Wow, it has been awhile since I have blogged. My travels are keeping my busy! It looks like my last blog was about the 2009 Iowa State Fair. That means I have a month and a half of rodeos to blog about!

After the fair, I traveled to the Grand River Rodeo. I was accompanied by the 2009 Miss Leon Rodeo Princess, Jenna Kool . Thank goodness for Don Staver's Western Store, because I forgot my saddle pad. After I purchased my new saddle pad from Don, I got “gussied up” and realized I had forgot my Miss Teen Rodeo Iowa Crown as well. I ended up being crown less that evening, but my horse did have a saddle pad, which is essential. At every rodeo I have been to this summer I have learned a lesson. At my future rodeos I will always take a few short moments to check my tack and rodeo clothes. This way I will not forget anything. Crown less but having a saddle pad, Jenna and I had a wonderful evening. We cleared cattle out of the arena and signed autographs after the performance.

The next weekend I traveled to Nevada, Iowa, for the IRCA/URA rodeo. It was the Lincoln Highway days celebration. I realized this when Abraham Lincoln introduced himself to me with a huge hug in the announcer's booth. At the rodeo it was nice to see several ropers and barrel racers from my hometown compete. They did a great job!

The next weekend I headed north to Dayton, Iowa. On Thursday, Miss Dayton Rodeo Queen, Miss Dayton Rodeo Princess, Cory Wall, the Dayton Rodeo Committee, and I visited the local schools. We introduced ourselves, explained the rodeo events, and encouraged the children to come to the rodeo. The kids were dressed in their cowboy boots, hats and they were very excited to see us. The PRCA rodeo was held Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night. There was also a parade and an afternoon rodeo performance on Monday. The Dayton Saddle club queens and I cleared cattle, helped with muttin busting, and signed autographs. Miss Rodeo Iowa, Lindsey Ahrenholtz, accompanied us on Saturday and Sunday evening.

I would have to agree that Dayton was one of the best professional rodeos I attended all year. I had a wonderful time at the Dayton Rodeo and meet many amazing people there! I would like to thank Duane Heschke for letting me stay in his horse trailer. My stay was very comfortable thanks to him!

Fort Madison, Iowa, was the next stop after Dayton. I drove home for a day to repack my belongings. Then I traveled to Fort Madison for the biggest PRCA rodeo in Iowa. It was a very long and fun week. Every evening was an entertaining professional rodeo held in the Eddy Richardson Tri-State Rodeo Arena.

Along with the rodeo was the Miss Rodeo Iowa, Miss Teen Rodeo Iowa 2010 Pageant. The pageant was held Thursday through Saturday. I would like to congratulate the well qualified contestants. They did a wonderful job in the horsemanship division, as well as their personal interviews, speeches, modeling, and impromptus. Congratulations to the 2010 Miss Rodeo Iowa, Jordanne Blair, and the 2010 Miss Teen Rodeo Iowa, Hannah Hilsabeck. Good job girls! I hope you have wonderful year. Enjoy your travels, because they will go by very fast!

God Bless,
Shelby Chapman

It's Fair Time!

The Iowa State Fair is the number one state fair in the United States of America. This statement was proved to me after the many funfilled days I spent there. On Tuesday, August 11th, I showed my mare, Savannah, in the 4-H Barrel Racing and Pole Bending. This was my last year showing in 4-H since I gratuated from high school last spring. With being away at rodeos this summer and having little time to practice I was pleased with how we did.

Thursday, August 13th, was the first official day of the fair and it was already packed full of visiters. I became aware of this after spending an hour to find a parking place and walked around a mile carrying my rodeo queen necessities. I spent the day with my fellow Dallas County Cattlemen as we worked at the "Famous" Cattlemen's Quarters. I, along with other livestock queens were the hostess for the afternoon to the late evening. While working I meet a lot of people from my hometown and others that I had meet at rodeos. The hourly wage that I earned as hostessing was donated to the Dallas County Cattlemen's Scholarship Fund.

Friday night was the annual Iowa State Fair Cowgirl Queen Contest. This is where the different saddle club queens and rodeo queens from Iowa compete for the Iowa State Fair Cowgirl Queen title. Miss Leon Rodeo, Miss Leon Rodeo Princess, Miss Dallas County Fair Rodeo, Miss Rodeo Iowa, and I spent our evening competing and watching. I was in the third cut of the senior Cowgirl Queen division. I rode my gelding, Tucker. We had a great ride and a fun filled night.

After a long Friday night and an early Saturday morning at my job, I was excited to go to the fair that afternoon for the Governor's Charity Steer Show. I have shown cattle at the Dallas County Fair for 5 years in 4-H. I love showing, and because of this I was very excited to show at the State Fair. My steer's name was Big Man, which fit him very well. He was a thirteen hundred pound Angus Crossbreed owned by Dalton Smith of Charter Oak, Iowa. I had a lot of fun meeting the family and showing the steer. Dalton and I did very well and placed in the top ten!

How much better can it get with two amazing pro rodeos in one week?

How much better can it get with two amazing pro rodeos in one week? On Tuesday I loaded up my horse and traveled down to Sidney, Iowa. Tuesday night was the first performance of the week. Before the rodeo the 2009 Miss Sidney Rodeo, Morgan Mowery from Denton, Nebraska was crowned. Miss Rodeo Iowa, Lindsey Ahrenholtz, Miss Rodeo Aksarben, Holly Sucie, Miss Sidney Rodeo, and I worked cattle, signed autographs, helped with the mutton bustin',and enjoyed the best show on dirt. The next day, Wednesday, the queens and I visited the sponsors of the Sidney queen pageant to thank them again for their donations. The second rodeo performance was later that evening. I enjoyed my last night at Sidney by working cattle during my favorite event, tie down calf roping, and signing autographs after the rodeo. On Thursday the queens and I visited the Corner Stone Kids Days care in Hamburg, Iowa. There I met many cowboys and cowgirls who were excited about the Sidney rodeo.
Later that day I loaded up again and traveled to Carson, Iowa, for my second pro rodeo of the week. There was three great performances on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening. The crowd came together every evening to sing the verses of the National Anthem as I was giving the honor to carry the American Flag. The announcer Doug Mathis did a wonderful job keeping the rodeo running smooth and was a pleasure to meet.
I would like to thank my host families in Sidney and Carson. I really appreciate their hospitality. I had a great time at the two rodeos, thanks to the very nice people I met.

A blur of exciting times

I have been going to one rodeo to the next, and the next, and the next, and suddenly it has become a blur of exciting times!

On Tuesday I traveled to southern Iowa to attend the Centerville rodeo. I had a muddy fine time! I rested on Wednesday then hit the road to travel to Lenox for the annual three day rodeo. The stands were packed full for the three very impressive rodeo performances. On Thursday night the new Miss Rodeo Lenox, Suzy Fife, from Corning, Iowa was crowned. On Friday, before the rodeo, the rodeo queens, Miss Dallas County Fair Rodeo, Hannah Hilsabeck, Miss Rodeo Iowa, Lindsey Ahrenholtz, Miss URA, Kara Telfer, Miss Rodeo Leon Princess, Jenna Kool, Miss Rodeo Lenox, Suzy Fife, and I, spent the day at the Lenox bowling alley. We enjoyed testing our bowling skills in Wranglers. On Saturday the rodeo queens and I spent our afternoon at the Leon Care Facility. We brought the rodeo to the residents and helped celebrate two resident's upcoming birthdays. We spent our afternoon line dancing and playing western games.

The Saturday rodeo performance came in with bang, literally. That is the bang of me hitting the arena sand after riding a steer! I have always dreamed of riding a steer. I took advantage of the steer riding that was held every evening before the rodeo performances. I was accompanied by Miss Rodeo Lenox, who also took the challenge of riding. There were no broken limbs or tears, only smiles.

Wet and Wild in Leon, Iowa

What an experience I had at the annual 4th of July Leon rodeo celebration! My weekend started early on Thursday, July 3rd. The Miss Leon Rodeo queen and Miss Leon Rodeo Princess pageant began with the horsemanship division. Lunch was then served and the individual interviews followed. After the interviews the Miss Leon rodeo contestants presented their speeches about rodeo and Iowa. Then both the Miss Leon rodeo and Miss Leon rodeo princess contestants modeled their beautiful western dresses and answered several impromptu questions.

The coronation was held before the rodeo performance on Thursday evening. I would like to congratulate everyone for doing a wonderful job. Congratulations to the current Miss Leon Rodeo Queen, Amanda McNess, and Miss Leon Rodeo Princess, Jenna Kool.

We had beautiful weather for the rodeo on Thursday evening. We, Miss Rodeo Iowa, Miss Dallas County Fair Rodeo, Miss Leon Rodeo Queen, Miss Leon Rodeo Princess and I, enjoyed the evening and early morning working slack till two a.m.

The next day we were give the chance to sleep in and enjoy the day in Leon. Rain was on the forecast for Friday night, but that didn't stop any cowboy or cowgirl. I determined that my hair on hide saddle seat is slick when it gets rained on, but the queens and I made it happily throughout the very damp Friday evening and early Saturday morning.

Saturday was a drier night and a wonderful 4th of July. After the rodeo performance was a spectacular fireworks display. The 4th of July weekend is known as Cowboy Christmas, because of the many different rodeos held that weekend. Miss Leon Rodeo Princess, Jenna Kool, and I discover this the hard way. We left the Leon rodeo around two in the morning on Sunday because of the many horse trailers. Getting home around four o'clock I concluded that my truck does not run on empty very long.

All in All I had a wonderful time at the Leon Rodeo and I am looking forward to my next rodeo in Centerville on July 21st.