Cheyenne Frontier Days

7-24-2010

It was an honor to be part of the Cheyenne Frontier Days Parade, where I rode with the Wyoming Galaxy state queens (teen, miss and Mrs.), Mrs. WY America and Miss WY America were also there. I met State Rodeo queens from all over the country. Cheyenne Frontier Days pulls in international visitors and a woman from Puerto Rico was so excited to have her picture taken with me! She was so sweet even though I didn't understand anything she said her friends interpretted for me. I told her I couldn't pronounce her name and she said for me to just call her "Maria" then!

Speaking of pictures I must say I got a taste of papparazzi life. Just kidding but I sure had fun having my photo taken with all of the little girls and visiting queens.

It was such a great opportunity to explain what the Essence pageant is because everyone asked me. I must say those rodeo queens were most impressed with what the Essence system is all about.

In a chance encounter while walking toward my family at the end of the parade, I met "The Lady In Red" as she is known. She has been riding in the parade since 1948!! Dear sweet woman all decked out in red.

Next up I participated in the Grand Entry. Visiting queens were aboard two old fashioned horse drawn coaches/stages. We rode out into the front of the rodeo grounds and were introduced right before the rodeo began. The stadiums were packed!

The driver of the coach I was on said that in 2009- he applied for his team of horses to be in the Presidential Inauguration parade. His team was selected!! That's right I was being pulled by the same set of horses that were in the inauguration parade. By the way 64,000 horse enteries were received so it was a really big honor for his team to be one of those that were selected.

So, why is Cheyenne Frontier Days such a big deal? It is the world largest rodeo and has been an annual event since 1897. It is a 10 day event that has rodeos, western celebrations and a carnival. It features nightly concerts (this year KISS, Brooks and Dunn and Sugarland are here just to name a few) as well as a show by the Thunderbirds. It is estimated that 300,000 people from across the country and world attend Cheyenne Frontier Days every year.

P.S.- one thing I heard over and over again yesterday was, "I love your crown!"