Audrey Ramsden preps for Miss Rodeo America

MOSES LAKE - The 2014 rodeo season may have winded down, but reigning Miss Rodeo Washington Audrey Ramsden's year isn't over just yet.

The 21-year-old Moses Lake resident spent the majority of her year up to this point traveling to rodeos around the state as well as around the country.

By the time summer rolled around she had gone to Florida, Texas, Colorado and Nevada to name a few. Once Washington's rodeo season got going around the end of July, Ramsden kept her travels a little more local, going to rodeos in cities around the state including Ellensburg, Puyallup and of course, Moses Lake.

"From the end of July to late September I had at least one rodeo I was driving to every weekend here in Washington," she said. "That was the busiest time of the year for me for sure."

Ramsden said she enjoyed a week or two of downtime after her last rodeo before she had to start thinking about her next appearance, which will be on the Miss Rodeo America Pageant stage in Las Vegas.

"It's all about the preparation right now," she said. "Getting things together for the pageant is a huge chore."

Putting together her wardrobe, for example, is one of the many tasks on her to-do list. Since the pageant runs a few days, Ramsden said she needs complete outfits for more than one event.

She's also spending a lot of time studying for the pageant.

"A big part of the competition is knowledge of rodeo facts, rules and history," said Ramsden.

She said she will likely leave for Las Vegas right after Thanksgiving to give her time to settle in and relax before checking in to the pageant. And going into the competition completely relaxed is going to be extremely important, said Ramsden.

"It's a week long event, so there's portions of competition every day," she said.

"There's speech, horsemanship, modeling, private interviews and impromptu questions and you don't know where the judges could be outside of those sessions so you are basically competing 24/7."

Ramsden said it's going to be an intense week, but she won't have to face it alone. A large group of immediate and extended family members are traveling to Las Vegas to be with her during the competition.

"It's comforting, it helps to know I won't be there by myself," she said.

Contestants from 32 states will be competing for the 2015 title, according to the Miss Rodeo America Pageant organization. They will be judged in the major categories of personality, appearance, horsemanship, knowledge and presentation.

The winner will be crowned on Dec. 6 at the MGM Grand Hotel. The 2015 Miss Rodeo America will spend the next year promoting the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, the Western heritage and the country's agriculture industry.

Miss Rodeo America will also serve as the liaison between rodeo fans and the rodeo producers, sponsors and contestants.

Ramsden said she is excited to have a shot at the national title.

"I love the rodeo community and what the Western lifestyle and rodeo industry stands for," she said. "I love being a representative for that, something I believe in and  that's why I compete in these pageants."

Ramsden will host a send-off party in Ellensburg Nov. 1. It's a time for her to showcase her wardrobe, practice her speeches and have the audience quiz her so she can practice answering impromptu questions, she said.

The event will be held at the Quality Inn in Ellensburg. More details will be shared on the Miss Rodeo Washington Facebook page. www.facebook.com/missrodeowashington2014, in the coming weeks.