The Oregon Queen — October 2020

October 13, 2020 Off By Lois Forester

Miss Rodeo Oregon 2020-21 Samantha Henricks!

The month of September has come and gone, and I am very happy to report that Oregon welcomed its first PRCA rodeo of the year, the Cascade Chute Out! For those who missed it, Bridwell Pro Rodeos and the Deschutes County Fair and Expo partnered to host this event. There was top quality stock courtesy of Bridwell Pro Rodeos, Four Star Rodeo and Corey & Lange Rodeo. They were accompanied by the best committees in the state: High Desert Stampede, Sisters Rodeo and Crooked River Roundup. This united group of individuals pulled together to ensure that Oregon rodeo and the western way of life is here for years to come. In doing so, they were able to give back 100% of the net proceeds to the stock contractors, who have indeed been faced with challenges this year. I was honored to carry the American flag at each performance in a rather unique and moving grand entry that involved not one, or two, but three American flags! I was also able to lend a hand packing sponsor flags and pushing cattle.

This was also the first time since March that Morgan, Ainsley and I were all in the same place, at the same time! Also, Miss Rodeo Washington Madi Casto made the trip down to spend time in the beaver state and I was able to meet and spend time with the Crooked River Roundup Queen, Emily McDaniel. We even ran into 2018 Miss Rodeo Oregon Jessi (Cornforth) Jackson who was there volunteering her time running the flags and the out gate, and 2017 Miss Rodeo Oregon Kayla Vincent! To top it off, Miss Rodeo Oregon 2005, Camie Johnston Foster laid down a smoking barrel run on night one to win the round! Seeing these gals out and about and contributing to Oregon rodeo was great!

The week I spent in Central Oregon spoke volumes to the family aspect, hard work and traditional values that rodeo embodies. I have said it once, but I will say it again. This year has brought tragedy to our state, but the celebration (and that it was) of Rodeo coming back to Oregon, is anything but that! Up next month, Columbia River Circuit Finals and the Canby Mock Pageant! See you soon!

Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon 2020-21 Ainsley Goughnour!

And just like that, it’s already October and fall is in the air. Thankfully the smoke has cleared from all of the wildfires and the blue skies are back. I hope and pray you are all doing well and weren’t affected too much by the fires.

As for September, I was able to kick off the month by attending an Oregon High School Rodeo in Cottage Grove. I had a great time hanging out with friends and cheering on competitors. Oregon is in good hands with our youth rodeo athletes and their rodeo talent. The future is looking good.

The following week our state was hit hard with wildfires and many people and their animals had to be evacuated from their homes. I’m grateful that we did not have to evacuate our home. I used the extra time I was given because the start of school was delayed a few days by helping care for evacuated animals. I live only a couple minutes from the St. Paul Rodeo grounds so I spent most of my time feeding, watering and looking after animals that were evacuated to the rodeo grounds as well as animals that were also sent to my school's FFA barn. Morgan spent a few days with me as well, helping care for the animals. Taking care of the animals while their owners were displaced from their homes was the least I could do to try and ease some of the worry they were going through.

On September 16, I made my way over to Redmond for the Cascade Chute Out. Yes, this was my first professional rodeo in Oregon of the year and will probably be the last until 2021. I was so excited to be able to spend the long weekend with my sash sisters Sam and Morgan as the three of us haven’t been to an event together since February. On Wednesday, we were able to attend the sponsor/kickoff dinner where I was able to help with the auction and eat an amazing dinner.

The next day, the gates would swing open for the first night of the three nights of rodeo. During the week, I carried sponsor flags, made queen run-ins, and helped set up barrels! It felt so good to be in the arena running with Pete for our queen run and packing sponsor flags. I had a blast getting to hang out with Sam and Morgan as well as Miss Rodeo Washington, Madi! We even had a photo op with many of the rodeo queens from around the state. Thank you to the High Desert Stampede, Sisters Rodeo, Crooked River Roundup, Bridwell Pro Rodeo, Four Star Rodeo, and Corey & Lange Rodeo for your wonderful hospitality and for putting on an amazing rodeo!

While I was in Redmond, I got to visit with two of my amazing sponsors. I was invited to take a tour of the Horse Guards facility and meet everyone at Horse Guard! I was very impressed with how they run everything so smoothly and how they get so much product made and shipped with so few employees. I am thankful for such a supportive sponsor. My second sponsor I was able to visit with was McKillip’s Catering. They were at the Cascade Chute Out providing food
for the VIP tent all weekend! I enjoyed a delicious meal on horseback during the rodeo. The Cascade Chute Out will definitely be one of my favorite memories from 2020.

As summer has officially ended and fall is upon us, I’m looking forward to what next month brings!

Joyfully--Ainsley, Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon

Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon 2020-21 Morgan Brownell!

This month didn’t start out that great. My family ended up getting evacuated from our home with the fires only being a mile and a half from our home. We went to my aunt's house. Only a few hours after, we had to go pick our horses up from our barn and take them to a friend's house in Corvallis. My dad and I stayed there for a couple days and then went to St. Paul to help out with all the evacuated animals at the rodeo grounds. Ainsley and her family invited me to stay at their house for a little while so I did. I was able to help at the grounds with all the evacuated animals by feeding and watering them and also help out at the St. Paul FFA barn with the animals there.

I was also invited to attend the Cascade Chuteout in Redmond. A huge thank you goes out to Denis Fast, Haley Bridwell and all the rodeos and stock contractors for putting on the wonderful event!! It was put on by the Sisters Rodeo, Crooked River Roundup and High Desert Stampede. I had such a blast being able to hang out with old friends and also be able to meet new people. It was such a great experience that I will never forget! The first event of the Cascade Chuteout was a dinner Wednesday night. They had all three rodeos and all three stock contractors, families and friends there. Sam, Ainsley and I had the honor of being able to help with walking around the live auction items to raise money. It was such a fun night getting to know everyone a little better The first night was a bull ride but we still got to do grand entry, our run-ins and flag runs. I used Chester--my rope horse--the first performance and he loved it! I had so much fun being able to carry flags in the grand entry. The grand entry at the Cascade Chuteout is a little different than most rodeos. It’s more of an NFR-type entrance where they have two people running flags at the same time next to each other. I was able to be the first in the gate all three nights and it was a blast! It was so much fun being able to see the excitement on everyone’s faces as they watched us fly around the arena. Everyone was so happy cheering and waving back. At the end of the rodeo we all came back through the arena at a trot with the stock contractor and rodeo flags. The second night I used Tommy. This was one of the rodeo performances and the stands were packed! Once again I was one of the firsts in the arena, this time with Ainsley next to me! I was also able to ride in the barrel truck with Ainsley and the Crooked River Roundup Queen Emily McDaniel. I also led the final trot through at the end of the performance with all the flags. The third and final night was the best night. I did grand entry with Ainsley, did my run-in and was able to carry one of the rodeo flags and stop at the chutes with the three rodeo presidents for them to be recognized. I was also able to be one of the three to carry the stock contractor flags around the arena to be able to recognize them too. I got to ride in the barrel truck again and was able to lead the final trot through of the night. Overall it was a blast and definitely one to remember. It was definitely the best rodeo of the year and I would go back in a heartbeat. Everyone there was so much fun to be around and so energetic. It was a definitely really cool to see three different rodeos and three different stock contractors come together and create such an amazing time. It was great to see Sam again also. We figured out we hadn’t seen each other since March!

Gratefully, Morgan

Animal Evacuations: Personal Stories

Although the wildfire evacuation stories of September have faded from recent news feeds, the aftermath is still very fresh to those who were forced to hurriedly evacuate themselves and their precious animals and seek shelter in safe places. The wildfires are currently in varying degrees of containment and so firefighters battle on.

We recognize especially MRO 2016 Katie Schrock, the founder of Cowgirl 911, who was instrumental in superbly organizing the emergency response in her area of Oregon.

Over the next few months, we plan to share the personal stories of Oregonians who have faced this disaster and what they have learned. If you have a story you'd like to send us, please contact us via email at missrodeooregonincfoundation@gmail.com or on our Facebook page. In case you missed the Facebook post on September 12, we are sharing this month the story of MTRO Ainsley and JMRO Morgan:

"The past couple days we have had the opportunity to volunteer taking care of evacuated animals from the major wildfires that are happening around our communities. We have been staying busy at the St. Paul Rodeo grounds, St. Paul FFA Barn, and at Ainsley's barn. We have been helping feed, water, clean up after and sort animals --horses, pigs, cows, alpacas, goats and sheep--that have been evacuated from their homes. We have also been able to get some extra snuggles in with the evacuated animals.

The St. Paul Rodeo has provided temporary shelter for over 200 animals that were displaced with the overflow of smaller animals like chickens, goats, llamas and a mini horse being sent to the St. Paul FFA barn. It’s been a privilege to also help evacuate a few horses and care for them at our home.

It warms our hearts to see everyone in our community come together and work to help those in need. Thank you to everyone who has brought donations for the animals and volunteered their time helping make sure they are ok. We continue to ask for prayers for our great state.

Humbled and Blessed--Ainsley and Morgan, Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon and Jr. Miss Rodeo Oregon"

Meet the MROIF Treasurer Raylah Holm!

I serve as the Treasurer for Miss Rodeo Oregon, Inc. Foundation and I am the Director for Miss Rodeo Alaska. I have been involved with rodeo and rodeo queens since 1973. I live in Ellensburg, WA and I enjoy living close to my twin grandchildren. I have been employed by Hewlett Packard since 1997.

I am no stranger to the rodeo arena. I was an active competitor and member of the Girls Northwest Rodeo Association and competed in Hunter Jumper, Saddle Seat and Side Saddle competitions while in college. I have carried a PRCA timers card since the early 1970’s and continue to time rodeos part time when needed. Along with competing in rodeos and horse shows, I am the mother of a former Miss Rodeo Washington (1994) and was active with the Miss Rodeo Washington program for many years, holding officer positions including National Director to Miss Rodeo America, Inc. I am currently an active member of the National Advisory Council to the Miss Rodeo America organization, the Miss Rodeo America Ambassador Club, and am an MRA Gold Member.

I have judged many contests over the years including six state pageants and the National High School Finals. I have seen the value that rodeo queen programs can offer young women across the country and continue to congratulate each contestant for taking the step to compete and reach for their goals. I pride myself on providing meaningful and positive feedback to help the young ladies grow personally and professionally.