Rain, Rain, Go Away

I have been waiting to attend a rodeo in the Peach State since March! After many cancellations and postponements, off to Georgia I finally went! I was welcomed with rain, rain, and more rain. It wasn’t just one day, but two out of three rodeo performances that it down poured. In the midst of all the rain I managed to soak two of the four felt cowboy hats I had packed in my truck. If you have never experienced a wet felt hat, I will fill you in. Basically, the brim totally flattens as they get soaked. Then as they dry, the brim warps into a new and interesting shape and can’t be worn until a professional hat shaper gets their hands on it. It’s a process to fix, so getting multiple hats soaked was not on the top of my list of things to accomplish while I was in Georgia. Despite all the precipitation we didn’t let it get us down throughout the weekend in Blue Ridge, Georgia for the 24th Annual Blue Ridge Kiwanis Rodeo.
 
The Hedrick Rodeo Company provided stock for this IPRA rodeo and these bucking horses and bulls have been cooped up for a while now because of many rodeo cancellations. All I’m saying is that they bucked and bucked hard! It always amazes me how well rodeo contestants compete in any weather conditions. When you think of other sports, typically rain will cause delays and cancellations but not in the rodeo arena! I have seen some of the highest scored rides and fastest times in the worst conditions. Speaking of bucking bulls, I too rode a bull in Blue Ridge! Not a 2000 pound animal with a heartbeat but more along the lines of a plastic figurine that sat in the back of a truck. One of my duties was to wave to the kids as they got out of school because I wasn’t able to actually go visit them in the classroom this year. So as silly as it seems, I sat at the busiest corner of Blue Ridge to give everyone a cheerful smile as they were getting out of school and off work. It was a great time and I did have to use an umbrella one of those days to keep dry!
 
The next stop on my travels was Edgefield, South Carolina for the Sandy Oaks Pro Rodeo with stock from Ken Treadway Rodeo Company. I owe a huge thank you to Sue, the owner of Helios Equine Rehabilitation Center, who sponsored my trip to this IPRA rodeo! Sue along with my host family Ed and Traci, truly treated me like a queen while I was in their area. This included giving me a full tour of the beautiful Helios facility when I arrived. I was speechless as I walked through the very clean and newly built building. If I was a horse I would definitely want to hang out there!
 
The biggest plot twist of the weekend was there wasn’t any rain! So my felt cowboy hats were definitely spared this time around. South Carolina was also a new state for me even though we were barely over the state line. Technically I was staying in Georgia but had to cross the state line every day to head to the rodeo. It still counts though! The Treadways love to put on a performance and make a show out of the rodeo by giving the fans something to watch every moment of the show. This includes a very thought out and detailed grand entry, which by the way is something I really love! The more complicated it is, the better! As I am being told what to do and at what speed on the legendary paint horses of the Treadway’s, I paid very close attention. I didn’t want to be the one who messed up! Naturally it went flawlessly each night of the weekend! I told Pam Threadway that the next rodeo I was with them it better be even more intricate! She responded with a smile and said of course!
 
During my downtime in Georgia I was able to go on a once in a lifetime experience. The activity on the agenda was foxhunting! I rode with the Belle Meade Hunt to exercise the hounds and learn all about a new sport. We went through the paces but didn’t actually hunt as the season doesn’t start until late fall. The hounds and horses must stay in shape during the off season so that is why they take them out weekly to exercise but with high summer temperatures they don’t push the animal too hard. That didn’t keep us from going over jumps throughout the whole trail which was definitely my favorite! My fabulous mount Parker, took great care of me as we soared over jumps all morning. I have never been more grateful for a background in English riding and jumping until I was in the midst of all this excitement! Little did I know foxhunting is a sport that is in Kansas too! This adventure wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Ed and Traci, my host family for the week. I am not only so thankful for their hospitality but also for them providing such a unique adventure for me!
 
I now have officially traveled over 10,000 miles which in a year like this is definitely an accomplishment. I racked up the rest of those on my 14 hour drive back to Kansas. Call me crazy but I still say if it’s less than 15 hours it’s a doable distance in a day. 
 
Miss Rodeo USA 2020
Brooke Wallace
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Brooke’s Bloopers: During the last performance in Blue Ridge, I really thought we were going to get missed by the rain. It seemed to be clearing off just before the rodeo so I took all my rain gear off and started to warm up my horse for the evening. Sure enough just as I was entering the arena for the opening ceremonies it started to rain and it continued to rain harder and harder throughout the evening. The blooper of the story is that I was wearing a navy hat. When the navy hat got wet it then proceeded to drip dark blue dye on everything including my hair, shirt, and then my seat cover on the way home. It definitely added some humor to the evening.
 
Queens Corner: With many hours on the road it can get very monotonous. I have come up with a few tips throughout the years that have made miles on the interstate go by a little bit easier. First and foremost when the radio just isn’t making the cut a good podcast will get you quite a good way down the road. Then if you throw in a couple phone calls to friends and family members that will put you down the road another couple hours and I will tell you I have had some of the best conversations with both of my grandmas within the last year just while traveling. Let’s not forget about the snacks. Sunflower seeds and pistachios keep you busier than just any other snacks. If you are craving the sweets, that’s when I crack open the starbursts. Again, it keeps you occupied with un-wrapping each individual piece. I am also the kind of person you can go down the road for hours without music, podcast, or anything and just be content. I assume it is just one of my secret super powers to not get bored on a drive or maybe I am just that used to being on the road.
 
Statistically Speaking:

• Miles Traveled: 10,268
• States Visited: 7
• Rodeos Attended: 16
• Number of Performances: 32
• Horses Ridden: 23
• Other Appearances: 15