. I can definitely say I made several stops at the 24 Hour Dutch Bros, and ate my weight in hospitality room pizza and pie. I would really like to thank Carolyn and Dave for opening their home to me for the weekend, and I was lucky to ride three different horses over the weekend. I thoroughly enjoy riding as many different horses as possible; it is so much fun!

Until next month!

Cheerfully, Taylor Ann Skramstad

Miss Rodeo Oregon 2019

Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon Meredith Moore!

What a month! I had the wonderful opportunity to go to the Pendleton Cattle Barons Weekend where I got to hand out awards and scholarships, help with the working ranch dog and ranch horse auction, sell raffle tickets, sell rodeo tickets for their spectacular ranch rodeo, and work the crowd while throwing T-Shirts. I even got to help judge the BBQ competition!

The following weekend I switched gears and got to show and sell my market hog at the Milton-Freewater Junior Livestock Show where I helped hand out awards as Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon.

I also had my very first parade this month in the cute little town of Waitsburg, Washington, followed by my very first luncheon of the year. I wrapped up the month in May at my first rodeo of the season in Spray, Oregon! I got to ride in their parade and make an appearance during their rodeo performances by running in the grand entry followed by pushing cows. What a great way to kick off rodeo season with a bang!

Can’t wait for what June has in store–Meredith

Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon Rowdy Israel!

Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon Rowdy Israel with Miss Rodeo Oregon Taylor Ann Skramstad at the Pendleton Cattle Barons Weekend in Pendleton on May 3rd, 2019.

May has been so much fun! The Pendleton Cattle Barons weekend in Pendleton featured a great trade show, great shopping, a wonderful BBQ championship cook off, working dog trials, ranch rodeo and ranch bronc championship, along with the horse and dog auction. It was a fun filled, event packed Friday & Saturday! Meeting a bunch of super cool people and getting to help out in several different events kept me, Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon Meredith Moore and Miss Rodeo Oregon Taylor Ann Skramstad very busy. Then it was off to a photo shoot for the three of us with photographer Robert McLean for the day. Despite a little wind, the weather was amazing and some great shots were taken, with plenty of laughter. We even did a promotional video for the Junior & Teen Miss Rodeo Oregon Pageant happening in June in Tillamook.

Getting my autograph sheets and sponsor jacket done and ready to go was also a big highlight this month. They all turned out great and I am so grateful to have such an amazing list of supporting sponsors who help me get down the rodeo road.

The first rodeo on the list for May was the one and only Jordan Valley Big Loop in Jordan Valley, Oregon.  Jordan Valley always features a great trade show and lots of rodeo action; this year’s rodeo action was in mud and standing water but it was still a great time! Then it was off to the Spray Rodeo in Spray, Oregon. The parade always draws a bunch of rodeo royalty and since the town of Spray is so small the parade circles the town twice! Spray Rodeo also does a quarter mile horse race, in which I participated in both days and came in second both days… it was SO much FUN! I am looking forward to June as my schedule is very busy and there is a different event every weekend! Stay tuned for more excitement & adventures!

Thank You to my sponsors and supporters!  Rowdy Israel

Game face on as JJ Harrison held my crown so I could race the quarter mile race at Spray Rodeo on day two. Photo credit to Michael T. Photography

JJ Harrison placing my crown on my hat after the quarter mile race at the Spray Rodeo day one. Photo credit to Lindsey Wyllie Photography

Brittany Miller from the RIDE TV series featuring Ranch Bronc Cowgirls with Jr Miss Rodeo Oregon Rowdy Israel at the Pendleton Cattle Barons Weekend. Brittany was a competitor in the Ranch Bronc event at the Pendleton Cattle Barons

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President’s Message

Greetings!

Calving is over and all moms and babies are doing well. I just wish the grass in my pasture was as lush as in my yard!!! Summer is on its way with sun and warmer days.  As I write this, Rose Parade is next weekend and let’s hope the rain is only Friday and not Saturday morning. We will be getting MROI Queen Taylor ready Saturday morning to represent us with gorgeous flowers prepared by Kacee Joiner. Kacee is the BEST.

The rodeo season is here and watch for our titleholders at one near you. Cheer them on as they represent MROI with grace, big smiles, and lots of energy. The 2020 MROI Junior and Teen Queen Pageant will be held during the Tillamook County Rodeo, June 21 and 22, 2019.   It is great to be back in Tillamook and working with their staff.

Remember our MROI general meeting in Canby, Oregon on Sunday July 14, 2019 before our 2020 Miss Rodeo Oregon orientation. Hope to see everyone there. Stay safe and enjoy the many MROI activities.

Until next month–Julie Singer, President MROI

Meet our three judges for the Junior Miss and Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon Pageant!

Miss Rodeo Oregon Sweetheart Contestants!

2020 Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon Contestants

2020 Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon Contestants

Thank you to our wonderful sponsors!