Heather Morrison - Miss Rodeo USA 2019
Letts, Iowa
Heather Morrison, a twenty-six year old from Letts, Iowa was crowned Miss Rodeo USA 2019 on Saturday, January 19th at the International Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Upon accepting the prestigious honor, Morrison signed her name in the history books as the first woman to hold the national title from the Hawkeye State.
Raised by her parents, Steve and Linda Morrison in Southeastern Iowa, agriculture was something Heather was born into. Her family, including a younger sister and older brother, come from a fully functioning cattle farm where they raise beef cattle and run a cow-calf operation. In addition to cattle, the Morrison family harvests crops such as soybeans, corn and hay. Her passion for agriculture was further developed through four years of participating in FFA and nine years in her local 4-H group. Her participation in these organizations taught her to advocate for agriculture and farming communities, much like her own.
Heather graduated from Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids in 2015, making her the first in her family to achieve a college education. She obtained two degrees during her college career; Agricultural Production Management and Agricultural Geospatial Technology. From her family farm to her formal education, agricultural has always been a driving force in Heather’s life. While traveling as Miss Rodeo USA 2019, she will take a leave of absence from her career as a warranty professional with Farmer’s Supply of Kalona, Iowa to fulfill her dream of representing professional rodeo.
While farming is in her blood, Morrison is a proud first generation cowgirl. Though she started her rodeo career later in life than most, Heather has held numerous rodeo queen titles in the state of Iowa, carried sponsor flags for her local rodeo association and competed in barrel racing and breakaway roping. She is honored to begin her travels representing the International Professional Rodeo Association and feels her agricultural and rodeo background has shaped her into an outstanding ambassador and role model for the western lifestyle.
Along with her passion for rodeo, her personal platform, “The World Needs All Types of Minds” will be shared with countless individuals across the United States and Canada throughout the year. Morrison’s platform tells the story of growing up with an autistic brother and learning to turn all of life’s challenges into positive outcomes. Through her family’s experience, she hopes to inspire those facing adversity and to encourage tolerance and understanding from others.
Heather will spend the year traveling approximately 100,000 miles representing the professional sport of rodeo. She is looking forward to seeing new places and the incredible amount of new people she will meet who are associated with the rodeo industry. It is her hope that during her year she is able to positively impact numerous lives, just as her rodeo role models and heroes have done for her.
“In a year full of new memories to make, communities to visit, and friends/extended rodeo families to meet, I hope our paths will cross during my time as Miss Rodeo USA 2019!” - Heather Morrison, Miss Rodeo USA 2019