May 7th - 8th / Grand Coulee Rodeo

Grand Coulee was my first Washington rodeo!

I would like to start by thanking Justin Morris with the National Guard for inviting me. It was great to see familiar faces! Each rodeo began with Muttin’ Bustin’ an hour before the performance, and as I walked into the first performance to help with what I could, I heard a familiar voice come over the sound system—Cody Hodge! A man from my own home town of Quincy! Cody made the weekend very eventful as he made me the root of a few of his jokes!

I got to ride a pretty little palomino gelding named “Yellow” who belonged to Miss Colorama Rodeo, Hailey Peha. Thank you, Hailey!

Each performance was fun as I enjoyed pushing stock after each contestant ran in the timed events. Yellow was really honest, and all the other Rodeo Queens looked great! As the first performance was almost over the 2010 Clayton Princess Courtney Montgomery, Colville Rodeo Queen Kylie Lindemann, and Miss Newport Rodeo Queen Jamie Cutshall invited me back to their camper where Kylies mom had made pulled pork sandwiches—and they were delicious!

After finishing dinner and sharing a few stories, I was ready to head back to the fifth wheel I was staying in. I’m not sure what it is about me and traveling, but there is always something funny that seems to come up… well this was it! In the directions back to the fifth wheel, I was supposed to leave the rodeo grounds back the way I had arrived, and the first gravel road on my right I come to should be “Yakima St.” Take this right and I will come to the fifth wheel. When I got there, the lock they used to lock it was the bottom right keyhole—the top left one they never use.

“Ok, cool,” I think to myself.

I had arrived at the fifth wheel about 10:30 p.m. and it was pitch black. I was staying with Miss ProWest Rodeo, Amanda Hunter, and I imagined she was already inside and asleep. I look at the lock and think to myself, “Hmm, this is weird… the key holes are opposite to what he had said. Guess he meant use the bottom left keyhole?” I’m about five minutes into trying to get this trailer unlocked when I start to get a little nervous. What if I can’t get it unlocked? This is when I noticed the nearest house had lights on inside. They must still be up! Perfect!

When I walked up to the door I decided to play it cool as though I had not been trying to get in for the past ten minutes! Someone soon came to the door and I asked, “Am I in the right place?”

She looked at me for a second; “Who are you looking for?”

“Cindy…” I replied shyly.

She smiled at me and replied, “Oh! That’s my mom! She’s out of town but can I help you?”

This is when I told her I was supposed to be staying in a fifth wheel and I was trying to find it.

“It’s down the road another block or so, it will be just off to your right.”

Her reply made me laugh (strictly to myself), but I was also thankful I survived my attempt into the wrong trailer! By now I was surely embarrassed! I wasn’t about to tell her I had been trying to get into the wrong trailer for the past ten minutes! I thanked her and headed down the road; and sure enough, there it was! The right trailer! 

The following morning there was a parade through town. I always enjoy parades as we have the opportunity to mingle in the morning as we wait for the beginning; the rodeo queens all smiling and adjusting their chaps, and the parents taking countless pictures! One of my best friends had given me a little baggie of home-made trail mix before I had left home, and this morning I had tucked it into the front of my saddle to snack on during the wait; cranberries, peanuts, and chocolate chips. The parade went well and the last Sunday performance was fun too.

Between the parade and the rodeo was a luncheon put on by Cindy Howard (Hailey’s coordinator) and Hailey Peha, Miss Colorama. The food was very good and the company excellent.

Thank you Cindy and Wayne Edwards for the very comfortable fifth wheel—full of food!! And for the excellent luncheon. I had a blast!

I’m looking forward to more Washington Rodeos!