Messages from February 2011
posted 2.28.11
Here we are at the last day of February whether we are ready for it or not. Hope you've enjoyed your time off because we are about to get very busy.
I am happy to announce the new RCIS scholarship specifically for Region 1 seniors is now ready. I will have copies available this weekend if you want to pick one up. I have also added it to the scholarship page if you want to get an early start on it. The deadline is April 1st so you don't have a lot of time. I am considering a scholarship "help session" at Vernon next week following the Saturday rodeo. I will post time and location this weekend.
I am working on spring rotations, and as usual, they are very lop-sided right now so they are going to take some work to even out. Please keep in mind, if you are on the ineligible list, you will not show up when I post rotations tomorrow.
I have been extremely generous on late fines this year and my deadlines continue to be ignored. That ends now. If you are on the ineligible list, it is no one's fault but your own.
On a much more positive note, I would like to thank all of the members who have mailed in their Yard Bird Bingo tickets early. I appreciate it more than you can understand.
posted 2.20.11
The Ineligible list has been updated - AGAIN. You may want to take a look at it because there have been some additions. As many of you are starting to receive your 4th six weeks report card, I have yet to receive a semester report card from quite a few members. I know you are busy. We all are. And don't expect it to let up any. We are just getting started.
It may not seem that important to turn in a report card when you are passing all of your classes but it is still a requirement and you can still be penalized for not doing it. I know you get tired of hearing about all of the rules but they are there for a reason - sometimes several reasons. I get on my "soap box" about this every year and I will continue to do so because what you learn as a member of Tri-State, THSRA or TJHRA is going to help you when you leave the junior rodeo ranks and advance into college, amatuer and maybe professional rodeo. You are learning the importance of deadlines and the consequences of missing them. You are learning time-managment skills. Some of you are learning the value of money and how to manage your own bank accounts.
These are skills that can help you throughout the rest of your life. If you don't believe me, ask a high school senior what their life is like right now. Along with the usual tasks of homework and rodeo practice that you are doing, they are also filling out college entrance applications (which have a deadline,) scholarship applications (which have a deadline,) taking college entrance exams (that they have to pay for) and once they learn they've been accepted to a college, then they have to figure out how to pay for it.
For those of you who ask the question "How am I going to use geometry in real life?": you are learning more than math - you are learning how to use your brain. You have to excercise your brain just like the muscles you use for competing in your rodeo events. Without exercise and training, your brain cannot reach its full potential. Part of my job is to help you reach that goal by making sure you are staying on top of your membership requirements.
It is hard to stay motivated during the winter months when we don't have anyting going on, but that is when you need to get ahead as much as you can so you aren't scrambling at the last minute to get eligible by paying hefty fines. You are provided with all the information you need to meet the deadlines, both on the website and in the membership packet you picked up at your first rodeo. I am at a loss as to what else I can do to help some of you because I cannot make you actually read the information I provide and I refuse to follow you home to make sure you don't have any questions. You have to make an effort.
Well, now that I've got that off my chest, entries open in the morning. Of course, there is no mail delivery due to the government holiday. You can still drop them in the mail so they will go out on Tuesday. Saturday is the deadline to avoid late fines. And finally, if there are any team ropers looking for partners, let me know. I already have a header on my list. Some of you may not realize you need a partner yet, but there are quite a few team ropers who are not eligible right now.
Give me a call if you have any questions this week. Don't forget that rotations start fresh each semester.
posted 2.15.11
I came home from Belton on Sunday just in time to enjoy the warmer weather. It was a great drive and I got to start on my left arm tan. Yesterday I had the privilege of delivering love and happiness in the form of Valentine's flowers. It is the first major holiday for flower deliveries that I have been in town for since I met the owner of a local flower shop and I couldn't say to no to helping. It was fun but exhausting. Twelve hours of sitting in a van, reading maps and driving all over Amarillo. I planned to post pictures on here of the rooms full of arrangements waiting to be delivered but they just didn't show the magnitude of how many there were. So you will have to take my word for it. There was a ton of them and they were absolutely beautiful. I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day.
Today my goal is to get through all of the mail, phone messages and faxes and try to get the charts updated by this evening so you will know if you are current on everything. Entries for the Canyon/Amarillo rodeos open next Monday. Can you believe it? I'm sure you are just as ready to get going again as I am. Hopefully, winter will leave us alone and we will have good spring weather for our rodeos next month.
See you soon!
posted 2.7.11
I was hoping to escape the winter weather for a few days when I leave tomorrow, but Belton looks to have the same forecast as the Panhandle for the rest of the week. Saturday sure is looking good, though. :)
I have all of the charts updated through today's mail and faxes. I won't be able to update again until I get back next week and sort through what I hope is a LOT of mail. If you haven't received your entry envelopes yet, they should be arriving any day. If you are on the ineligible list, then I included a note of what you need to turn in to be able to compete the first weekend in March. These items will be due February 15th and SHOULD NOT come in at the same time as your entries. Entries do not open until the 21st. Please don't send them in now. You risk the possibility of them getting lost because they will be put in a "safe place" until I am ready for them on the 21st and I don't always remember where my safe places are. Just know that they will be safe until found.
I am not forwarding the phone this week so that report cards may be faxed. Wednesday is a pretty busy day for me but I will try to return any calls and e-mails on Thursday. Friday and Saturday I will be able to check for messages for sure.
Have a good week. Hopefully the cold won't be as bad as last week.
posted 2.3.11
I was notified this morning that our cuttings scheduled for this weekend at EE Arena in Amarillo have been cancelled. There is another weekend in March that I had saved as an alternate in case we had any cancellations. It is the weekend we are in Hereford for high school and junior high rodeos. Here are the remaining cuttings for the spring:
Feb 26 & 27 - PCHA - Bill Cody Arena
March 5 & 6 - PDCHA - EE Arena
March 19 & 20 - PCHA - Bill Cody Arena - MAKE-UP WEEKEND
posted 2.1.11
Welcome to Winter! Wow it's cold! I hope you are all staying warm and keeping your animals warm, too.
I will be sending entry envelopes in a few days. Yes. It is almost that time again. For those of you on the ineligible list, I will be including a note letting you know what is missing. If you want to be able to enter the first rodeo in March, you will have to be current on all fundraising and financial obligations by February 18th. After three months, I don't think any more exceptions are due, so please don't ask. I have heard all of the excuses by now.
Yesterday, the state secretary asked where the rest of my region's fundraising items are. When you turn in things late, it makes me late. And I don't like it. If you've turned in ad money and no artwork, you need to be getting something to me soon or your money becomes a donation.
Seniors, I hope you been working on your scholarship applications. The April 1st deadline is just two months away. I will have a new scholarship soon. A new THSRA sponsor has stepped up this year and is providing scholarships at the region level. Thank you to RCIS - Rural Community Insurance Services for this donation.
For those of you who have facebook accounts, THSRA has a page you can "like." Search for Texas High School Rodeo Association. The profile picture is of Region 1's 2008 State Champion Barrel Racer, Lacey Harris.