The Oregon Queen — August 2019

August 11, 2019 Off By Lois Forester

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!

July was definitely a busy month, but I wouldn’t have it any other way! I kicked July off with Cowboy Christmas during Independence Day week where I traveled to Molalla for their rodeo performance and autograph signing, to St. Paul for their parade luncheon and rodeo performance, to Eugene for their evening performance and then stayed for their kids rodeo and the second evening performance, and then high-tailed it to Newport for their rodeo before heading home the next day.

I traveled up to Elgin for their Extreme Bulls and queen coronation the following week. I also had a parade in Athena, Oregon for their Scottish Caledonian games before heading back up to Elgin for another parade, followed by a luncheon and rodeo performance. The following week, I attended the Pioneer Posse Visiting Royalty luncheon and grand entry in the nearby town of Milton-Freewater.

I ended the month up in Joseph for the 2019 Chief Joseph Days parade, luncheon, and several rodeo performances followed by autograph signings and the Chief Joseph Days annual teen dance. Had an amazing month to say the least and am looking forward to what August has in store!

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!

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”.