National Western Stock Show; Denver, Colorado

January 20, 2010

Dear Rodeo Fans, Friends and Family!

My year has quite literately shot off like a rocket! Just a few short weeks after signing my contract and being crowned the new Miss Rodeo Virginia 2010, I was on the trail to Denver, Colorado, home of the National Western Stock Show armed with autograph sheets, gorgeous chaps loaned to me by Charla Wacker (mine are currently being made), Miss Rodeo Virginia 2009, a pretty smile and ready to share my passion for RODEO!!

Jodi Witt is a wonderful and VERY organized woman. I couldn't have imagined a better kick off to my year as Miss Rodeo Virginia and I owe a lot of my great experience to her as well as the wonderful hospitality of Mr. John Cavey and Ms. Pat Thompson. They made sure we had a great time and were well taken care of.

I had the opportunity of attending the last week of the National Western Stock Show and riding in all of the rodeo performances. Cervi Championship Rodeo provided some beautiful, trusty horses for us girls to carry sponsor flags on. The efficiency of the rodeo committee of that rodeo never ceases to amaze me! From the Grand Entry straight on through to the last bull being bucked out everything was run so smoothly!

Along with attending the rodeo, myself, several other state queens and Miss Rodeo America Kelli Jackson attended the live auction. This year was extremely special because it was the first year that a heifer took home the title of Grand Champion in the history of the NWSS. That young girl put a lot of work into her heifer and it sure paid off. I don't think that there was a dry eye in the house!

My favorite part about getting to help with the National Western Stock Show was definitely the mutton busting. A lot of those kids will have a very bright future in rodeo if they continue to ride like that! The best part of all was that every kid received a trophy that was about as tall as they were from a real professional cowboy.

I truly had such a wonderful experience in Denver and I can't wait to come back next year!! National Western Stock Show always has plenty to do, lots of things to see and some of the best food. Miss Rodeo Oregon, Ashley Ziegler and myself tried fried Twinkies for the first time ever and then we washed them down with a great big stock show lemonade! What a meal!

All in all, I really enjoyed the National Western Stock Show and I look forward to returning again next year!

Hope are trails cross again soon!

God Bless,

Anita Moorhead
Miss Rodeo Virgina 2010

Introducing Miss Rodeo Virginia 2010

Jan. 11, 2010

Hello, my name is Anita Moorhead and I have to wonderful honor of representing the state of Virginia as Miss Rodeo Virginia 2010. I call the beautiful town of Jarratt, Virginia my home.

First and foremost, I would like to thank my Savior and Heavenly Father for bringing this wonderful opportunity into my life. With out Him, I would be nothing!

I am the proud daughter of Dr. Ron and Kathy Moorhead of Ogallala, Nebraska. My father is a veterinarian and my mother works for ESU 16. I have two siblings. My brother, Chris is 21 and works at my fathers veterinary clinic and has joined the United States Army and is a member of the Ogallala Volunteer Fire Department. My sister, Tamera is 18 and will graduate high school this May. My family is the rock of everything I do. Without the help of my parents and my grandparents, this year would not be possible.

I am a 2006 graduate of Ogallala High School and attended Wayne State College majoring in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. I began attending Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne, Wyoming for Nursing in 2009. My goal is to obtain a BSN and become a Nurse Practitioner or work as a nurse in a children's hospital. A dream of mine is to work with children and horses in therapeutic riding.

I have definitely grown up in the western way of life. Having been born in Oklahoma, but raised in a quiet little town a the foot of the sand hills of Nebraska has really made me into the person that I am today. I was raised to work hard, be honest and always stand up for what you believe in.

You may be asking yourself-- Nebraska, Wyoming? How did she get clear out here to Virginia? The simple answer to that is that I may have been raised as a Nebraskan, but I am a Virginian simply, by choice! I love this state, the people, the rich agriculture and the deep historic roots of the Virginian Commonwealth and I considered it to be an honor to have the opportunity to represent Virginia across the state, across the nation, and this November at the Miss Rodeo America Pageant, which is held in conjunction with the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. I promise to do Virginia proud!

As Miss Rodeo Virginia I will be helping build the Miss Rodeo Virginia program. There are many opportunities in being a rodeo queen that I hope to share with local girls. The skills and networking that takes place through this title are valuable for any young professional. I have big boods to fill. Last year's Miss Rodeo Virginia and the new director of the Miss Rodeo Virginia program, Charla Wacker is simply one of the most amazing young women that I have ever met and I am so lucky to be working with her. She won the Eastern Region Scholarship at the Miss Rodeo America Pageant and really represented the state well.

I have so much to look forward to this year and I look forward to dedicating this year to sharing the word about the sport of RODEO, agriculture and the equine industry and my Stay Ahead of the H.E.R.D program. With this program I plan on attending schools and speaking on the importance of Health, Education, Responsibility and Dreams while having a Code of the West theme. I feel that these are key ingredients for having a wonderful, successful life!

Lastly, I would just like to say that it is such an honor to be chosen as this year's Miss Rodeo Virginia and it has been a wild, crazy and WONDERFUL ride.

So, until our trails cross again, Happy trails and God Bless!

Sincerely,

Anita Moorhead
Miss Rodeo Virginia 2010