The 10th was a very big day. I met Steve Miller, my gracious host, for breakfast, and he brought along two female rodeo champions, Mary Ann and Kim. Mary Ann is a fourth generation buckle winner in the roping event, and Kim has been world champion–catch your breath–EIGHT TIMES. These two women opened up a whole new vista for me–professional women’s rodeo. It doesn’t get near the play in the press–and I think that’s a shame. I intend to see the championships next year, and don’t be surprised if a few rodeo gals turn up as heroines in my books.
After breakfast, we all went over to Cowboy Christmas, where I was a guest on the Flint Rasmussen Show. Flint is a former rodeo clown–talk about dangerous work–and one of the most engaging talk show hosts I’ve ever met. We had a load of fun up there on that stage, and was it ever fun to share the Tonight-Show style setup with Stran, a handsome and good-hearted rodeo champ, singer Tracy Byrd, and an up and coming young singer named Luke Bryan. This cowgirl had WAY too much fun, and the view, of course, was superlative. 🙂
My wonderful publisher, Harlequin, sent copies of the McKettrick books, and after the show, we gave them away, signed, at the Montana Silversmiths booth. That drew quite a crowd–I so enjoyed talking to veteran readers of my books and a whole new bunch as well.
I’m skipping around a little here, but I’ll get it all in, I promise. Tomorrow, I’ll tell you about the Justine Crisis Luncheon–an event to raise money for cowboys who are hurt or sick–and the equally wonderful Western Wishes foundation. Western folks do a lot of good work–there’s a great deal of truth in the image of cowboys and cowgirls pushing up their sleeves and wading in to help in times of trouble.
Gotta go feed the horses. I’m sure they’re listening for the truck to drive up.
