The Oregon Queen — September 2020

September 8, 2020 Off By Lois Forester

Miss Rodeo Oregon 2020-21 Samantha Henricks!

I am happy to finally report that I was able to present the American flag at my first Oregon rodeo last month! Ainsley and I headed east to Redmond, Oregon for the Last Call Before Fall Rodeo and had a great time! We were accompanied by numerous other queens and there was plenty of good company among the fans who attended in support of Oregon rodeos. Though I was excited to watch some rodeo action, I was not prepared to have some rough stock action of my own! Ainsley had very graciously loaned me her new horse to ride. He was feeling good at his first rodeo and let the crowd know it with a few bucks and jumps during our queen lap! Never a dull moment here!

Additionally, last month I was able to host the first ever Miss Rodeo Oregon Poker Ride! It was a beautiful day and there was a great turn out for the ride and for lunch. I am very thankful that the community in Southern Oregon has been so supportive. We were able to give door prizes, along with a prize for the highest hand and lowest hand. I want to thank the board at Pacifica Gardens for hosting the event and to Brushriders for sponsoring it. Also, thank you to my family who was there helping check people in, barbecuing, and scoring poker hands.

The month of September will bring another Oregon rodeo, the Cascade Chute Out! The High Desert Stampede, Sisters Rodeo and Crooked River Roundup committees have joined Bridwell Pro Rodeos and the Deschutes County Fair and Expo with hopes to bring great rodeo action to Central Oregon. Ainsley, Morgan and I will be there September 15th through the 19th. Hopefully this time, I only get to watch the rodeo action and not experience it! But hey, whatever happens, I can guarantee it will be entertaining!

Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon 2020-21 Ainsley Goughnour!

August has flown by and has come to an end. It has been a pretty quiet month for rodeo in Oregon overall. I decided since I had extra time I’d try some new things that I had been really wanting to try. I had the opportunity to attend a roping clinic with Stacy Barker. This was my first roping clinic ever. I had a blast and grew a ton in one day! I’ve loved giving roping a try and hope to continue learning and eventually compete in breakaway roping.

I never thought I would say my first Oregon rodeo would be in August! Yes, that's right, I was able to attend my very first Oregon rodeo of the year, the Last Call Before Fall rodeo which was in Redmond,Oregon. Sam and I were able to meet up and spend time together as well as meet many of my fellow Oregon Sash Sisters. It’s crazy to think that it was August when I just did my first run in of the year and carried the Oregon State Flag. We had quite the adventure on the drive home; we had made it just outside of Sisters when one of the trailer tires blew from a nail. I’m very thankful my Dad was there to change the tire and we were only a few miles out of town and not going over the pass yet. After about an hour delay, we were back on the road and made it home safely.

With all the cancellations of rodeos and events this summer, I’ve had extra time to try new things that I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to. I took Hoot to Eugene and we competed in Ranch Riding classes at the Oregon Reining Horse Association Show. We did four classes where we placed in the top 4 in all of them! I'm so glad I pushed myself outside my comfort zone and tried something new.

This month I would have attended the Clackamas County Fair and Canby Rodeo. Not only are they one of my amazing sponsors but the fair and rodeo have been a special part of my life. I have been able to attend since I was little and I think of Canby as my second home. The Clackamas County Fair and Canby Rodeo is also the host rodeo for the Miss Rodeo Oregon Pageant. I was really looking forward to all of the activities and events that were supposed to take place during CCF&R. I know next year will be bigger and better than ever!

As I prepare for school to start back up and reflect on my summer, I realize just how blessed I am. Though almost all of the events that I had planned on attending over the summer were canceled I was able to try so many new things. I’ve made new friends (many that I haven’t even met in person yet), learned new skills, grown in many different aspects of my life and genuinely had a great time. I’ve had time with family and friends that I otherwise wouldn't have and I feel so fortunate to have their support. It’s amazing how fast the summer has flown by. The few rodeo events that I have been able to participate in make me even more excited for what’s to come in the next few months and next year!

Sincerely,

Ainsley, Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon

Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon 2020-21 Morgan Brownell!

Over the month of August I was able to not only go to and compete in NWYRA (Northwest Youth Rodeo Association) rodeos but I was able to do two run-ins at each rodeo. I also got to carry the Oregon flag. I used both Chester and Tommy for my run-ins and they both loved it! If you look at one of my videos of Chester and me doing our run-in you can see I had to pull him over because he wanted to do another lap.

I competed in Barrels, Poles, Goat Tying and Team Roping. I placed almost every time and in every event. I was blown away about how we did in Poles. We placed 2nd both times in the first rodeo and in the second rodeo we placed 2nd Friday and 1st on Saturday, setting a new PR!! I was also able to help give goody bags to the pre pee-wees along with the NWYRA queen Sadie Bateman. Overall it was an amazing two rodeos and I can’t wait till next year!!

Gratefully, 2020 JMRO Morgan Brownell

Meet 2nd VP Lois Forester!

In January 2018, I was appointed by the Miss Rodeo Oregon board to fill the vacancy of 2nd Vice President (Media). I’m a longtime member of the organization, joining when my daughter, Melissa, served as 2004 Miss Rodeo Oregon. I volunteered as a chaperone for the Miss pageant for many years but happily accepted the challenge of being the media person for MROIF. After a very steep learning curve as 2nd VP, I count as successes the revamping of the website, a monthly newsletter, unified sponsorship packages, an expanded social media presence, a rewritten Spirit Award, and a dedicated MRO YouTube channel. I serve on the education/programs committee and delight in decorating for it and cooking meals for everyone. I joined the Miss Rodeo America organization in 2018 and am now a member of the National Advisory Council. I love being on their media committee and helping them with some of the behind-the-scenes tasks required to host such a large pageant.

I believe that the communication skills I used in my career as a speech pathologist have served me well with MROIF. I highly value ethical and effective communication, and endeavor to present our titleholders in the best possible light. With every post or newsletter, I think about the potential to influence a young girl as she dreams about one day being a rodeo queen.

A city girl, I attended the Calgary Stampede every year, the closest I ever got to a horse. I left Canada to attend the University of Oregon and decided to make this state my home. For all 43 years of my marriage, I’ve lived in the country with horses. My husband’s passion for the outdoors provided our family with opportunities to hunt, fish, ski, horse pack into the wilderness, and participate in 4-H and rodeo. (And I learned to appreciate the dusty grounds of many small hometown rodeos!) My daughter introduced me to rodeo queendom with two years on the Catherine Creek Rodeo court and as queen of the Eastern Oregon Livestock Show. While I don’t bring the typical rodeo queen experience to an MROIF board position, I wholeheartedly support the goals of the organization—Educate, Elevate, Inspire. All of my volunteer experiences up to this point have enabled me to flourish in this position.

In an active retirement, I not only perform my volunteer duties on the board of MROIF but I try to travel as much as possible. My guide book is "1000 Places to See Before You Die". Having traveled to many places on the globe--from the Great Wall of China to Red Square to Vietnam and lots of places in between--I travel within the US with my vintage trailer "Louie" as a Sister on the Fly. I also have a new tiny trailer "Honeybunch" in Missouri and will travel the Trail of Tears with SOTF next year from Florida to Oklahoma, a journey of over 2,000 miles.

I encourage anyone to join this organization and find a spot to volunteer!