Chinook/Augusta Rodeo!!

Well this weekend was a quit the exciting rodeo weekend. Thursday afternoon my mother and I traveled up the the highline to Chinook Montana for the Bear Paw Roundup. Thursday night Megan, Vanessa, my mom, and I all went to the Silver Spur Dinner, where we were introduced and got to speak for a brief second and they also held the Calcutta that evening.

The next day was the first day of the rodeo and I was very excited to be back in my old hometown and see all of my old friends. My cousin Savannah Smith was also gracious enough to let my borrow her palomino reining horse, "Forest". I got to carry the Canadian flag in the grand entry and do the Canadian National Anthem. The heat was amazing that weekend and Friday night I think the heat got to me and I got a little sick at the rodeo.

Saturday night was a little better. I felt a lot better and the heat wasn't as bad. We had a good size crowd for the kiddie rodeo and the rodeo went smoothly. Megan and I are becoming Pro cattle pushers and this time all of the cowboys and cowgirls made it to their victory laps!!

Early the next morning Megan, Merylee, and I got up early and were out of Chinook at 6:45 a.m. on our way to Augusta. I had never been to the Augusta Rodeo and wow was it an experience. We arrived around 10:00 a.m. and signed some autographs at a local store called Latigo and Lace. We later met up with Jody and headed down to the rodeo grounds. The Heckman's were gracious enough to let me borrow one of their horses. I rodeo Hannah Heckman's, Little Miss Big Sky Pro Rodeos horse, "Snoop". He was a beautiful black horse and sure looked flashy with my chaps.

After the rodeo Megan and I left Augusta, which was packed with tons of people and headed for Bozeman. We stopped in Helena for dinner and then made our way down to Bozeman. I stayed with Megan Sunday night, and then early the next morning made my way over to MSU-Bozeman for Freshman Orientation.

My next rodeo is in Vaughn this weekend and then on Sunday I head over to Red Lodge for the the 4Th of July and I am very excited for that and to help out with their pageant the following weekend!!

Until then,

Lorissa Harris
MTRM 07'

Belt Rodeo!

Well Belt was my first rodeo of the season and was quite a success. My mom and I drove down Friday night and got to stay with the O'neils. They were very generous to let us stay with them and invade their house and we really appreciated it. I also appreciate them hauling my horse back and forth to the rodeo grounds and Janie is the most wonderful cook EVER!

On Saturday morning Jennika and I went down to the rodeo grounds for grand entry practice and I got to test out the horse I would be riding for the weekend. Wally McManigle was gracious enough to let me use his horse Doc, and we got along just fine and I loved riding him in the rodeo and parade. He is still pretty quick for being 23 years old too! The first night of the rodeo it rained the whole night, but what can you expect with Montana weather. Megan and I had fun though sitting out in the arena pushing calves and catching up since the last time we had been together.

Spending time with local rodeo fans

The next morning Megan, Jennika, and I all headed downtown for the parade. Doc and I carried the Montana flag, and the wind was just howling on Sunday. After the parade we went to the park behind the rodeo grounds and put on a Kiddie rodeo. We had a lot of little kids show up and I think if you have some candy and snacks the kids just seem to flock.

Later, that afternoon we headed back for another afternoon of rodeo. I also got to push calves with Hanna Heckman, Little Miss Big Sky Pro Rodeo. It was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed my experience at my first rodeo in Belt. All of the people and rodeo committee members were so nice and I can't wait to see what the rest of my summer full of rodeos has in store for me.

This weekend I am headed to Chinook for the Bear Paw Roundup and I am very excited, because I used to live up in Chinook and I spent my Freshman year of high school there. Then on Sunday we are headed to Augusta for the day and then I have to head over to Bozeman for my college orientation. It should be interesting to see how we pull this one off, but I can't wait!

Until then!

Lorissa Harris
MTRM 0 7'

Pictures/ Outlaw Football game

Well, this weekend was a little more exciting than most of mine have been in a while. Friday morning I met up with Megan to head over to Miles City to do her Miss Rodeo America pictures and our Miss Rodeo Montana program book pictures. Her sister Vanessa rode with us and her mother Rita followed us up there. I drove and I'm sure I scared them a little every once in a while, but I never said I was the best driver. It was a lot of fun getting to see Megan taking hundreds of photos trying to get the perfect one for MRA. We also were a little daring towards the end of the shoot and tried to take pictures of the both of us in our chaps on top of this fallen down tree branch. It didn't really turn out but we sure had a lot of fun, you could tell we hadn't seen each other in a while.

Then on Saturday night I was the official coin tosser at the Outlaw football game, here in my hometown of Billings. I even actually practiced a little bit! When I got out there, they had a coin the size of a half dollar so I had no trouble tossing it. The Outlaws won the coin toss and the game so that was good for them and their conference standings. I even got to come onto the field at half time and help out a little bit. I also got to meet Lonnie Bell and got a picture with him! So it was a really fun night and I appreciated them having me come and help out.

This weekend I also got the graphics put onto my truck, and Jerry at the Paint Doctor did a wonderful job! I love it and it looks so amazing.

So, coming up next for me is the Belt rodeo this weekend and I'm a little nervous just because it is my first rodeo, but I'm sure everything will go smoothly,and I get to see Megan again so it'll be a good time.

Until next time,
Lorissa Harris
MTRM 07'