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Miss Rodeo Nebraska Ashley Rice headed to Miss Rodeo America contest
WILSONVILLE -- Miss Rodeo Nebraska Ashley Rice of Wilsonville will be honored at a send-off party Saturday, as she prepares to compete for the title of 2007 "Miss Rodeo America."
Ashley has spent the past year and a half representing her home state of Nebraska and promoting the sport of professional rodeo and America's agricultural industry and Western heritage. Since her selection as Miss Rodeo Nebraska in June 2005 and her official coronation in January 2006, Ashley has been priming for the ultimate competition -- the national pageant Nov. 25-Dec. 2 in Las Vegas.
Friends, family and fans will send Ashley off Saturday with a fund-raiser and a "sneak peek" of the fashions she'll wear in Vegas.
Ashley knows that the decorations for the send-off, at the Republican River Valley Event Center in McCook, will follow a Vegas theme, but, that's all she knows. "The Miss Rodeo Nebraska Association will decorate, and it'll be a total surprise to me," she laughed.
Social hour begins at 5 p.m. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m., followed by Ashley's style show. Couples will pay $40; and singles, $25 each. "This is my final fund-raiser to pay expenses to go to Las Vegas," Ashley said.
In Vegas, Ashley will compete in horsemanship on horseback and in a written test; and in personal interviews. She will deliver a speech about her home state. She will attend fun get-acquainted activities with the 27 other contestants and formal dinners with Miss Rodeo America officials.
Ashley will learn dance routines, model in fashion shows, and wear hats, shirts, jeans, belts and boots provided by the Wrangler company.
Ashley will model on stage what she describes as "an elegant emerald green dress -- you know, the whole 'red heads look good in green' thing. I'm really excited to wear it."
"That's our time to shine on stage," she says of the contestants' modeling of formal wear of their own design.
Ashley is the 21-year-old daughter of Tony and Patty Rice, and the sister of Travis, who, with his wife, Christie, live at Chapman, Kan.; and Whitney, 16, and Catlin, 14, at home. Whitney is a junior and Catlin is a freshman at Cambridge High School.
Ashley and her mom, will drive to Vegas prior to the pageant. Her dad will fly out in time for the festivities.
"My parents are my biggest fans," Ashley said. "They've never told me anything negative. I thank them for their sacrifices -- all this is expensive, and stressful. And they've been able to balance all of it with my two brothers' and my sister's activities."
"They've always been there for me," Ashley said. "I can't express all my gratitude for them."
Time away from home, family and school will continue for another year if Ashley is crowned "Miss Rodeo America."
"Oh, if I happen to win ... ," Ashley muses, "It'll be another goal ... another door that will open to my future."
The national crown would mean another year away from classes at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she will continue her studies in broadcasting, advertising and public relations -- classes that she says "challenge my creativity and take advantage of my personality."
Ashley said that, before winning the state rodeo queen title, she could get up before a crowd and give a speech, but she lacked confidence. "I've matured a lot over the last year," she said, "and gained a lot of confidence. And I now have the confidence to do what I want to do in life."
The state queen title and the traveling associated with it have meant, "No personal life ... no school ... my social life has been rodeo for a year," Ashley said, with a smile.
"It's been a mixture of lots and lots of fun, and stress, and tears," Ashley said of the past year and a half. She's learned that she is a role model for many little girls and rodeo fans across the state. "Little girls want to be like me," she said, adding quietly, "That responsibility has made me try to be a better person. I don't want to let them down."
If Ashley's career as rodeo queen ends in Vegas, she won't be disappointed. She said she'll always remember the fun, the travel and the great people she's met. "If it's God's plan that I finish my education, then that'll be great too," She said. "I like school. It'll be OK to go back."
However, if Ashley's career continues for another year -- this one as "Miss Rodeo America" -- she'll look forward to even more fun, lots more travel and even more great people to meet.