Black Hills Stock Show

Hello Virginia!

February has brought me up to the Black Hills Stock Show held in Rapid City, South Dakota! What a change in the weather is has been for sure! I really wish my friend Heather Hall, Miss Rodeo Florida was here to see this! My poor little bug wouldn't even start! But the snow didn't even put a damper on these wonderful people! Rain or snow- the rodeo will go on!

South Dakota people are excellent hosts! Jim and Julie Sutton are wonderful people! Not only did they provide us with wonderful, bomb-proof (literately!) horses to ride, but also provided us hotel rooms for our stay. Measha Gittins, Miss Rodeo Idaho and I were roommates and I doubt we got much sleep the night before performances because we were so excited to be at the BHSS. Miss Rodeo South Dakota, McKenzie Haley sure had plenty of things for us to do as well! I had a lot of fun signing autographs in the Rodeo Zone and riding in the Flight Simulator that the U.S. Navy brought in. It sure looked the Navy would be fun, however, I don't know if I could handle the flight! I think we were all a little 'green under the gills' by the time we got done with the ride! One would think that with all of our flight experience we have we would be well seasoned, but apparently not!

I was so excited to get to wear my new chaps made and sponsored by Rose Saddlery, Sally Haythorn and my parents!

I loved carrying the flags in at all the performances! I couldn't believe how many sponsors came together to make the Extreme Bulls, PRCA Rodeo and High School Rodeos Possible! Grand Entry was really awesome as well. One of the things I have always loved about rodeo is the amount of patriotism that we all share. Old Glory always gets the special seat in the house and is ALWAYS our guest of honor. McKenzie carried in Old Glory in and at the end of the National Anthem there were bombs and fireworks and the Flag herself lit up! (That is what I meant by the horses being bomb proof!) The pyro crew did an outstanding job. It was really fantastic and every one of us girls were provided with our own horse that we got to ride the entire week we were there! Amy Sutton and her crew really knew how to keep us girls in line and I really enjoyed working with Sutton Rodeo!

Another highlight of my trip was going to the all of the schools!! This is hands down one of my favorite thing to do as Miss Rodeo Virginia! I love kids, because they are always so eager to learn about rodeo and McKenzie's program, Rodeo R.O.C.K.S. made it really fun and educational for the kids. We also got to go to the Old Timer's Breakfast, where us girls got to introduce ourselves to some people who have been coming to the BHSS for many, many years! We also helped sell auction items to raise money for their scholarship foundation.

Whenever we weren't busy carrying flags, signing autographs, going to schools and doing what us Rodeo Queens do best, we were enjoying the wonderful shopping that the Black Hills Stock Show had to offer, going to the Waikiki Water park, or going to Mount Rushmore (my favorite part)! Us girls are all like sisters and I really am glad that I have such wonderful girls to share my year with!

Rapid City is definitely going to have a special place in my heart after such a great experience and I can't wait to go again next year!

Next stop..... KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA!! From the extreme cold to the extreme warm!

Hope our trails meet again sometime soon!

God Bless!

Anita Moorhead

Miss Rodeo Virginia 2010