Anita Moorhead Miss Rodeo Virginia 2010

NEBRASKAland Days and Buffalo Bill Rodeo and Miss Rodeo Nebraska Pageant

2010-06-20T11:16:00.000-07:00

Hurray! It is finally here! NEBRASKAland Days and Buffalo Bill Rodeo! I am so excited to get to go back west for a little while. My journey to Nebraska started just a little earlier than the other girls did as my sister was graduating from high school and I of course couldn't miss that! As well as my brother getting onto the volunteer fire department! Go Chris!! So much to celebrate with my family!

I was also able to make it out to Denver to pick up my buddy, Miss Rodeo Florida, Heather Hall at the airport. We were able to go see my good friend and very gracious sponsor, Andraes Tsagus and I picked up some beautiful fur and leather jackets and he gave Heather a beautiful pair of fur slippers.

The Miss Rodeo Nebraska Pageant is also held in conjunction with the Buffalo Bill Rodeo and it was really great for me to go back. These were my old stomping grounds and I really had a great time seeing all of my old friends again. My sister, Tammy, actually ran for Miss Rodeo Nebraska this year and I am so proud of her. Fresh out of high school and she really gave those older girls a run for their money winning the Photogenic, Written Test and the Miss Congenially categories! But congratulations go out to the new Miss Rodeo Nebraska lady-in-waiting, Becky Grimm!! She will be an excellent representative for the state of Nebraska as well as the sport of rodeo and I am so happy for her!

The Miss Rodeo Nebraska Committee really put together one of the best pageants in the association, in my opinion, and they really like to incorporate all of us other girls in it as well. We all even had signs welcoming us girls in our front lawns of our host homes!! We did tons of autograph signings, participated in the fashion show, went bowling, helped Michelle, Miss Rodeo Nebraska, judge the All Male Cake Bake and attended every night of the rodeo performance as well as watched the Miss Rodeo Nebraska Pageant.

My host family, Cathy and Jack Ewing were wonderful hosts! Tiffany Kuntz, Miss Rodeo North Dakota and I were roommates and we got to stay in their lakeside cabin. I really had a great time because they have a "pet" wild turkey that Cathy feeds corn as well as some deer that she feeds as well. It was not uncommon for Tiffany and I to wake-up and find a doe or turkey on our front porch.

But needless to say, the Nebraskan hospitality was a above and beyond and I really enjoyed getting to go. The MRN Committee is hands down one of the best committees that I have ever had the pleasure of working with and Michelle Boeshart, Miss Rodeo Nebraska was a great host as well. I look forward to coming back next year and staying involved with their program.

Thanks for letting me share!

Sincerely,

Anita Moorhead
Miss Rodeo Virginia 2010

Those crazy storm chasers on TV? That's me! In the Driver's Seat!

My Dad, Ron, Myself and my Grandpa, Denny after watching Tammy compete for Miss Rodeo Nebraska!

My MOMS!! Host mother, Cathy Ewing, myself and my real mom, Kathy!

My biggest sponsor? These two right here! My grandparents make sure that I have everything I need!

My baby sister Tammy and I just after speeches at the Miss Rodeo Nebraska Pageant!

Bowling! I had the best teammates ever!!

Matisyn Humphrey, Miss Teen Rodeo Nebraska 2009 and I!

Michelle and Matisyn at the wonderful steak feed that we got to go to! Not much beats that Nebraska Beef!

Lovettsville, Virginia

2010-05-29T19:42:00.000-07:00

After sending the girls back to their home states, I headed back to Lovettsville, Virginia where I was going to stay with the Spencer family. The Spencer family and I go a ways back. I was the National Little Britches Rodeo Queen, the same year that Dave and Kathy's daughter, Tara, was Miss Rodeo Colorado. We spend a lot of time together traveling down the road and I practically lived with them that year. They are my family away from family as well. I love getting to stay with Ryan, Ashlee and Chris as well, we really have a great time together!

While I stayed with them, I was working on my preparation for the Miss Rodeo America Pageant as well as how to expand our own Miss Rodeo Virginia Pageant. Kathy and Dave are the original founders of the Miss Rodeo Virginia Program and they have a lot of great ideas on how to make the program grow and I always learn a lot from them.

While I was visiting them we went roping over the weekend and I got to ride lots of horses and had a really great time! Raleigh, the gentleman that hosted us that weekend was and amazing host and had a great even pen of cattle. Not to mention the great view of the Blue Ridge Mountains we had from his arena. So despite the horrible humidity and high heat, we still had a fantastic time!

Thanks for letting me share with you! My travels will take me to Nebraskaland Days and Buffalo Bill Rodeo, so stay posted!

Anita Moorhead

Miss Rodeo Virginia 2010

John 3:16

The Girls Come to D.C!

2010-05-24T20:58:00.000-07:00

One of the things that I love the most about being Miss Rodeo Virginia is the fact that I get to explore my state and everything is still so new and exciting to me, no matter what it is! I love how green and beautiful everything is this time of year.

The other day, Jeannie and I went for a horse back ride through the forest and I couldn't get over the intoxicating smell of wisteria that had lit the forest up with it's beautiful pink and purple colors. The dogwoods are even starting to bloom, I have never seen anything so beautiful in all my life! I love it here!

And just in time for everything to be in bloom are my guests! Cindy Bapst, one of my committee members and good friends of mine offered to host myself and three other state queens at her home so that we may attend the Opening weekend of Polo and the fashion show that they hold in conjunction with it.

Miss Rodeo Colorado, Kasie Pigg, Miss Rodeo Oregon, Ashely Zeigler, and Miss Rodeo North Dakota, Tiffany Kuntz were all able to make it out for the big event. I had them come in a few days early so that I could show them around the Washington D.C. area and Cindy helped me rent a car so that I would have something to take them around in.

We had a really great time. When they all got into D.C. the first place we went was the National Mall. We walked around until three in the morning going to all of the monuments. But no worries, we had an old high school friend of mine guiding us as well as 'body guarding' us! But I will say if you are in DC and feeling up to it, the monuments are so haunting at night and definately worth it. It is so different then going during the daytime.

The next day we went to Arlington National Cemetary and some of the National Museums and China Town. I laugh because every meal we stopped to eat was usually desert or sushi. Tiffany had never had sushi before coming to Virginia and I am thinking that she wishes that she never would have tried it in the first place! She was not a fan no matter how much Kasie, Ashley and I tried to sway her!

That Saturday I had arranged a Battlefield ride at Antietam Battlefield for the girls. The Spencer family was so nice to loan us the horses and Chris Wagner, Charla Wagner's beau was gracious enough to take us. It was really nice of them to arrange everything for us! I know we all had a great time, even though Chris accidentally got into trouble with a park ranger because of us girls! I guess you are not supposed to ride on the grass...whoops!

One of the things that I found to be the most fun was getting to stay at Cindy's house. She and her husband Randy as well as their two sons live in a beautiful old mansion that was one of George Washington's rental properties way back when. It's even insulated with horse hair and has the original fire places! Cindy also gave each of us girls a dress from her company Union of Angels as well as a beautiful pearl bracelet and crystal earrings and other assorted gifts! She and Randy were wonderful hosts!

Randy himself is such and inspiration to us girls. He should really go into motivational speaking. He made us homemade popcorn and told us stories of his life and we talked about everything from our future plans, to staying motivated and positive and how we could use our titles to do so much good for others this year.

The girls also got to meet Ray Reagan, who is a great friend of Cindy's and is also a polo player. We got to go to dinner with him and Cindy one night at a charming little restaurant out by Delaplane, Virginia.

The night of the big event unfortunately brought down buckets and buckets of rain, and the polo was rained out. I was really sad about this because Cindy had arranged for us to carry our state flags in and for me to get to carry the American flag in. The kicker here would have been that we would have been riding polo horses, in English saddles, in our chaps, carrying flags...would have made for some good pictures for sure.

However, that did leave the fashion show for us to participate in. Us girls actually had the honor of being the kick of to the fashion show and celebration party. Cindy arranged for us to get our make-up done with the rest of the models... we all felt like movie stars! Now, all of us girls have also been to many rodeos with packed stands, and I will guarantee you that they have never been cheered for like they were that night at the fashion show. People were cheering so loud we could barely hear the music that was blaring! We were such a hit that Cindy's phone wouldn't stop ringing the next day!

All in all I consider this trip a success! I was sad they never got to see a polo game in action, but we made the best lemonade out of the lemons that life threw at us and we had a fantastic time anyways!

Thank you so much for letting me share with you!

All my love,

Anita Moorhead
Miss Rodeo Virginia 2010

Ashley was trying to get a good picture of the Washington Monument. Rodeo Queens get so weird on lack of sleep!

All of us girls at Antietam Battle Field!

This was before they all fell asleep...they would kill me if I posted those pictures, so I resisted!

Getting ready for the Fashion Show!!

Ashley Zeigler, Miss Rodeo Oregon at the Vietnam War Memorial.

This is one of my favorite pictures!

Guymon, Oklahoma

2010-05-04T17:33:00.000-07:00

"Happy Birthday to Me!" It only makes sense that I spend my birthday in my birth place...right? Good Ole' Oklahoma! (Yeah, I know, Oklahoma, Colorado, Nebraska....Virginia....what can I say other than, I LOVE to travel!)

I have been enjoying the sights, sounds and FANTASTIC people of Guymon, Oklahoma. But to get this story started off right, we should start from the beginning... I flew in from Virginia a week before I needed to be in Guymon so that I could attend my baby sister's senior prom, which I promised that I would not miss. Then I drove to Denver and picked up Miss Rodeo Idaho, Measha Gittins from Denver International Airport and we started our 10 hour drive to Guymon, Oklahoma! But not before we stopped in to visit one of my sponsors! Andraes Tsagus makes sure that I am wearing only the latest and the greatest in the fur industry! He even loaned Measha a jacket out of the shop to wear!

We got about 5 hours into that EXTREMELY boring drive and I think we were both wishing we would have just flown into Liberal, Kansas which was only 45 minutes away. I have never seen such flat land in my life, and that says a lot, I used to live in Nebraska.

But I will say this..... Guymon was worth the drive and I would drive it ten times over just to experience it once more. Becky Ronbinson, had everything organized for us girls when we got there and we had great little goodie bags from the businesses in the community as well.

We had an awesome welcome party! The Stonecipher family hosted all of us girls, which was no small thing either. We had Miss Rodeo Okalhoma, Chassity Sisco, Miss Teen Rodeo Oklahoma, Sydney Spencer, Miss Rodeo Oklahoma Princess, Taylor Spears, Miss Rodeo Arkansas, Synda Lockard, Miss Rodeo Idaho, Measha Gittins and myself. Miss Rodeo Nebraska, Michelle Boeshart was there as well, but she was staying with some friends. To top the 6 queens they allowed to invade their home, did I mention that they have 4 sons from ages 7-16? It was really fun and they boys were good sports and allowed us girls to take over their bed rooms. I felt really bad for them, because they had to carry all of our luggage into the house! (6 Rodeo queens round out to about 20 bags atleast!)

Becky gave us State PRCA Queens the opportunity to actually judge the Guymon Rodeo Queen contest and we had a lot of fun with it. We were also judges for the little kids rodeo clown costume contest and visited many, many schools and were in the Guymon Pioneer Days Parade! Becky also got us into the Spikes and Spurs golf tournament, where my team that I was assigned to figured out very quickly that I would be a much better golf cart driver than I would be a golfer.

I even saved a poor little Chihuahua from getting ran over on the main drag in Guymon. I probably looked really funny stopping traffic and then being chased by this little dog... did I mention that I had fur top boots on? Yes, there were people pulling off the side of the road and taking pictures... I am sure those pictures are floating around on MySpace somewhere, but at least the little guy didn't get hit!

One other thing to keep in mind if you ever go to Guymon, Oklahoma for Pioneer Days, drive a little car. Oklahoma people are the sweetest people on earth, but they don't know how to park, or in Chassity's case drive. Chassity drove her dad's dodge dually to Guymon and we got blocked in countless times and although we were never late for anything, and she was able to get us out of some pretty scary parking situations.... her escape route usually involved a couple of curbs to be jumped, a few trees to be dodged and maybe even a field or two to be driven across...never a boring moment with this girl! Thank goodness our tour guide just so happened to be on the Sheriff Department, so I don't think we would have gotten a ticket!! But needless to say, Chassity was a great host! She made sure we ALWAYS had fun!

The Rodeo itself was a lot of fun. It was produced by Carr ProRodeo it ran like clockwork. We had a production meeting to go over everything before hand and each of us girl were assigned a palomino horse for the week. I got a cute little guy whom they call "Fat Dave" and he was a great horse to ride! I loved him and if he would have fit into the back of my Volkswagon Beetle that I drove from the airport, he would have been in it!

The people of Guymon were so amazing and I must say that Oklahoman's have the greatest hospitality. To take a break between the afternoon and evening performance of the rodeo, us girls all decided to go visit the local McDonald's and get an ice cream and a burger and the manager Mike, presented each of us girls with a $25 Arch Card to help us in our travels. It was very kind of him to think about us!

I can't even use words to describe the wonderful time that I had in Guymon, you will just have to go sometime and check it out for yourself. I made so many wonderful memories and friends while I was there that I will keep close to my heart for the rest of my life.

Thanks so much for letting me share with you!
God Bless!
Anita Moorhead
Miss Rodeo Virginia 2010

Measha and I showing off our A.Tsagus Jackets! I am so blessed to have him for a sponsor!

All of us girls getting ready to help the mutton bustin' before the rodeo. The National Little Britches Princess was even able to make it!

Look at all of those QUEENS!! Lots of glitter and lots of hairspray and Palomino Carr ProRodeo Horses!

Our wonderful host family, the Stonecipher's!

My trusty steed for the week, "Fat Dave" and I after an afternoon rodeo performance!

4 Red Bull, Two McFrappes, two bottles of water and two meals of McDonalds got us as far as Lamar, Colorado. We had too much fun and were almost too tired to drive!

Powhatan High School Rodeo

2010-04-01T16:49:00.000-07:00

I am so lucky to get to spend some time with the younger generation of rodeo here in Virginia. The 2009 Virginia High School Rodeo Queen, Ashley Ligon invited me to come to the High School and Junior High School Rodeo in Powhatan and I thought I would go and check it out!

I got lucky and it was Shirley's weekend off so Henry and Shirley were able to come and join me at the High School Rodeo as well as Chuck, Leslie's boyfriend. They never cease to be amazed at the skill of those young kids and how well they can rope and ride with no fear!

Ashley and I had a really great time together and I even got to carry the American Flag in the grand entry! What a nice honor.

Powhatan High School Rodeo is actually a four day, two weekend rodeo and I was lucky enough to get to go to both rodeos. It was truly a great setting and they had a great concession stand there and everything! If you ever have the chance to go to the high school rodeos here in Virginia, I would recommend either the sloppy joe or the chili cheese fries!

In between the two weekends, I was able to go home with the Ashley to her home in Blacksburg and worked with her on her roping and goat tying skills as well as coach her on some of her rodeo queening. It worked out that she went to school in the afternoons around 2 p.m, because the winter snow had collapsed the Blacksburg High Schools Gym in, so they were sharing schools with the Junior High School. Kind of a bad deal for the school, but good for us because that gave us the whole day to work on her roping and goat tying. We rode all over the Blue Ridge Mountains when we weren't in the arena.

I really had a great time with the Ligon family. They opened their beautiful home and hearts to me and I had a really great week! I was even able to attend Wednesday night church with them.

When I got back to Jarratt, I was just in time to make an appearance at the Jarratt Shrimp Feed that the Volunteer Fire Department puts on. All you can eat shrimp, beans and slaw and all you can drink for $25.00 a person. I think I probably ate my weight in shrimp...it was soooooooo goooooood!! But what made this even more special to me was getting to go with Henry and Shirley because Bryan, their son and one of my new best friends, is a volunteer for the fire department as well as an EMT. I know how much they miss him, with Bryan being so far away in Cheyenne, so it was nice to be able to go with them to show our support for the local fire department.

Thanks so much for letting me share my adventures with you!
Sincerely,
Anita Moorhead
Miss Rodeo Virginia 2010

Henry enjoying the Rodeo!

March is ALWAYS an Adventure...

2010-03-29T11:29:00.000-07:00

Hello Virginia!

This month has kept my feet moving! I got here to Virginia and I have not stopped running! I had my photo shoot with Val Cavalheri and even had my make-up done by Gabby, an amazing make-up artist! I felt like a movie star and the photo shoot was so much fun! I loved it and Charla was even able to be there before she left for Texas so it was great to have her in on the action!

I stayed in Washington D.C. with my dear friend Brian Adams and his Fiance, Stephanie. We go way back to my Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership days and it was great to see him and Stephanie again as well as get to see some of Washington D.C. I have been to the capitol a lot in the past, but its always nice to see it from a locals point of view and have them show me around.

I also was able to make it out to Lovettsville, Virginia to see the Spencer Family. I have known them for a very long time as well...their daughter, Tara was Miss Rodeo Colorado in 2006, when I was the National Little Britches Rodeo Queen and we traveled a lot together and she was a great mentor and big sister to me. They now have moved to Virginia because of Dave's job, and love it here. They still have their place in Colorado, but they have moved some of the horses out here to Virginia as well and it was great to get to see their new place! I also attribute my year as Miss Rodeo Virginia to them because Kathy, who was Charla's National Director and who started the program originally, was the one who gave Charla my name as someone to come out and help get the program going as well as to be a representative for Virginia!

A short....well, actually long train ride took me south Richmond, were I stayed with some long lost family for about a week and a half. Ron and Sandra Leighty were so wonderful to open their hearts and their home to me. Sandra's father was always a dear friend to our family and even dropped my parents off to the airport for their honeymoon, so we had lots to catch up on. Being in Richmond allowed me to get into contact with some great new sponsors as well as get some appearances set up.

Then I moved, for good, to Jarratt! I was so excited to finally get here. I am living with the Gill family and I am really getting familiarized with everything and meeting what seems like to be everyone in this small town!

I have kept busy with lots of school visits. Mrs. Thresea Lindberg, who is the Future Farmers of America teacher in Emporia had gracefully given me all of her classes for a week and I was able to teach an entire class on Rodeo as well as use my Stay Ahead of the H.E.R.D. (Health, Education, Responsibility and Dreams) Program. I worked really hard on my power point presentation, and I was really happy to get to use it! It was a lot of fun and I even had enough time to teach each kid how to throw a rope! We even had teachers from other classes stopping in to watch and learn. It was amazing to see how many natural ropers in the group there were!

I really love getting to go into schools like the Junior High in Emporia. Most of those kids had no clue what rodeo was, and to get to have to honor to be the first to tell them about it was awesome and very rewarding. Not only did we get to talk about just rodeo, but we also talked about agriculture and how to use it as a stepping stone to get into college. I was very impressed with Mrs. Lindberg's classes. She does a lot with the kids and it shows. They were a great audience!

I was also able to help a few of the kids after school in preparation for an upcoming competition. I can proudly say that the two girls I coached in speech went on to the competition and did very well, and little Cortney even won her division and is headed to Nationals!! Way to go girl!!

Mrs. Lindberg and I also attended the local Rurtan Club meeting where I was able to share the Miss Rodeo Virginia Program with them. We have been talking about putting together a horse show at their fairgrounds in the near future and I promised to help them. We are hoping to make it a fundraiser for them as well as for the Miss Rodeo Virginia Program.

So as March comes to a close and I look ahead into April, I can't help but get excited as I know that only more adventures are to come!

Thanks so much for letting me share with you! God Bless!

Anita Moorhead
Miss Rodeo Virginia 2010

John 3:16

The REAL Story of Miss Rodeo Virginia....

2010-03-01T09:41:00.000-08:00

What a ride! It's only March and my travels have already taken me from Denver, Colorado, to The Black Hills Stock Show in South Dakota and to the warm, sunny weather of Kissemmee, Florida! However, now it's time to head to Virginia and get some work done!

But first things first... family. Most of you that are really good friends with me already know this, but I am originally from Ogallala, Nebraska and was brought out to Virginia to help get the Miss Rodeo Virginia program started. It's been a fun and fantastic opportunity for me and God has really blessed me. However, when I moved to Virginia, I did not take my immediate family with me, so when I have to chance to go and see them I do it. Little did I know that my mom put together a little "Congrats" party for me this month. She even advertised it in our local paper. All of my closest friends came back from college, all my family came and many people from our community stopped in to have cake and to drop off gifts. It was a wonderful get together and it was great to see everyone before I left for Virginia.

Now, those of you who don't know me may be asking yourselves...."Why would she want to move to Virginia to start a Miss Rodeo Virginia Program? She has to leave all of her family and friends....Where will she stay?" I would be lying if I said I had this all planned out, so I will be completely honest with you... at the time, even I didn't have an answer to this question, other than I knew this is what I have always wanted to do. I have always wanted to be put in a situation where I could be a role model for other young women and children. I believe that I have a lot to offer the world and being Miss Rodeo Virginia would help give me a leg up to doing this. But this is also where you have to let go and let God handle it. If He brings you to it, He will bring you through it...It didn't take God very long to answer any of my questions of doubt or discouragement.

I attend school in Cheyenne, Wyoming as a pre-nursing student and wait tables at a restaurant called Old Chicago. Before heading to work one night, my National Director, Miss Rodeo Virginia 2009, Charla Wacker called and told me that I needed to get out to Virginia as soon as I could. Now, mind you I knew that I needed to get to Virginia, but plans for where I had planned on staying fell through and all seemed hopeless to me and I was wondering what I had gotten myself into. I had plans to stay with long lost family for the first week I was in Virginia in Richmond, but I didn't know what I would do after that. I was scared and I started doubting myself and knew that I couldn't afford to rent a place in Virginia, because my lease in Cheyenne was not up and I had roommates that I couldn't just leave hanging.

So, through tears and a broken heart I asked for God's help. I really believe in what I am doing and know that I can touch the lives of so many people as Miss Rodeo Virginia, but that I couldn't do it on my own. It really didn't take God very long to answer me either. Literately ten minutes later, I met Bryan Gill, a young Air Force Cop based in Cheyenne. He came in with a large group and I could tell from his accent that he wasn't from around Cheyenne, so I asked him where he was from. His answer..."Jarratt, Virginia." ...wow, that was quick God... I told Bryan that I was Miss Rodeo Virginia and we chit-chatted for the longest time and exchanged numbers. Turns out his family runs a peanut farm in southern Virginia. I never mentioned to him that night my predicament that I was in.

It wasn't until a week later that I felt comfortable telling him about my situation and my plans for the program in Virginia. His natural question, "Where are you going to live?" and of course my answer was..."Well, I haven't figured that part out yet, but it will all work out." But I had no more than gotten the words out and he was on the phone with "PaPa" (Grandpa Carter Gill) and telling him about me and that they should help me out.... To make this long story short, I am now living with Bryan's parent's Henry and Shirley Gill who I have dubbed my "Bonus Family."

In the last week or so, my family has swelled about three times it's natural size and I am loving it. I just fall right into line. Henry and Shirley have five kids. Michael, KC, Mandy, Leslie and Bryan, so I guess that that would make me the sixth child now. I just kind of fit right in and what's really funny is the people in community here keep asking Shirley where she's been hiding me, I guess we look a lot alike. Also adding into my bonus family is Jeannie and Bob, Bryan's aunt and uncle who own horses and take me riding all the time which is wonderful. I ride Joker, who's a huge Missouri Fox Trotter. I feel like I am riding a bulldozer compared to the quarter horses I am used to riding in Nebraska. But I can't forget to mention MiMi (Shirley's Mom) and NaNa and PaPa (Henry's Parents), who have all accepted me as one of the grand kids. I am so blessed to have met this wonderful family!

It's always funny to me how things got all worked out. Henry and Shirley had never been to a rodeo before they had met me, and now they try to find one whenever they want to get out of town. Their favorite is the High School and Junior High School Rodeos, they love to watch the kids compete and ride their horses so fast! My family back in Nebraska is still the heartbeat of all that I do. My Parents, Ron and Kathy, my brother, Chris, and my sister, Tammy, call me all the time while I am away and they keep up with all that I am doing. My grandparents Bonnie and Denny make sure that all my needs are taken care of make sure that I keep focused, but still have a great time. I would be so lost with out them.

So... there it is. The story of the real Miss Rodeo Virginia. The real me. But I must say this before I end this blog....I never really ever felt like I belonged in Nebraska. People say that I talk different than a Nebraskan, whatever that may mean...and don't get me wrong, beef is great but I have never fit the stigma of the true "Nebraska Corn-fed Cowgirl." I am thinking about making this move to Virginia a permanent one. I really fit in here and I never get homesick to be honest. This feels like home to me and the people here have been so accepting and wonderful to me. Many have even said that if I hadn't told them that I was not from here, they never would have guessed. Who would have thought? Thanks so much for letting me share my story with you. I hope you found it well worth your time to read and I hope that you have learned something from me sharing this story with you. If ever in doubt, please remember that sometimes it is better to just put things in HIS hands and know that He will never let you down.

See you down the trail!

Anita Moorhead
Miss Rodeo Virginia 2010

John 3:16

Henry, Shirley and I at Powhatan High School Rodeo NaNa and I PaPa and I

The Sunshine State

2010-02-20T15:08:00.000-08:00

Hello Virginia!

I must say that Florida definitely lives up to its nickname! The weather was absolutely beautiful the entire week I was there. I had a wonderful flight into Orlando and was met by Miss Rodeo Idaho, Measha Gittins, Miss Rodeo Wyoming, Erin Hefron and Miss Rodeo Florida, Heather Hall picked us up! I actually had the privilege of getting to stay with Heather and her family along with Miss Rodeo Iowa, Jordanne Blair, Miss Rodeo Oregon, Ashley Ziegler, and Erin. It was like having a big sleep over all week! Her poor dad had to put up with a lot of hairspray and giggly girls! I will also say this- Florida was invaded by rodeo queens. I believe there were over twenty of us PRCA State Queens there, as well as the two Canada Queens and all the Silver Spurs Queens and Princesses and their courts. I believed we were about thirty or so in number when all was said and done and we were like our own little queen army going into the schools. We even used the divide on conquer method a lot so we were able to go to a lot of schools in a short amount of time.
The first night that we were in Florida was quite an experience! We went for a swamp buggy ride on the hunt for wild hogs! While we didn't find any hogs, we did however find and catch an armadillo (which Heather's Dad actually threw at Ashley!) as well as seeing a bunch of deer, a gator or two and tons of cows. One of the things that I learned on this trip is that Florida used to be 2nd in the nation for cattle production.The whole week was such a whirl wind adventure and all us girls had an amazing time! We visited lots of schools, watched the 50th Miss Silver Spurs get crowned, signed LOTS of autographs, rode in the grand entry and got to meet the sponsors of the Silver Spurs Rodeo. It was absolutely an experience that I will never forget. Laura Kessler, our queen mother for the week was really brave and took all twenty something of us girls to the beach. Who would have thought you could get a sunburn in the middle of February? To think that my home state of Virginia was battling a record setting snow storm at the time! I was sure thankful to be in the warm weather!Probably my greatest experience the whole time while I was at the Silver Spurs Rodeo was getting to participate in the special rodeo. I think there must have been over 75 kids there to participate and each one of us girls got to have a one on one experience with a kid and we took them around to each rodeo event we had there for them. My new little friend was such a good sport and the first thing he did when I met him was wrap his arms around me in a great big hug. His dad was quick to tell me that his son was a fan of pretty girls and was a really big flirt. He was such an outgoing little guy and we tried everything from the steer wrestling, goat tail untying (which was his favorite), roping and we pet a real live bull and we pet a horse named Blue, who I rode in that evenings grand entry. I really felt like I learned a lot from that little boy. He was a very courageous, fun loving little guy who wanted to try to do everything and he did it with the biggest smile on his face.
One little girl, Melony, and her father thought that it was really a great thing that we were doing for the rodeo there in Florida and were able to get us a few tickets to Disney World while we were there. It was really a special moment because Melony said she felt like she had 20 sisters taking her out to Disney World. Her favorite ride was the Rocken' Roller Coaster and I think we probably rode it at least 4 or 5 times. I learned really fast that I can't ride rides like that like I used to!

The southern hospitality that we received while in Florida was the best. They made sure we went and saw and experienced everything that we possibly could while we were there and I really did have the time of my life! I was always trying something new and adventurous while I was there. I ate gator, turtle, hush puppies and drank gallons of sweet tea. I went to Disney World, carried the Virginia State Flag in the grand entries, and got to watch the 50th Miss Silver Spurs get titled. I met the many faces of the people that came to watch the rodeo while walking the stands and talking with people while conducting surveys (I even got to use mySpanish a couple of times!). There were people from every walk of life and many different countries that came to Florida just for the rodeo.

This trip was defiantly one that I will never forget and I will for sure have to make the trip again next year to come back and visit. They put on a great rodeo and they have plenty for everyone in the family to do!
My next trip will be taking me back to Virginia to do a few school visits and some High School Rodeos. It will be good to get out that way, I just hope that the weather is clearing up!

Until our trails cross again! God Bless!
Anita Moorhead
Miss Rodeo Virginia 2010

Circle Of Sisters in their Justin Boots!

My trusty steed, Blue and I getting ready for grand entry the first night of the rodeo!A very good friend of mine, Miss Rodeo Nebraska, Michelle Boeshart and I after the Special Rodeo

Black Hills Stock Show

2010-02-05T17:39:00.000-08:00

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

National Western Stock Show; Denver, Colorado

2010-01-20T13:37:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-11T11:48:00.000-08:00

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