  | Volume IX, Issue 2 April - May 1999 |
A Word from Your President
Spring is here! Now that the ground is thawing, it's time to come out of your winter hibernation and get involved. We're moving into gear to plan our major events for the year -- a Spring dance, our annual rodeo school, Pride celebrations and, of course, Atlantic Stampede '99. This issue of the newsletter is full of opportunities for you to participate in our upcoming events, both large and small, and our committee chairs need your help! They can not do it alone, and only with your involvement can ASGRA continue to sponsor successful events. On a more business-related note, spring also means it's time to start thinking about our annual Bylaws meeting. If you are interested in serving on the Bylaws committee, or have ideas for changes that should be made to the Bylaws, please let me know as soon as possible. Springtime is here and ASGRA is busy -- so join us! -Jason Hays, President 
WANTED!
Individual(s) will need to: Happy Trails to You. Weather permitting, we will be holding trail rides at Piscataway Ranch in Clinton, Maryland at 10:30am on the following Sundays: April 11th: De-Stress from the IRS! Come on out and ride and relax before the April 15th crush! We'll be practicing 2 of the rodeo camp events after the ride - Steer deco and Wild Drag! May 9th: Spring is in the air and on the trails! Join the herd for a relaxing ride and take time to smell the flowers!
ASGRA Roughstock '99
Horsin' Around.
Looking for an Easter bonnet??
California Dreamin' Yet?
ASGRA Steak and Egg Brunch Sunday,
Catch Spring Fever!
FREE FIREWOOD!!
ASGRA member,
Farm in Middleburg, In Memoriam 
Johnny Dodgen, beloved ASGRA member
Johnny C. Dodgen, or "Jonda" as he was fondly referred to by those on the rodeo circuit, passed away on February 19, 1999 at home on his farm in Aquasco, Maryland, of AIDS-related complications. He was 54 years old.
Those who knew him knew that Jonda was devoted to the breeding, care and grooming of animals, both professionally and as an avocation. His special love of horses was well known, and he was an active member of ASGRA, as well as a certified IGRA judge. Jonda was also deeply spiritual and continued to follow the tradition of his grandfather, a Native American from the Smokey Mountains. Eric Gangloff, his lifetime companion, said "He was devoted to his friends, and he considered all beings to be his friends, once a bond had been established. He had a sly sense of humor and was always able to find a way to help others feels at ease with a joke. He cared very deeply about their wellbeing and expressed his care by hands-on treatment and love." The members of ASGRA would like to offer our sincerest condolences to Eric on the loss of his partner. Jonda was a very special person; he will be missed.
Larry Stokes (Miss GSGRA 1999), known to many as Brandy Watters, passed away on February 11, 1999. A long time resident of Sacramento, CA, Larry was a member of GSGRA's Capital Crossroads - Sacramento Chapter. Larry had been battling cancer for a year. In December, his doctors located an inoperable brain tumor at which point Larry was only given six months. His courage and strength allowed him to continue his brave fight for another two months. Although Larry was with us for only a short time, his memory will live on. On behalf of our membership, the ASGRA Royalty offers our sincerest sympathy to the Capital Crossroads - Sacramento Chapter membership and GSGRA Royalty on their loss. John Stortz |
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Bulletin from the Board At the March meeting of the AGSRA Executive Board, it was decided to reduce the amount of Directors and Officers insurance to a level more in line with the size and nature of the organization. This will also allow us to remain within our budget for this year. In order to do this a bylaw change will be required. The Board will be pursuing this with the bylaws committee. 
Did You Know? that you can find the ASGRA newsletter at the following locations?The Stagecoach in Baltimore, MD Remington's in Washington, DC Rainbow Cactus in Virginia Beach, VA Cyber Cowgirl has been checking out the online rodeo world… here are some of the interesting places I've found:
http://www.buckers.com Have you found interesting websites on the C&W lifestyle, rodeo, country dancing or other related topics? Share your online goldmine with the rest of the ASGRA herd! Send fun site information to the Editor. Committee Meeting Schedules Membership Committee 
Remington's (upstairs); 639 Pennsylvania Ave., SE; Washington, DC meetings will be held the 2nd Thursday of every month
Fundraising & Sponsorship 1535 9th Street, NW; Washington, DC meetings will be held the 2nd Thursday of every month Public Relations February meeting: Mr. Henry's Restaurant, upstairs; 601 Pennsylvania Ave., SE; Washington, DC Meetings will be held the 1st Wednesday of every month Rodeo Events & Training Mr. Henry's Restaurant, upstairs; 601 Pennsylvania Ave., SE; Washington, DC meetings will be held the 3rd Tuesday of every month Social & Entertainment February meeting: Mr. Henry's Restaurant; 601 Pennsylvania Ave., SE; Washington, DC meetings will be held the 2nd Tuesday of every month contact Patrick Hunter for March meeting location Newsletter (NOTE NEW SCHEDULE!!) Mr. Henry's Restaurant, upstairs; 601 Pennsylvania Ave., SE; Washington, DC meetings will be held the 3rd Monday of every month 
Board membersPresident: Jason Hays Vice-President: Les Boggs Secretary: Gaither Pennington Treasurer: Steven Haber Membership: Daniel Lusk Fundraising & Sponsorship: Bruce Forchheimer Public Relations: Micheal DiPaula Rodeo Events & Training: Cindy Brendle Social & Entertainment: Patrick Hunter IGRA Trustee: Michael Lentz Newsletter Editor: Alana (Lonni) La Bel CAB Representative 1999: Billy Collison Mr. ASGRA 1999: Patrick Nelson Ms. ASGRA 1999: Alana (Lonni) La Bel Miss ASGRA 1999: Miss Patty Como (Matt Komornik) March 26 8:00pm Ms. ASGRA at Franklyn's Café; benefit for House of Ruth 28 4:00pm General Membership Meeting, TBA
April
Don't miss the DC Cowboys' Silent Auction at the Stagecoach Saloon and Restaurant in Baltimore on April 11 from 6-10pm! Call the Stagecoach (410- 547-0107) for more details!
WRITE All About It! Got some exciting or candid photos of an ASGRA event or rodeo? Send your contributions to Lonni La Bel. June/July issue: Articles/info due: Monday, 5/17/99 Mail out date: Saturday/Sunday, 5/22-23 
1999 IGRA RodeosRodeo Wichita KGRA Wichita, KS April 2-4 LA Rodeo 15 GSGRA Los Angeles, CA April 9-11 Rodeo in the Rock (NEW DATE!) DSGRA Little Rock, AR April 23-25 Great Plains Regional Rodeo OGRA Oklahoma City, OK May 28-30 Bay Area Regional Rodeo GSGRA San Jose, CA June 18-20 Heartland Regional Rodeo HGRA Omaha, NE June 25-27 Canadian Rockies International Rodeo ARGRA Calgary, Alberta, Canada July 2-4 Rocky Mountain Regional Rodeo CGRA Denver, CO July 9-11 |
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ASGRA's 1998 and 1999 Royalty Teams are honored for their fundraising efforts at the annual BHT Awards ceremony
Fun in the Phoenix Sun! ASGRA at the Arizona Rodeo Shall We Dance? If you'd like to 'hoof it' on behalf of ASGRA at the IGRA dance finals, please contact Social & Entertainment Chairman Patrick Hunter NO LATER THAN APRIL 4TH.
Based on how many inquires are received by the cutoff date of April 4th, dance couples will be either chosen by the Social & Entertainment Committee or requested to compete at a later date. Competitors will be notified of their status by the 16th of April. Spring Fever!! The Social Scene Howdy once again to all the Cowboys and Cowgirls out in the Atlantic States Region! After the wild weather patterns of January and February, I know that you are all looking forward to the blossoming of Spring. Plans within your Social and Entertainment Committee are starting to blossom as well. The committee has rustled up a full plate of tasty events for you in the upcoming months.
Not so far off is a new event that your Social and Entertainment committee has been feverishly working on…. we're now in the final planning stages of Spring Fling! This is what was once the Winter Hoedown event that you have been hearing bits and pieces about. Well, we're filling in the last pieces of the planning puzzle. Mark your calendars for May 22nd as ASGRA brings you a night of dinner, dance and entertainment featuring Potomac Fever, the exciting ensemble from the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington. Keep an eye on your mailbox, as details about the event will be coming to you at the end of March, with tickets on sale at the beginning of April. The Social and Entertainment committee realizes that there are whole bunch of you out there who may be a little less interested in twirling yourselves out on the floor; your talents and interests lie elsewhere. Well, we're pleased to tell you that plans are being made for a bowling night, a 'cowpokes in the country' adventure event (something with canoeing, hiking, camping, possible white water rafting) and monthly Sunday brunches. Another event that will be returning this year is the Bullets and BBQ - look for news of this event in a future issue of Thirteen Spurs! So you'll have more chances to catch up with old ASGRA friends, and even to meet a few new ones. As always, if there is something that you would like to see happen, let us know! Patrick Hunter, S&E Chairman CAB BAR NIGHTS CAB is the Capital Area Board of Clubs. We keep other clubs informed of events around the DC/Baltimore area. We also keep a running calendar of events to ensure that events don't overlap too much. Keep an eye on ASGRA's newsletter and the website for updates to the CAB calendar. Every Wednesday night at the DC Eagle is CAB Bar Night, where clubs rotate working at the beer bar.
The next Wednesday Bar Night at the DC Eagle will be May 5th (it's Cinco de Mayo!), so come out and have some fun! This is a great way to meet new people and get to know the Leather folks. If you're feeling awkward, come early while the crowd is small and you can chat with your ASGRA bartender. You can even pour a few beers and tell your friends you have tended bar at a leather bar! Let's get some Cowgirls into the DC Eagle (hey ladies, Ms. ASGRA plans to be there!) and show them what a fun crowd we are! It's time to introduce more new people to ASGRA and the Rodeo! Billy Collison, CAB Representative |
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The Shopping Benefit Wednesday, April 7, 1999 10 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. Bloomingdale's, Tysons Corner and White Flint Malls Bloomingdale's is providing House of Ruth with a unique fundraising opportunity. This is a special shopping day and it works like this: House of Ruth is selling tickets to the event. The $10 ticket fee will go entirely to House of Ruth while the purchaser reaps the benefits of 15% savings on thousands of items throughout the store. Bloomingdale's will award House of Ruth an additional $5 when you attend the event with an advanced sale ticket.
Love Shack '99 The evening kicked off with a performance by a real queen, Vita Opulence, decked out as the Wicked Queen from Snow White. A sip from her magic potion, and Vita was transformed into a leather cat-suited diva, who heated up the floor, along with the temperatures of quite a few of the spectators! PURRR!! Setting fire to floor as well was Miss ASGRA 1999, Patty Como, looking fabulous as always in a blazing red dress. Love certainly did Travel as Miss Patty belted out Kathy Mattea's tune with a flare, flash and style that only she can bring to a dance floor. Red River Western Wear's Sandy Thompson burned a few holes of her own… in husband Jerry's wallet! Their generosity just kept on flowing from her hands to all the performers-with quite a few of those dollars going down Daniel Lusk's shirt. Cowboys received an extra treat, as Daniel had to remove his shirt to get all those dollars out. The Cowgirls got a dual treat, first from the sensuously hot performance of singer Meredith Thomas, and then from Ms. ASGRA herself, who really got into the spirit of the rub-a-dub cowboy auction. Lonni challenged the crowd to raise $250 and she would strip down to her underthings and take a dip in the tub. Before a drag queen could bat an eyelash a cry came from the crowd "I've got a credit card!" and Lonni was carried off to be soaped up and hosed down. The crowd itself could have used a hose down as three other rub-a-dub cowboys bared almost all to raise money for the cause. Runner up Mr. ASGRA Brian Baker, Tryver Wood and Roger Browner all dipped into the tub as spectators dipped into their hearts and wallets. The evening was chock full of fun, with wonderful entertainment by a wide variety of talented singers, as well as several gift certificates for dinners and dance lessons that were raffled off to the crowd. Coordinator Jose Cardoso is to be commended for his efforts, as are the tireless volunteers who worked the crowd all evening. It was an especially Happy Valentines Day especially for House of Ruth, as Love Shack '99 attendees raised over $1200 for the evening. It just shows once again that DC's Cowboys and Cowgirls have hearts as wide as a western prairie. Patrick Hunter
More on Royalty Well, another rodeo season is in full swing and ASGRA's Royalty team is busy raising money for this year's designated charities! As this issue goes to press, the Royalty team is gearing up for the Gary Robinson Memorial "Shirt Off Your Back" Auction, to be held on March 20 at the Stagecoach Saloon and Restaurant in Baltimore. A traditional Shirt Auction is planned, with some of our very own cowboys and cowgirls as models. The proceeds from this event will be donated to all three royalty charities (NAMES Project DC, PFLAG of Howard County and House of Ruth). See the next issue for a review of this event! Next up is another chance for the ladies to get 'wet & wild' as Ms. ASGRA takes country to the popular women's bar, the Phase I on 8th St., SE for April Phool's at the Phase. The fun starts at 9pm and includes a 50/50 raffle and wet T-shirt contest.
Mr. ASGRA 1999, Patrick Nelson is also heading up an effort to help PFLAG of Howard County plan and execute the First Annual PFLAG Prom, which will be held on May 8, 8pm-midnight at the Sheraton in Columbia, MD. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased from Patrick Nelson, who will also be looking for volunteer chaperones to help out on the evening of the dance. Break out that formal country western attire and let's 'Prom-enade'! Remember, it's the job of ASGRA's Royalty team to educate the general public on rodeo, ASGRA, IGRA and the C&W lifestyle, as well as to raise funds for our charities. We appreciate your generous support and enthusiasm! |
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| [an error occurred while processing this directive] | [an error occurred while processing this directive] | P.O. Box 22042 Alexandria, VA 22304-9204 (202) 547-9590 |
Rodeo Events & Training will be offering training in chute dogging and steer riding on April 17 and 18 at Gray Rock Ranch in Boyds, Maryland. Each event will be offered at a cost of $65 each or $100 for training in both events. The school is being conducted by T-D Rodeo Company (the folks who provide the stock for our rodeo). Applications will be accepted on a first come-first served basis. The registration deadline is April 1 (no foolin'!), and you will need to provide a copy of your health insurance card along with your check or money order. Contact RE&T Chair Cindy Brendle for more information, applications and directions.
Jonda was born August 18, 1944 in Knoxville, Tennessee and raised in several east Tennessee communities. He joined the Navy shortly after high school, traveling extensively throughout Europe, South Asia and the Mediterranean during his service. Upon his honorable discharge from the Navy he returned to Knoxville, where he studied business management and owned and managed several pet wholesale and retail businesses. He moved to the DC area in 1983, working most recently at Rags to Riches, a pet grooming shop in Alexandria, Virginia that he managed until his retirement in 1997 for health reasons.
May
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One event that I know most of you look forward to is Hoedown 99! Plans are underway to bring you this special evening. We're also actively working on the dance tent at DC Pride once again. It may seem that June is far off in the distance, but the Pride festival will be upon us before you know it.
On January 13th the "Get ready for Leather Weekend" event made $175 for ASGRA! Many Leathermen were out, but not many Cowboys or Cowgirls could be found. 9 Our man Eddie was showing off his body in his leather harness for the Leathermen, though! The March 10th bar night - "Pin the Rodeo on the State" - made $97 for ASGRA! It was the day after the big storm and not many were out. But we did have some members there to keep things rolling. Thanks to Rob, Patrick, David, Les and Mike for braving the elements!
House of Ruth helps women, children and families affected by homelessness and domestic violence to build stable and independent lives and is a 1999 Royalty charity. Tickets will be on sale at Lambda Rising or they can also be purchased through Ms. ASGRA 1999, Lonni La Bel.
On the community service front, Miss Patty Como will be soliciting volunteers for a collaborative effort between ASGRA, BHT and Names Project DC. The project is to create a new BHT Rainbow Flag for Pride Celebrations and other similar events. BHT and Names Project will provide the fabric, Names Project DC will provide facilities and sewing equipment and the Royalty Team will provide the people-power to do the sewing. "Quilting Bees" are scheduled for April 19, May 10 and May 17. The project MUST be completed by June 1 so the flag will be ready for both Baltimore and DC Pride.