Greetings Cowboys and Cowgirls,
I want to announce that your President is back at the helm and on full duty. I wish to thank all of my ASGRA brothers and sisters for their phone calls and cards of get well wishes after my recent medical emergency. My doctors have told me that I should have a full recovery over the next several months. Thank you Ms. Lonni La Bel, our Vice-president, for stepping in to manage the organization while I was hospitalized.

Please be sure to say thank you to Patrick Hunter and Mike Lentz for coordinating our fantastic DC Pride Dance Tent event this year. I also want to thank all of the dedicated members that helped set up our tent and worked the event on a very long and hot day. Also I want to thank Les Boggs, Sonny Koerner, Cindy Brendle and the ASGRA Parade Team for a job well done.

Please check out your newsletter for upcoming social events. Hoedown in Baltimore is right around the corner. Make plans to be there. It is a great evening. You don't want to miss it! I hope to see you there. You will find me behind the bar again this year serving cocktails.

Please be an active part of your rodeo association. Volunteer and help out when and where you can. Every little bit helps. Don't miss out on the fun.

Let's Rodeo!
David H, President

ASGRA's contingent reaches far and wide into every corner of the country. This Atlantic States Cowboy made his first trip to the western states of our nation as he attended the Idaho Gay Rodeo Association's Spring Round Up 2001! Unlike the weather at many of the rodeos that have taken place this year the Idaho Round Up weather was beautiful, with the sun shining down on us and temperatures in the 80s. Mother Nature did give a nod to Omaha last year as a dust devil kicked its way up through the arena about mid-afternoon.

Round Up 2001 had the feel of a smaller IGRA Rodeo, with approximately 70 cowboys and cowgirls gathering to compete. The setting was right out of a western movie set - with a backdrop of stunning scenery that featured the foothills and valley of the upper Rocky Mountains in Kuna, Idaho. The hospitality of the IDGRA cowfolk couldn't have been better. They truly made this out-of-towner feel right at home. The Round Up includes some of the more traditional rodeo events while incorporating some fun IDGRA exclusive camp events as well, including pole bending on stick horses and three-legged barrel racing, which believe me is two-hoots!

Miss Dee Dee Snow Devine Bixler and Mr. Rich Snow Devine Bixler (the 23rd Empress and Emperor of Idaho), Jeff Taylor and other IDGRA contingent members led off the festivities carrying the flags for Grand Entry. Rob Newburn sang the National Anthem while Thom Davis and his horse proudly paraded the American flag around the arena. Among the day's highlights were Fast Eddie's (IDGRA) barrel ride, Patrick Hunter (ASGRA) and Jeff Taylor's (IDGRA) interesting reverse pattern in the three-legged barrel race and Angie Buschner (IDGRA) celebrating her birthday by making her first catch in Calf Roping on Foot still target.

After the Round Up the festivities moved to The Emerald Club where awards ribbons were passed out for the winners, and the crowd was entertained with performances by Cowboy James, Pepper, Dee Dee and Rich, among others. The entertainment continued for the crowd as they moved on over to The Locker Room where Lester Liu took an affection to a pair of very large inflated boxing gloves, much to the delight of Jeff Taylor. I won't tell you exactly what Lester did with the boxing gloves, let's just say "If only I had my Polaroid".

All in all IDGRA's Spring Round Up was a good ol' time with fantastic folks and some of the best scenery I've put eyes on in a while, both in nature and in the men and women. Definitely, an event that was well worth the trip. I encourage anyone looking for a good old western time to check out the IDGRA Round Up and Play Day. I can tell you first hand that you definitely will not regret it!
Patrick Hunter

Are You Coming to Hoedown?
Make an ASGRA day of it! Come to the General Membership Meeting at the Museum of Industry (the dance site) at 4:00 PM. Snacks & Sodas will be provided and Hoedown tickets will be available at the advanced sale discounted price of $10.00 each. That's $2.00 off the door price for card carrying ASGRA members! After the meeting, help out with set up or go out to dinner with a bunch of folks from the Association. There's a nice Middle Eastern Café in walking distance and plenty of great restaurants within a short ride. After dinner, come on back to the Museum of Industry and party the night away!
Mike Schanno, Membership Chair

Hoedown at the Baltimore Museum of Industry: July 14
Dance on Delaware A summer event in Rehoboth: August 3-5
Stampede Training Day/Play Day: August 19
Atlantic Stampede 2001: September 7-9
Entertainment and Atlantic Coast Open Dance Contest: Awards Event at the Hunt Club in Alexandria, VA October 28
Provided by Jim Morgan, S&E Chair

IGRA Trustee: Les Boggs 2514-C S Walter Reed Dr Arlington, VA 22206-1289
Rodeo Director/Webmaster: Billy Collison 2155 Mohegan Drive Falls Church, VA 22043-2512
BHT Representative 2001: Bruce Forchheimer 1535 9th St NW Washington, DC 20001-3207
CAB Representative 2001: Patrick Hunter 410 15th Street, NE #26 Washington, DC 20002
Mr. ASGRA 2001: Robert Boaz 9853 Maple Leaf Dr. Gaithersburg, MD 20886
1st Runner-up Mr. ASGRA 2001: John Stortz 910 Lilac Arbor Rd. Dacula, GA 30019
Miss ASGRA 2001: Miss Blair Michaels 1225 Martha Custis Dr. #1017 Alexandria, VA 22302-2021
Ms. ASGRA 2001: MaDonna Medina 10 Brinks Ct. Sterling, VA 20165-5789

Beginning in July, the ASGRA trail rides return to the first Sunday of the month at 11:00am! Weather permitting, we will be holding a trail ride at Piscataway Ranch in Clinton, MD at 11:00 am on the following days:
July 1st: Get an early start on the 4th of July holiday and join your compatriots on the trail!
August 5th: Summertime and the riding is easy!
September 2nd: Back to school and back to the trails!
For further information, contact Glenn.

Regardless of the weather, we will be holding monthly training sessions for roping and camp events at Hideaway Ranch in Brandywine, MD at noon on the following days:
Sunday, July 22, 2001 - Roping on foot with live calves
Sunday, August 12, 2001 - All horse events plus roping on foot with live calves
Due to the cost of live calves, there will be a nominal charge of $5.00 per person for use of the livestock for calf roping on foot. Hope to see you all there!
Contact Louis Varnado & Andy Pittman for more info.

At last we have some rodeos to write about! Out on the west coast LA had a big waterfall going for a short time in the horse arena - that's one way to soften it up! Ms. IGRA 2000 was sporting a beautiful rainbow bustle on her on her back end from back slamming the arena on her steer ride on Saturday. CGRA member blew out a knee, while MIGRA is still working on some hefty bumps and bruises. Word is out that Little Rock had a wonderful rodeo! Seems the OGRA members were sporting real nice team shirts in Little Rock. Ms. ASGRA 2001 turned out to be the only female competing in steer riding in Little Rock, and she came within tenths of a second of covering her bony backed steer. One of the MGRA Calf ropers on foot complained about always being first to go - as luck would have it they always catch the calf! One of the DSRA volunteers in Little Rock got a little carried away chair dancing and fell into the crowd making a big domino effect with the audience! A certain TGRA member is looking for new jeans…seems the old ones ripped (booty call!). Last but not least those SEGRA members and the Hot Springs…I hear it's a very nice place to visit!

The chutes in Oklahoma were just a rockin' - the stock contractor furnished the rodeo with some mighty fine stock. Those steers and bulls knew just the right way to rip up the contestant jeans - there was a view of something for everyone at some point! Wrangler is gonna make a fortune from IGRA contestants this year… CGRA member just loves for the peanut gallery to cheer for them during competition - so much so that there was an early full moon in the arena for all to see. Seems the judges needed a few lessons on how to stay mounted on the judging horse. Certain CGRA contestants found a novel way to get over having a lousy rodeo - special rubber stemware… just hope it was new and not used! One HGRA member celebrated a birthday evening locating and paying a ransom to get the rental car out of the impound lot. Gotta learn to read No Parking signs, hon!

Wild and crazy events going on behind all of the chutes in Salt Lake, Atlanta and San Jose! Seems the stock contractor in Salt Lake really had to work his booty in the chute since there were not enough volunteers to go around - but did they ever do a good job! We hear tell that one of the oldest CGRA contestants really celebrated the All Around buckle with an NMGRA contestant. Still wondering exactly how one CGRA contestant got a rash in the front of their pants at the dinner table? HGRA contestant was giving an AGRA contestant a real hard time about how rodeo folks live in filth. Said HGRA member collected a new sporting red wig - wonder when we'll get to see that same red wigged one doing Drag?

Moving on to Atlanta rodeo - seems the chute crew was dealing with a repeat of steeplechase steers from last year. HEADS UP! One SEGRA contestant learned about sharing equipment - we're sure you left a memory in the MIGRA contestant's heart that will last a lifetime. There's a TGRA contestant still wondering just how far out from the roping box start judges can be to be consistent. Seems the Atlanta rodeo officials were riding in style in limos. Rumor has it one of them got a lesson in Tipping 101 for being as tight with cash as they are with official calls… MIGRA's bus trip to Atlanta rodeo sounded like a wild ride! TOOOO MUCH chatter happening on that bus!

Out in San Jose it seems everyone was getting the suntan lotion rub round the pool. And what's up with the escape goats? Did anyone get a video of the Arena Director taking a dive trying to catch the Houdini goat slipping out of its harness? Chatter met Miss IGRA 1993 - Chili Pepper can still bring the house down even while celebrating her 40th birthday! One GSGRA contestant has started a new mating call - "Manure!". At the after hours pool party some of the AGRA, GSGRA and OGRA girls were catching up on events when a hotel patron from Texas decided to join them…did they ever do a number on him! Had one TGRA contestant who took a good hit from a steer and spent the night in the hospital harassing the nurses. A certain GSGRA contestant is proud to be carrying 14 stitches for the first time from chin diving the bull's head - there have gotta be better ways to pick up a medic. Well, Chatter in the Chutes must go for now and get ready for Omaha, Calgary and Denver chatter. And we can't wait till Convention!

July
1 11:00am Trail Ride at Piscataway stables, Clinton, MD
1 Midnight Final information for Stampede program due
8 10:00am Chute Moving Day at Piscataway to Hideaway Ranch
10 7:00pm Rodeo Meeting; Capital Hilton, Washington, DC
11 7:30pm ASGRA Board Meeting; Gaither Pennington's home
11 8:00pm BHT Meeting; DC Eagle; Washington, DC
11 9:00pm ASGRA Bar Night; DC Eagle
13 8:00pm ASGRA Night at Stage Coach Saloon   Restaurant, Baltimore
13 9:00pm Shirt Auction and Benefit hosted by Mr. ASGRA 2001   First Runner-up Mr. IGRA 2001; Sheridan's Saloon, Washington, DC
14 4:00pm General Membership Meeting; Baltimore
14 9:00pm Hoedown, Baltimore Museum of Industry
16 7:30pm Membership Committee Meeting, location TBD
16 7:30pm Newsletter Committee Meeting, location TBD
18 8:00pm CAB Meeting; DC Eagle; Washington, DC
22 Noon Roping Training/Practice; Hideaway Ranch, Brandywine, MD
23 Midnight Newsletter submissions due to Editor
August
1 Entertainment applications for Stampede 2001 due to S E Committee
1 7:30pm ASGRA Board Meeting; location TBD
3-5 Dance on the Delaware - ASGRA's Rehoboth weekend event
5 11:00am Trail Ride at Piscataway stables, Clinton, MD
8 8:00pm BHT Meeting; DC Eagle; Washington, DC
10 8:00pm ASGRA Night at Stage Coach Saloon   Restaurant, Baltimore
12 Noon Roping Training/Practice; Hideaway Ranch, Brandywine, MD
15 8:00pm CAB Meeting; DC Eagle; Washington, DC
20 7:30pm Membership Committee Meeting, location TBD
20 7:30pm Newsletter Committee Meeting, location TBD
20 Midnight Newsletter submissions due to Editor
TBD 4:00pm ASGRA Membership Mtg; location TBD

Oklahoma City, OK (May 25-27, 2001):
Memorial Day weekend found a small but lively band of ASGRA members off to compete at the Great Plains Rodeo in Oklahoma City. Although the venue was familiar, we had a new stock contractor this year and that really spiced things up for everyone, especially the roughstock competitors! Despite torrential rains on Sunday night just after awards, everyone had a great time, in and out of the arena! :

• Oscar Mocelo started things off, placing 4th Saturday and 2nd on Sunday in Steer Riding to finish in 2nd place overall.
• Reddi Whip (aka Lonni La Bel) finally managed to catch a calf in competition this year, taking 7th on Sunday in Calf Roping on Foot.
• Les Boggs had success earlier in the same event, taking 5th on Saturday. <>LIDennis Terrell fared slightly better, with a 1st place catch on Saturday and 4th on Sunday to take 2nd place overall for the men in Calf Roping on Foot.
• Dennis also did well in Chute Dogging, taking 3rd on Saturday and 1st on Sunday to secure a 1st place finish for the weekend.

• In Flag Racing, he placed 6th on Saturday.
• A 3rd place on Saturday and 1st on Sunday allowed Dennis to finish up in 2nd place overall for Breakaway Roping.
• Partnered with Andy Anaya (TGRA) and alternating as header and heeler, the team placed 1st and 3rd Saturday, then 2nd and 1st on Sunday to take the number 1 and 2 positions overall for the weekend in Team Roping.
• In Wild Drag Dennis and Andy teamed up with Sandra Anaya (AGRA) to place 3rd on Saturday and 4th overall.
• Steer Deco gave Dennis and Andy the chance to take 1st on Saturday and 5th on Sunday, leaving them with the buckle for the weekend in that event. Oscar and his partner Monkey (CGRA) took 8th Sunday and overall in the same event.
• Finally in Goat Dressing, ASGRA had 2 teams place in the final top 8. Dennis and Andy placed 2nd Saturday, ending up in 4th place for the weekend. Les teamed up with Tom Sheridan of MIGRA to take the 8th place slot for the weekend.
• Dennis Terrell finished in 2nd place for All Around Cowboy.
• Overall, Team ASGRA earned 700 points and placed 3rd of the 13 associations competing.

Stay Tuned! :