July 13
Yesterday was packed full. I got to attend the PRCA Induction Ceremony at the Hall of Fame. Wow, it was a great event. Paul Tierney, Bobby Hurley, and Tom Reeves were inducted. They all were so humble.

I was honored to sit with LaRae and Kelsie as they watched as Shaun Burchett (their late husband and father) was inducted. Shaun's dad, Randy spoke and accepted his plaque. He did a great job. It was neat that Kelsie got to see her dad on the big screen. He was killed in a car wreck when she was just a baby. She has grown into a beautiful young lady andI know Shaun would be proud. Although we shed tears, it was a joyous and great moment for their family. For those of you who didn't know Shaun, he was a 2x World Champion Steer Roper. He was fast. He set new world records a couple of times. Shaun liked to win first, and he did, often. I wonder just how fast he might be now had he gotten the chance.

Rodeo might be an individual sport, but it takes many, many people behind all of us that make it possible.

Thanks to all of you who keep me in your prayers, encourage me, and help me out. Next, I visited the new WPRA office. It is really a neat building with a western flair. Hopefully the new computer system will be up and running before the 2009 season and the girls in the office can take a breather! Brenda, Jeanne and I were the last three barrel racers of the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo in Colorado Springs. Brenda and Jeanne both placed, and had we not knocked the third down, we would have won a bottom end check. OK-- got to brag on the Goose. He made an awesome run at Laramie last night. Brenda was winning it with a 17.2 and we ran a 17.33. We were sitting 3rd, so hopefully we'll get a good check!!

July 11
I'll try to catch you up. We ran in the mud at Greeley our first run. The ground was good the second night, Goose did OK with the Greeley monster, so I was happy. Brandie Halls told us of a barrel race at Henderson, so we loaded up and went down there. I thought Goose could use a couple more runs. The first day, we made a decent run and ended up winning it. I should have quit then. The second day we tipped the first, and the third day was worse. We went back to Brandie's and waited for Brenda Mays. Brandie decided to vet release the next week because Slim is still not right, and she doesn't know what is wrong.

Jeanne, Brenda and I went to Casper on Tuesday, Goose had a good first barrel, but his third wasn't very nice. I was a half second off the good runs. We drove to Sheridan that night, so we could run the next morning is slack. It's a long run to the first barrel out here, and all standard patterns. Our first barrel was really good, but the other two weren't. We were 4/10 off the nice runs, and Goose bled a little. The climate is so dry out here, where it has been so humid at home. The difference in altitude, the hauling and the big runs--all contributed to his problem. The vet gave me Lasix to run him on to keep him from bleeding. I should have my butt kicked. I should have thought about all of that, he just wasn't in good enough shape. So now I am really working on his conditioning between rodeos, and hopefully after I get home, he won't need the Lasix.

We headed toward Vernal, Utah. We spent the night at Rawlins at the fairgrounds. They just built new bathrooms with lots of nice, big showers!! It was so nice to let the water run and enjoy the water! Awwww, the simple pleasures that you take for granted when you are home. The next morning I saddled Goose and told the girls to come to the arena that I needed a riding lesson! Brenda's mom, Lynn, is very good at explaining things, and Brenda and Jeanne rode my horse and talked me through my turns. Goose is so different from Amigo. They must have down some good because we had a good run that night at Vernal, we just missed the checks!

June 25
Today I am cleaning out the trailer and packing, getting ready to go on our July run. I am entered up till Cheyenne so I'll see how the grey Goose does! He really likes to run barrels, he can really shut down-immediately--so I am having to learn to ride a lot more aggressively. Jeanne (Anderson) and I are up in the slack at Springdale and on the 2nd and 3rd at Greeley. Then we'll meet Brenda Mays at Brandie Halls' and the four of us will go to Casper, Sheridan, Vernal, Laramie and Colorado Springs. It will be so good to see the girls again. The best part of rodeoing is the great friends you meet--and these gals are the best.

Marty is taking my trailer to the shop to pack the wheel bearings, change the oil on the generator, check the brakes, etc. I am so blessed to have him. He does so much to make it possible for me to go. I could not make it without him.

June 13
Hello everyone, I have been having computer glitches so I am behind in my road report. I will soon be back on the road and will keep you a little more up to date. The word is good on Amigo. We checked him this week and I have the OK to start riding him very lightly (walking & trotting every other day) for a couple of weeks. We will be very careful not to overdue it, but it is time to start the rehabbing.

The great news, though, is that my young horse, Goose, is doing great. He pulled a check the first weekend I took him to the rodeos. Last week, he smoked a run at Hugo and we split second with Mary (Burger) and Fred!! I guess that I will enter Colorado Springs, Vernal, Casper and Sheridan the second week in July. (We have to enter now.) Jeanne Anderson and I will run in the slack at Springdale and in the perfs at Greeley over the Fourth. Then we'll just stay and go to the others. I will have to ride Goose more like an old campainer than a green horse to win, but I think he's up to the task.

We are in Duncan at the Oklahoma High School Finals with Brodie. The Stephens County Fairgrounds is a really nice indoor facility and the people are very supportive here. The kids are putting on a great rodeo! The young guns coming up will keep our sport alive and moving forward!!

First of all, I want to say how blessed I am. Sometimes we begin to take for granted all the wonderful blessings that God has given us, His love, our family, our friends, and our horses. This past week, I have been reminded just how blessed I am.

Brandie Halls says 'that if you want to make God laugh, just tell him your plan', I thought I had a plan for the year, but now I KNOW God has His plan for me. Sometimes we get to running ahead of God, and He has to tighen the reins and sit down hard and get us to Whoa and back up, and be still--so we can hear from Him.

Last Monday, we found a bone chip in Amigo's ankle, which they did surgery Wednesday and took it out. He'll be recovering for the next couple of months, so I'll be staying closer to home. I had to leave him at Elgin at the Vet Clinic for 10 days, which is really hard on me. I'll go get him this week.

Now, I'm going to have to get Goose (my 6-yr-old gelding) ready to run at the rodeos. He made his debut at Austin, ready or not. He did great under the circumstances. He looked into the crowd the first run, but improved 3/10ths on his second on his second run. I was so proud of him. He likes to run barrels, he just hasn't figured out how to run yet. But he is really fun, a lot different than Amigo, but a fun challenge.

I will try to keep you up to date on Amigo and Goose, but today, stop and thank God for all the good things and great friends that He has put in your life!--Tana