I can hardly believe I am saying this, but I am definitely ready for this rodeo season to be about done. 

Last Tuesday after classes I drove back to my hometown in Stanfield, Oregon, and spent the entire week emailing professors about what I missed in class while driving all over the state to rodeo.

I was able to practice Tuesday night, which I hardly get to do anymore, so it was a very much-needed practice. Then, Wednesday morning, we hosted a big roping that almost every top breakaway roper in professional rodeo was at. 

I was a little nervous to rope against these girls because one, I had not practiced for a week and two, these girls are in the top 15 in the world. I know that someday very soon I will be competing right beside them in the big lights of Vegas, but this was my first time really roping right with them and against them. 

I ended up roping great, turning in two times of 2.2 seconds and 2.5 seconds. I was able to win second in the round with my 2.2 and I won third in the aggregate overall. Being able to place third against over 30 amazing breakaway ropers that are all from down south and in the top spots in the world was such a confidence booster for me. 

It also made skipping class extremely worth it.

After the jackpot Wednesday night we all headed to the Ellensburg Rodeo for slack Thursday morning. I drew a stronger calf that went left, shocking I know, and didn’t quite get him roped. 

Friday morning I roped my second one at Ellensburg and my calf was a tad stronger but he ran straight, so Ruby ran me up in there to clock in a time of 2.9, being just one spot out of a check.

Then, my mom and dad and I drove over to the Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days and roped in the Saturday night performance. At 50 years old my dad won a $100 dollar bill for being the fastest time in the calf roping that night, but my mom and I did not have quite the same luck.

After being in Walla Walla all night, my dad, our good friend Lynn Rodriguez and I all trekked the seven-hour drive to Lakeview, Oregon. More accurately, Lynn and my dad drove while I slept in the backseat.

We got to Lakeview around 7 a.m. and then had to get ready to rope. I drew a great calf but I got hung up in the box, being a little late and not getting to my calf until further down the area. I split the last hole with Lynn for a whopping amount of $69.

I drove back up to Pullman on Monday but then turned right back around Tuesday to head to Lewiston for another rodeo.

I have not been to classes in over a week, so I am feeling behind and always find myself doing something for school or The Daily Evergreen when I have an off moment.

This weekend I have a rodeo in Colfax on Thursday night, and I will be running barrels in the performance on my boy Keeper. I haven’t run barrels in so long because I have been so focused on my roping, so we will see how it goes. I am definitely feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness.

As long as no one laughs at me for whatever may happen, I invite you all to come to the Colfax rodeo Thursday night and watch the Cougar Cowgirl live in action at the Palouse Empire Fairgrounds.