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'

State Golf/Graduation

Wow, it's been quit sometime since I have written on my blog. I have been super busy in the last couple of weeks and I am very sorry, I haven't updated you all. May 14-16 I was in Shelby for the State B Golf Tournament. After two days of intense competition I finished 8th overall and both our girls and boys golf team placed 2nd in the state, something that Shepherd has never done before. We were all really excited about that!! Then on May 18, it was my Birthday and then May 20 I graduated from Shepherd High School. My family from all over the country came up and we had a wonderful time. So I have been pretty busy and will again be writing "Thank You" cards for quit a while.

Then, on May 23, I traveled up to the Zurich to speak at my cousins 8th grade graduation. I was very honored to do this, because this had been the very place I have graduated from 8th grade. I saw teachers and friends that I hadn't seen in a few years and it was great to share with them what I learned from high school and what to kind of expect. So, I hoped what I shared with them will help them in the future.

I'm going to get a break now for a week or two before rodeo season starts! I can't wait to get underway. My first rodeo is in Belt and I have never been before and I can't wait to see what the summer holds for Megan and I!

Until then,
Lorissa Harris
MTRM 07'

Golf/ New Chaps

Well I have slowed down a little lately and have actully been acting like a high school senior. I have been golfing a lot lately on my schools varsity golf team and have been doing way better than my first tournament. I have been shooting pretty low scores and have been placing in most of the tounraments. I took 4th in Forsyth, 2nd at my home tounament, 4th at Huntely, 6th at Big Timber, and then 10th at Bozeman. Our team has also been doing really well too. We have broken the school recored three times now and are sitting 2nd in the state right now! So we are pretty excited about that. We leave tonight for Bozeman for our Divisional tournament, where we have to be in the top 4 teams or the top 15 as an individual. I'm pretty nervous but I have confidence that we'll make it out ok.

I also got my chaps last Friday and they are amazing! They turned out exactly the way we had designed and I am very happy with them. They lovely ladies at Leather Legends out of Fromberg did a fabulous job and I couldn't be more pleased with them!

In the next few weeks I have state golf, and graduation. I graduate May 20, 2007 and have a ton of family coming up and can't wait for this summer!

I'll tell you how everything goes this week with golf.

Thank you,
Lorissa Harris
MTRM 07'

My Gala Fundraiser!

Well my Gala fundraiser was this last weekend and it turned out to quite a success! For most of the day I was golfing in Columbus at my high school golf tournament, and then right when I got finished my friend Jenessa Monson picked me up and we were on out way to Billings for the party. There were a lot of familiar faces there and both the live and silent auctions went really well. I gave a welcome speech, telling everyone how I did playing in my first golf tournament, which wasn't my very best. I took a 10 on my very first hole and it seemed that every hazard, water, or out of bounds I was there. But hey it was the first tournament of the year and my mind was on the party so I think that makes it for up, my golf coach on the other hand is glad that now that the party is over,so now I can maybe concentrate a little more! I also told a funny story at the party about Megan and I getting pulled over and everyone liked that one. There was also a visiting royalty mini style show and the Home Of Champions Queen, Brettin Ranch Little Miss, and Miss Rodeo Montana. During the live auction I felt right at home. My step-dad Andy Rest is a ring man at cattle auction so taking bids at my Gala was a piece of cake! My dad Todd Harris from California also flew in for the weekend and is getting familiar with all this "Queen" stuff. Then at the end of the party I presented my mother and Deb Brettin with flowers for all their hard work. I really appreciate all that everyone has done for me and for all the love and support I have gotten from everybody. If I could I would list everyone but that would take a very long time! I just would like everyone to know how much I appreciate everyones support by attending, donating, buying, and helping out where they could. The thank you are endless and I will be writing thank you cards for a very long time!
Thank You,
Lorissa Harris
MTRM 07'

FFA Convention/ Megan's Coronation

Well this week was very very busy but very fun. We had the State FFA Convention in Billings at the Holiday Inn and I was trying to be in two places at once. I was participating on my chapters Sales and Service team and being Miss Teen Rodeo Montana at the Miss Rodeo Montana booth with Megan. Our booth by far was the most popular too and Megan and I got some more good quality bonding time together!!
So the first day of competition we had to do the team problem, so my three other teammates and I walk in and introduce ourselves to the judges and as I'm going to shake the second judges hand, I hit her soda and it went everywhere! I was really embarrassed and thought that we were done for right then and there but everything turned out better than we thought.
While we were tending the booth Megan and I also got to meet Miss Montana and attend the delegates luncheon where she spoke and took many pictures with us. She was very nice and hopefully she will be able to attend my gala.
Then on Friday night nine other of my fellow chapter members and I all received our State Degrees, one of the highest honors you can receive in the state. We had a wonderful dinner and our Governor was a special guest speaker and also brought his cute dog!
Saturday during the awards I left early to head up to Bozeman for Megan's coronation. I brought my Friend Crissie with me who knows nothing about rodeo but loves the queen stuff and traveling with me on all of my little adventures. Megan's party was a blast the food was great her silent auction items were super cute, (I got some pillow case covers of cute cartoon cowboys!) and Vanessa and I were also Megan's Vanna Whites for her live auction. Her coronation was a huge success and I was very honored to be there and to be able to travel and get to know her and I can't wait to see what the future holds for the both of us.
So, up next is my Gala party and I'm starting to get really nervous!! So I hope to see a lot of familiar faces and hope everything goes well.
Thank you,
Lorissa Harris
MTRM 07'