What a fantastic month June was! I am still in awe at how quickly it went by. Summer is my favorite season. I love the slower pace of no school schedule and longer days. We have enjoyed several meals outside with family and friends.
The highlight of the month of June was the Rodeo of the Ozarks. It kicked off with a parade the morning of the first day in downtown Springdale. There were several floats and vintage vehicles, a unicycle and of course – lots of beautiful horses. The weather held off and it was a great event.
Our oldest daughter decided last year that she wanted to participate in the Rodeo of the Ozarks Queen Pageant. She worked hard preparing all her costumes for each night’s theme and for the competitive events.
As you know, June was a very wet month this year. The rain did not hold off for rodeo week. After the parade, the clouds cut loose and it poured rain. Rain and an arena make a very muddy mess. The first night, the grand entry was modified. Every participant came out of the arena covered in mud. The second night was no different.
By day two, my husband and our sons brought a load of mulch to sop up some of the water down by the horse trailer and camper. This made a nicer campsite for the rest of the week and was very much appreciated.
On Friday, the pageant contestants participated in a horsemanship competition. This was moved to the indoor arena at Unbridled Equine in Fayetteville. The contestants and their fans were very thankful to have had access to such an amazing facility.
Later that afternoon, these young women went through an interview at Onyx Coffee in downtown Springdale. This was also a time when they got to sit together and talk and get to know one another.
Friday night during the rodeo each contestant was introduced after the Queen Runs and had an opportunity to work the crowd and share autographs with younger rodeo fans. It was very sweet to watch.
On Saturday morning, we were able to attend the Boots and Bling Brunch at the Buckle Club on the rodeo grounds. During this portion of the competition, each contestant modeled formal western wear and gave a speech. This year’s topic was “Why is Rodeo Still Relevant.” These poised young women did a great job in every aspect of the pageant. It was impressive.
Our daughter sold the most raffle tickets and won a beautiful saddle pad. On Saturday night during the rodeo, the queen was crowned. It was a tough competition. The young women who won were very deserving and had wonderful horsemanship.
Even though our daughter was not crowned queen this year, she walked away with great feedback from the judges and wonderful lifelong friends. We are so thankful she had this great opportunity. She is already making plans to participate again next year.
Rodeo is still relevant because of the young people who remain involved in the sport. They share a passion for western culture. Because of that, rodeos will remain an opportunity for communities to gather and enjoy a family-friendly shows, neighbor.
Jody Harris is a freelance communications specialist, gardener, ranch wife and mother of four. She and her family raise Angus beef cattle and other critters on their northwest Arkansas ranch. She is a graduate of Missouri State University. To contact Jody, go to ozarksfn.com and click on ‘Contact Us.’
