The Oregon Queen — April 2023

May 15, 2023 Off By Lois Forester

2023 Miss Rodeo Oregon Zoe Brooks!

I cannot believe that April has already come and gone. The beginning of the month started in Central Oregon for the High Desert Stampede and the 2023 Miss Rodeo Oregon Clinic! This was a busy weekend and one that I will never forget. I was so thankful to have 3 visiting state queens come and enjoy the festivities with us. Miss Rodeo Alaska, Arizona and Nevada all flew in Wednesday and left Monday morning. We enjoyed 4 PRCA rodeo performances where we participated in grand entry each night and pushed cows during timed events. We had 3 great days of the Miss Rodeo Oregon Clinic where we got to expand our rodeo queen knowledge and horsemanship skills. It was such an amazing experience to learn from some of the best in the business in the rodeo queen world and from Miss Rodeo America!

Next, I got to help out at the inaugural Southern District Oregon High School Equestrian Team Fundraiser dinner! It was a fabulous evening filled with great auction items, amazing food and the best company. This was such an important event to me because I was a 4-year member of OHSET and to be able to give back to a program that did so much for me was very special. Not only was this event a success but it was also put on by past MRO, Sam Henricks!

To end my month, I jumped in the car with Miss Rodeo Washington, Bailey, and we headed south to the 102nd Red Bluff Round-Up in Red Bluff, California! We spent 4 days in the beautiful California weather and enjoyed 3 great rodeo performances. We ladies got to help push cows each night and got to participate in their famous “Grand Entry Parade”. I have never seen so many visiting royalty at one rodeo before! On our down time we were able to make a quick trip over to Burney Falls and it was beautiful! I got to spend one weekend at home before I geared up for a busy month ahead.

With Thanks,

Zoe Brooks

Miss Rodeo Oregon 2023

2023 Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon Morgan Brownell!

April started off strong for me as I was able to make my way to St. Paul for the St. Paul Rodeo court coronation. We got to celebrate all the good memories and a good job that the 2022 court did. I absolutely loved being able to travel with them around the state as my dad was their director and being able to make so many memories with them so it was a little sad to see Hope, Macy and Sarah pass down their crowns but I am so excited to see where Jessie, Jenna and Mary go!

The next weekend my mom and I made our way to the High Desert Stampede for the Thursday night performance where I was able to meet both Jackie Crawford and Miss Rodeo America! We were able to sign autographs at the Coastal Farm and Ranch booth and be introduced by riding on a carriage around the arena!

The next 3 days after that we were off to the Miss Rodeo Oregon Clinic! I got to learn so many things from our amazing head clinician 2023 Miss Rodeo America Kennadee Riggs, two past Miss Rodeo Washingtons, both of them being 2nd Runner-up finishers at the Miss Rodeo America pageant--Beth Bahem and Lexy Hibbs--and past Miss Rodeo Oregon and Miss Rodeo America top 5 finisher Kayla Vincent! I had so much fun improving my horsemanship skills, learning how to better my hair and makeup and practicing my modeling and, of course, so much more!

With love,

Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon

Morgan Brownell

2023 Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon Reegan Bills!

Each month things get a little bit busier and April was no exception. My fellow title holders, title hopefuls and I went to the Miss Rodeo Oregon clinic. This was the third year in a row that I have had the opportunity to attend and each year is better than the last. Mom's foal Jinx was not born yet, so it was just me and Dad. We went 200 miles to Madras Oregon.

I was so happy that Kayla and Beth were teaching this year again! There were also two new clinicians. First of was Lexy Hibbs, 2022 Miss Rodeo Washington and second runner-up at Miss Rodeo America pageant. The main clinician this year was Kennedy Riggs, 2023 Miss Rodeo America and 2022 Miss Rodeo Arizona. Since my Dad was flying solo as my chauffer, he had to learn how to curl queen hair. I'm not going to lie, I was pretty nervous, but my hair turned out decent!

Opening night we learned how to give a good first impression. Food for the whole clinic was amazing because the MRO board made sure that I was well fed. Most of the time I go places I need to bring my own food because I get sick if I have gluten. There were a lot of learning sessions and great opportunities to see not just where I have improved since last year but also my fellow attendees and friends. Clinic is such a fun way to meet fellow Rodeo royalty hopefuls and catch up with old friends. A few of the sessions were makeup, hair, modeling, appearance, horsemanship, and knowledge.

I was starry eyed when Lexy talked about study material. One of her phrases really stuck with me. She said, "Knowledge is power". Rodeo Jeopardy is my favorite part each year and this time was no different. Rodeo Jeopardy is played like normal Jeopardy but Rodeo questions. The first year I attended I was only 10 and the amount of knowledge seemed daunting. This year, for the first time I felt like the leader of my team. I was the first person to get time out for answering so many questions correctly. We didn't win, but it was a whole lot of fun!

Cows with Kayla was awesome as usual. Arena work with Sam was fun. Horsemanship pattern with Beth was very helpful. But my favorite part of the group was probably tack. Tanya and Julie would full a piece of tack out of their magic bag and we would say what the tack is called and say its function. I felt very knowledgeable, and it was absolutely wonderful. We had a mock grand entry. After grand entry, I talked with Lexy about knowledge and she said she was impressed! That made me glow with pride on the whole drive home.

Sincerely, JMRO Reegan Bills

Sponsorship Opportunities!

We have many sponsors to whom we give our grateful appreciation at pageant time. Most of the Miss Pageant awards have been sponsored but there are some opportunities we'd like to make you aware of.

Bob Roy makes our wonderful trophy saddles and sponsors half the cost. In years past, the other half has been sponsored by individuals, some of whom do not want to be recognized. We are looking for a sponsor to cover the balance of the award. If you are a business and want to have the benefits of sponsorship (including having your name on the sponsor jackets), please contact us at missrodeooregonincfoundation@gmail.com.

There are other sponsorships available at lower price points so please contact us if you're interested.

If you are a business and want to donate an item toward the pageant, please send us a note. You can be included in the pageant program or possibly on the website!