Messages from October 2009

posted 10.29.09

CASTING CALL

A Casting Company from LA is looking for a 14-year old girl who can ride and has no prior acting experience to star in the remake of “True Grit.”  Here is a casting call for auditions being held in Lubbock, Texas.  Another call will be held in Dallas later in November.  They are looking for a young girl who truly has “true” grit and they really think they can find someone who is involved with the NHSRA.

 

posted 10.28.09

e-mailed to Wrangler Division members

It’s time to get everyone on track for this weekend. 

All of the dress code rules that we ignored at Gruver due to the weather are back starting Saturday.  This means proper western attire, cowboy hats and boots and back numbers.  I will have my laminating machine this weekend if anyone wants to laminate their back number.  It will cost $1.  I also have plenty of safety pins.

I would like all of the members to come see me either Saturday or Sunday to get their photo taken.  It is not a big deal.  Just a way for me to learn faces faster.  And maybe I won’t forget who you are over the winter break.

Hopefully you’ve all been reading your rulebooks since Gruver and are knowledgeable of your event rules.  Here are few that need extra attention:

I have the student event director ballots sorted.  I will get the results figured tonight and notify the new directors.  We will be asking for volunteers for the adult event director positions at the meeting on Saturday.  The only restriction this year is that we do not want a parent and child representing the same event. 

There are plenty of stalls on the grounds so please do not set up any portable pens.  Bobby’s office is near the concession stand in the building.  Find him to get the stalls that you need for the weekend.  His number is 940-552-7362 if you want to save a stall in advance.

I will have entry envelopes on a table outside the announcer’s stand so you can get entered for the Pampa rodeos next week.  Make sure you use one envelope for each rodeo.

Daylight savings time ends Saturday night.  So if you forget to change your clock, at least you will be early for church on Sunday.

Our membership meeting is set for 12 noon on Saturday with the rodeo following at 1pm.  Sunday’s church service begins at 9am followed by the rodeo at 10am.  I apologize for the confusion on the start time for Saturday’s rodeo.  When I updated the schedule page on the website in August, I must have copied the start times from the spring rodeo and then forgot about them.  This was posted at Gruver but I think everyone was more focused on the Pampa poster and didn’t notice the change.  Had it been brought to my attention 2 weeks ago, we could have easily stayed with the 3pm start time.  I will work on preventing this problem in the future.

Now that the business part of this e-mail is complete, we can get to the fun stuff.  There are probably going to be more Halloween activities than you can get to on Saturday night.  There is a carnival on the grounds and a haunted house in town, plus several games planned by parents including a scavenger hunt.  You will be able to make s’mores at one of the trailers, too.  So bring your costumes.  I’ll want pictures.

Sorry, one more piece of business.  Several of you haven’t turned in your report cards.  I need these before you are eligible to compete on Saturday.

See you in a few days!

posted 10.27.09

By getting all of the Plainview checks out yesterday, I'm actually a day ahead of schedule this week.  It is weird.  I have to keep telling myself it is only Tuesday.

Thanks to the Plainview Club for two days of great rodeos.  Talk about a well-oiled machine.  Even with a small equipment malfunction on Sunday, we still managed to finish up around 5pm both days.  That's awesome!  Especially since that cold front was coming in Sunday night.

If the high school members aren't ready to shut down for the semester, you are all welcome to come and support the Wrangler Division members this weekend in Vernon and next weekend in Pampa.  Bring your Halloween costume if you come to Vernon on Saturday. 

Wrangler members, your callbacks are ready for confirmation.  Click on the link to the right.  There are some openings on Saturday for a heeler in the team roping and a roper in the ribbon roping.  Let me know if you can help out these members.

There were two jackets turned in on Sunday.  Call me if you are missing one and we will figure out the best way to get it back to you.  You may be missing it when the real cold weather hits.

The number of the final 50/50 ticket of the semester is #367689.  The winner must claim their prize by next Monday or the money will be held over until the first spring rodeo.

Final point standings for the high school division have been posted.  I will wait until the Wrangler rodeos are complete before I audit them.

posted 10.24.09

Check this out:  It's Saturday night after the rodeo and results are already posted!  It sure is nice having a smooth  running rodeo close to home so I can come back and work at my regular desk.  If Sunday goes as well, I will be able to mail all of the checks on Monday.

We had a pretty awesome 50/50 jackpot today - $614.  It saddens me to say this, but the winning ticket was claimed following the rodeo.  I really thought this was my day to win.  I made sure I was not in the vicinity when the drawing took place so there could be no controversy when the ticket that matched one of mine was pulled from the sack.   I guess it just wasn't meant to be - AGAIN.  Maybe next time.  But I do want to congratulate Ashlyn Horan, of Plainview, for holding the lucky ticket.  Ashlyn, I'll try not to hold a grudge against you for winning our biggest jackpot of the semester.  Thanks for supporting our memorial scholarship fund.

See you all tomorrow,

posted 10.23.09

"Procrastination on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part."

I love this quote and it is fitting for this weekend (and probably again around December 1st when raffle tickets are due.)  If you read the information in the membership packets I give you or the signs I post at the rodeos, then you know what your deadlines are.  Not to mention all of the information on this website.  Announcements were made at Pampa a month ago reminding you to get your report cards turned in before Plainview.  At this point, all I can suggest is to be creative with your excuse.  Maybe you will earn points that way.

posted 10.21.09

For those of you who are just now receiving your report cards (or if you just realized you haven't turned yours in), you are welcome to fax them to me so you don't have to worry about forgetting them this weekend.

My fax number is 806-655-2038.  Please DO NOT send a cover page.  It just wastes paper.  I will update the ineligible page this afternoon.

posted 10.20.09

The callbacks for Plainview have been posted.  Tonight I will be sorting through all of the grades that have been turned in so far.  I will be updating the ineligible list to show the ones that are missing.  Technically, you are not ineligible until Saturday.  If you are planning to bring your grades with you this weekend make sure you DO NOT FORGET them.  I have to have them BEFORE you compete in Plainview.

posted 10.19.09

The forecast for the Plainview rodeos looked pretty nice this morning so I'm not going to check it again the rest of the week.  I don't want to see how many times it changes before Saturday.

Here are a few notes for this weekend's rodeos in Plainview:

posted 10.13.09

Hold on to your 50/50 tickets from Gruver.  Ticket sales were pretty light due to the empty stands (plus I forgot to draw the winning ticket), so everyone who has a ticket bought at Gruver will be included in the Saturday drawing at Plainview. 

I have an update from Tom White.  He is home with a broken collar bone that did not require surgery but he will be wearing a brace for at least two weeks while the bones heal.  You can expect to see his smiling face at Plainview.  I'm sure he will be ready to get out and see people after being cooped up at home the rest of this week.

This weekend is probably the biggest meeting of the year for THSRA.  Your high school State Directors (Steve McConnell and Travis Patterson minus Tom White due to injury), your junior high State Directors (Cody Custer, Jodi Peterson and Phillip Graf), your State Student Vice President (Laramie Wing) and I will be traveling to Austin to meet with all of the other region directors and the executive boards to make decisions for the State Finals next summer.  Stock contractors, personnel, buckle and saddle companies will all be selected during our meetings on Friday and Saturday.  These directors represent you at the state level.  If you have questions or suggestions for the state board, please go through them to get your voice heard.

Gruver Club Members:  Thank you all for your hard work last weekend.  That was by far the worst weather we have every competed in.  I have never worked a rodeo where the judges sheets came back to me with a thin layer of ice on them!  It will definitely provide some good stories this weekend with the regions that rodeo in warmer areas of Texas.

I think most of you entered the Plainview rodeos already, but for those of you who haven't, they need to be here by this Saturday.  Remember that it is two rodeos so you will need envelopes for each day.  If you compete both days, you will be eligible for the average points, also.

If you didn't have your report card last week, please make a copy as soon as you get yours and get it in the mail to me.  I have to have your first six- or nine-week report card before you can compete at Plainview.

Have a good week.

posted 10.12.09

Results from Gruver are posted (finally.)  Hope everyone made it home safely and is thawed out from our winter weather weekend.

posted 10.6.09

I just sent an e-mail to the Wrangler members but have tons of rejections for some odd reason.  They all went through the last time.  So here is the information I sent.  If you did not get an e-mail, please check your spam box.

e-mailed to Wrangler members 10.6.09

I have posted the entries for this weekend's rodeos on the website.  The link is under the Announcements heading in the right column of the major news pages on the website.  Please check to make sure I have you in the correct events.  If you can help out the members looking for partners, give me a call.

We will have a lot going on this weekend during our meeting:  a group photo, electing student and adult event directors and student officers and discussion on some of our upcoming rodeos.

I've kind of dropped the ball on reminding you about student officer nominations.  I would like to take these in advance so I can have ballots ready for Sunday.  Please call or e-mail me if you are interested in running for student president, student vice-president or student secretary.  I need to know by Thursday evening so I can make ballots Friday morning.

Look at the Wrangler News page for information on how we will be electing event directors.

Even though we have a couple of weeks before the rodeos in Vernon, I will have the entry box out at Gruver so you can enter early and not have to worry about mailing your entries in.  FYI:  your checks are not deposited until after the rodeo.

When we have two rodeos in one day (Gruver and Pampa,) we will start the morning rodeo at 9am, have a break for meetings or church services and then go into the afternoon rodeo.  I need to confirm the start times for Vernon.  That Sunday is when the time changes.  I should know this by this weekend for the meeting.

Make sure you come by before you compete this weekend to pick up your membership packet.  It will have your back number - which is part of your dress code - and forms for your program ad sales and your Bloomer trailer raffle ticket.  These fundraising items will be due by December 1st, so don't delay getting started on them.

I will be sending these e-mails periodically to remind you of certain deadlines or to provide you with information before an upcoming rodeo but I will not attach any files.  It may be simply to direct you to information on the website.  I will do my best to get you the information you need but it is your responsibility to meet the deadlines.  Please read the signs I post at the rodeos.  They are there to help you out.  And if you ever have questions, please don't hesitate to ask.  That is why I am here.

Have a good week,

Mikey

posted 10.5.09

It occurred to me this morning that we have passed the half-way mark for our fall high school rodeos.  We just have this weekend at Gruver and the two days at Plainview.  But as the high school is winding down, the Wrangler Division is gearing up.  They kick off this weekend at Gruver with two rodeos on Sunday.  Wrangler members need to be looking for an e-mail in a few days to let you know about everything that will be taking place this weekend.

Thank you to all of the Pampa club members, families and volunteers for hosting two days of rodeos for us.  I thought we were going to have our first fog delay on Sunday but it finally cleared up enough for the timers to see the barrier flag other end of the arena.  That could've gotten interesting.

Results for each rodeo and the average winners have been posted.  I will update points after I get the Gruver entries in the computer.

I want to thank everyone who has been playing the 50/50 and coin toss each week.  For a list of winners, look over in the right column under the announcements.  That is where the 50/50 ticket number will be posted if it is not claimed the day of the drawing.

All of this weekend's checks are printed but I just can't get them signed and stuffed in envelopes in time to meet the mail deadline today so they will be mailed in the morning.  Your fees will be deposited in the morning, also.

I was able to get quite a few mug shots this weekend but if you missed coming upstairs, don't worry.  I will have my camera at Gruver.  I will also have the Dodge truck and Bloomer trailer raffle tickets that weren't picked up at Pampa.  These are due by December 1st so it is in your best interest to get them this weekend so you can start selling them. 

I have already had some program ads turned in which is awesome.  No need to wait until the last minute.  When you get your fundraising items sold, go ahead and turn them in to me.  That way you won't forget and end up paying late fines in December.

GRADES - Don't forget to bring a copy of your report card with you to Gruver this weekend.  If you won't have one by then, you need to mail it to me.  I need to have it before you compete in Plainview.

posted 10.1.09

(e-mailed 10.1.09)

Hi everyone,

Here are your reminders and notices for this weekend's rodeos in Pampa:

New members need to come see me before they compete to pick up their packets.  Your back numbers are in them and are a required piece of the dress code.

Region 1 members need to come upstairs and pick up your Dodge truck and Bloomer trailer raffle tickets.  These are due back by December 1st so don't waste any time getting started selling them.  We are already 3 weeks behind because of printing delays.

The coin toss is going to move to AFTER the team roping.  This should give the afternoon contestants the chance to get to town and participate.

Please keep the arena clear during the break for church service.

I will be taking mug shots of all the members this weekend.  Please come upstairs when you have time - except while the judges are drawing stock.  It will only take a minute.  Make sure you are in dress code. 

This is an "average" points weekend.  So if you are entered - and compete - both days you are automatically eligible for these extra points based on your two-day total time/score.

There will be between 30-40 stalls this weekend.  Rental fees will be $10 for the weekend.

There is a fence around the arena.  Contestants must be in dress code when inside the fenced area.

Don't forget to leave your cute little dogs at the trailer.  They are not allowed in the stands.

Gruver entries are due Saturday.  The entry boxes will not be out on Sunday. 

I will have clearance items from last summer's finals rodeos upstairs both days.  Tri-State caps and visors and a few t-shirts.  Several Region 1 tye dye shirts in adult sizes medium to XX-large.

Make sure you check the 'See Mikey' sign I post at each rodeo.  It is easier for each of you to find me than for me to find each of you. 

See you all Saturday,