The Oregon Queen — October 2019
October 21, 2019 Off By Lois ForesterMiss 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