Miss Rodeo America 2003

Thursday, January 9, 2003

The wind sends clouds of dust scuttling across the dry plains, and Lori Bortner tips her white felt hat into the gusts.

In the distance, cattle graze on hay scattered across the winter pasture. In the farmyard, Lori's horse snuffles against her shoulder.

It's this country life, this western way of life that's helped make Lori what she is today -- "Miss Rodeo America 2003," a representative of the history and heritage, the work and play of a western lifestyle.

As the new Miss Rodeo America, Lori's responsibilities include promoting a western lifestyle and the sport of professional rodeo.

That'll be easy for Lori ... it's how she grew up.

Both sides of Lori's family -- the Bortners and the Quigleys -- are farmers and ranchers. Her family always attended rodeos, Lori said, and she competed in poles and barrels in high school rodeos. She's taught horseback riding lessons.

Lori doesn't remember "learning" to ride; she knows she's been on horses since she was about two years old. "I remember a horse named Charlie," Lori muses. " ... and riding double with Luke."

"I was a tag-along with Amy, in 4-H," Lori recalls. "I won pee-wee trophies with Socks, who's still here, retired, on the ranch."

Lori competed in her first rodeo queen contest in 1999, winning the title of Southwest Nebraska Rodeo Queen 2000. She then earned second runner-up honors in the Miss Rodeo Ak-Sar-Ben contest, and won the Miss Rodeo Nebraska 2002 title.

Lori concluded that reign by competing in the week-long national pageant, which culminated with her coronation on Dec. 7, 2002.

Lori feels she learned something different and valuable in every competition. "The interview skills I've learned will be invaluable in my professional career," Lori said.

Concentration and study skills she learned while preparing for the national pageant will also help when she returns to college, Lori said. Lori was a student at College of St. Mary in Omaha when she won the state title.

Lori will return to college when her national reign ends, in January 2004, picking up on her studies in sports medicine and orthopedic surgery. After 21/2 more years of college and then medical school, Lori envisions working for a professional football team, or maybe for professional rodeo.

Lori will finance some of her college expenses with the $10,000 and $500 scholarships she won with the national queen title and for the pageant's "Miss Personality" award.

Lori's duties for the next year will take her coast-to-coast and border-to-border.

"This is the perfect job for me." Lori smiled. "I love to travel."

She'll appear at rodeos and fairs, help with queen pageants, make community appearances, attend social functions.

Lori has trips planned to learn more about the pageant's corporate sponsors, such as the Dallas Western Wear Market, Montana Silversmiths and Wrangler jeans.

Miss Rodeo America does so much more than attend rodeos, Lori said, explaining her main responsibility during the year will be outside the arena.

"I'm a spokesperson for the sport of rodeo," Lori said, "a promoter of professional rodeo."

To people unfamiliar with the sport, and to animal rights activists who object to the sport, Lori says, "We treat our animals well. They live long, happy lives."

She continued, "Our animals work less than five minutes a year. And the injury rate is less than 1/10th of 1 percent."

The sport of rodeo grew from ordinary, every-day tasks on ranches in America's rugged west, Lori said. "Ranchers roped calves so they could doctor them," she said. "They rode broncs to break their horses to ride."

Bull-riding? "Well, that probably started on a dare," she laughed.

Lori likes the values of professional rodeo, she said, the sportsmanship, the opportunities for family involvement. "I want to share those values with others," Lori said.

Lori looks forward to her reign as Miss Rodeo America, to the travel, and to meeting people. "I like people, and I like to talk," Lori said. "Everyone has a different story, and I love to hear them all."

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