Congratulations David from Jim Thorpe PA. Great Job!!

Wow... I'm finally done with this months newsletter. There is so much in here this month that I can't name it all. All the upcoming summer events (so far) are listed in this edition. My bio is in this month and its sure to get a chuckle or two. Results from the FGRA Rodeo for LGRA, Poster contest winner and Jeff's rendition of how he broke his leg.

Hope to see you all at Equality Forum!!

XXX's & OOO's
~Jade

Email the Editor

Howdy gang,
I am still dreaming of the Sunshine Stampede in Florida. The weather couldn't have been better and everywhere I looked I saw LGRA members. I came home with a pretty blue ribbon for chute doggin and Jeff took a 3rd in chute doggin. He was against 46 of the best male chute doggers in the country. Ernie Bowers represented us as Trustee at the IGRA Board Meeting then helped FGRA during the weekend. Tom Dykes worked his tail off all weekend for FGRA and brought home a wealth of knowledge. Marcel also worked the whole weekend behind the chutes, keeping the animals moving. Mike Lentz, one of our lifetime members, was one of the judges. Frank Colvin, an Independence member took 7th overall in chute doggin and a 4th place in Steer Deco. I have known Frank for 15 years. He has been one of our biggest supporters and one of my best friends. Cowboy Alan's Wild Drag Team took a 3rd on Saturday also.
The stands were filled with our membership and our friends. I certainly hope everyone had as great a time as I had.
Carmen from the Philadelphia Visitors and Convention Bureau had also traveled to Florida with us. He gave a presentation at the IGRA Trustee's meeting to encourage that meeting to take place during our Liberty Stampede. Philadelphia is the very first city ever to send a representative to one of these meetings. We just added another chapter in the history books.
Lasso's and Lariats.... what a great event. Loved the new venue. The group of friends that had pulled Lasso's together this year had gone over the top. This is one of the greatest fundraiser's all year long. I can't wait to hear what the final numbers are!!
We have a couple events coming up fast. Rodeo school is in two weeks up in Harrisburg followed by the Bears on Liberty weekend. LGRA will be pouring the beer at Sal's restaurant on Friday May 18th. $10.00 gets you food and beverage so come on out and support us and the Liberty Bears.
That's all for now... I hope to see many of you at all the upcoming Pride events.

A group picture of some of our hometown members at the FGRA Rodeo in Florida

We have our 1st volunteer to receive Liberty Points. A dedicated friend of the organization, J.R., has volunteered to help us out for the Equality Forum on May 6, 2007. I've come to know J.R. through his friendship with our vice-president Jeff and his partner Mike. I'm thrilled to have him on board. Please stop by our booth in the early part of the day to say hello to J.R. and the rest of us.

J.R. is pictured to the right---->


We've got a lot planned for this summer and fall in which we will need your help. Please contact me at volunteer@LibertyGRA.org for more information or to volunteer your time. Keep checking the website for information on events coming up. Remember, we always need help no matter how small you may think the event is (they're never small!).

Speaking of websites, I've created a photo site for the LGRA that allows us to share photos amongst ourselves. Any photos you wish to share can be added in 2 ways. You can email them to any board member of the LGRA or you can email them directly to the website and they get posted immediately. It's called a "photo blog". However, to use this feature we do need to add your email address to the internal security of the site so that we don't get people posting inappropriate material. For more information shoot me an email and I'll add your email address to the "blog" and send you further instructions.

Chris Maurizio
LGRA Volunteer Coordinator

Photo Website

So you're wondering how I became a part of LGRA? I was abducted. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I was standing in the kitchen of some good friends of mine getting ready to go outside and I heard a voice behind me asking if I would like to use her coat. I turned around and there was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen and her name was Jen. That's the last thing I remember. Next thing I knew she was taking me to an LGRA meeting I was being nominated for Assistant Membership because I had the knowledge and skills to make membership cards. Then one day I opened my mouth again and was talking about other things I had done and that got me Publications Chair. so here I am with the newsletter.

I was a straight girl whose only experience with rodeo was on a Girl Scout outing at the age of twelve to cow town. I have discovered over time that knowledge increases my passion for this lifestyle. I have gotten to know the people and they have become like family to me. Country music is still not a station on my car radio but I'm getting better at tolerating it.

Other than that I'm the mother of a 16 year old who has accepted my choices openly. I think I got lucky there. I live in Maryland, about 45 minutes from Philly. I'll be at the Equality Forum on Sunday. Stop by and say hi if you can and I'm also the tent decorator this year so I'd appreciate some fresh ideas or a pat on the back. and I'll have treats for everyone.

Love,
~jade
newsletter@libertygra.org

The first warm trail ride of the year was a huge success. We ended up with a total of 18 people onboard. About 8 were repeat customers the other 10 were newcomers to the association. The farm decided to split the group into 2 groups one beginners/intermediates the other more somewhat more advanced. I myself was on the advanced. During our ride they kept the pace up by having us at a fast trot or canter. As usually we went mostly on dirt trails and back roads and ended by riding the horses up the creek where most of us got a little wet from the horses playing in the water. Over all everyone raved about the review. The trail ride was your typical hour and a half

More about Trail Rides

My personal adventure to the Florida Gay Rodeo aka the Sunshine Stampede. As always there can never be a trip with the Philly crew without a little drama. On Friday the 13th of April 2007, 6 of us good friends boarded the plane to florida to visit the beautiful city of Ft Lauderdale and to visit/compete at their Sunshine Stampede Rodeo. The weekend started out great. Friday afternoon there was a pool party that was thrown for anyone that wanted to join in. It was incredible a couple 100 cowboys and cowgirls all lounging around a pool and relaxing before the real party began at the rodeo grounds. What a great way too start off the weekend. That night was a giant bar tour that drug us to 4-5 of the towns incredible bars. The following morning bright and early it was time for those of us competeing to get off to the rodeo grounds early. ( don't wanna miss any of the action) Jen and myself were involved in an earlier competition of steer deco. It was a great way to start off and get comfortable in the arena and with the animals. Bad news about that is we didn't get our time but we definitely gave it our all. The 2nd event of the day for me was chute dogging. The total cowboys competeing were 48 and I was about 28th in line. I can't explain in words how intense it is to get into the chute with one of these animals. All I can say is you gotta try it, Behind me and coaching me was Jen. After getting a feel for the animal I got myself psyched up as they came over and got ready to pop the chute open. As I gave the okay and the chute opened I drug the animal out of the chute, throw myself over backwards and pull the steer down with me. It happened so quickly that it wasn't until I was getting back up that I felt the pain in my leg. As I tried to stumble to the chutes to climb out of the arena I was seeing black. With the help of Jen calling out to me I managed to make it over the chutes and sat down realizing I must have done a number on my leg (hoping it was only a sprain) . I decided to try and walk it off and stayed behind the chutes so I could watch Jen compete. It was till after here event that I realized walking on the leg wasn't gonna work. So with Jens help (aka my crutch) I got around the back of the chutes to the contestant area where they pulled my boot off of my swollen ankle and got the paramedics. It was at this point I was informed that I got third place out of the 48 cowboys with a time of 3.07 sec and here I sit with my ankle that looked like a baseball. At this point I called in the calvary (my other half Mike) who brought the car around and it was off to the hospital. After 2 hours 3 x-rays and a lot of pain I was informed I broke my Fibula and would not be walkin on that leg anytime soon. (damn there goes competeing on Sunday) After that it was back to the hotel to dull the pain with cocktails. That night the local rodeo assoc. had a great dance at the hotel and the rodeo the next day was incredible.

On Sunday after the rodeo the awards ceremony for the contestants was beautiful. After hosting a rodeo that handles over 4000 spectators we have to hand it too FGRA for putting on one hell of a great rodeo.

LGRA will be at Equality Forum this year. Please stop by our booth and say hello and talk to our representatives about joining our Gay Rodeo Association!

LGRA Events

The rodeo school is sponsored by the Atlantic States Gay Rodeo Association and they have invited LGRA members to participate.

The Bear Crawl – $20
The afternoon Delaware river cruise and banquet - $50
The brunch and 2 stepping at Woody's - $20
Weekend package with t-shirt - $120

LGRA Events

LGRA will be at Asbury Park Pride this year. Please stop by our booth and say hello and talk to our representatives about joining our Gay Rodeo Association!

LGRA Events

LGRA will be at Allentown Pride this year. Please stop by our booth and say hello and talk to our representatives about joining our Gay Rodeo Association!

LGRA will be at Philly Pride this year. Please stop by our booth and say hello and talk to our representatives about joining our Gay Rodeo Association! Visit website...

LGRA will be at Harrisburg Pride this year. Please stop by our booth and say hello and talk to our representatives about joining our Gay Rodeo Association!

LGRA Events

The Atlantic States Gay Rodeo Association presents Stampede 2007 in Washington DC and Gaithersburg, MD.

LGRA will be at Trenton Pride this year. Please stop by our booth and say hello and talk to our representatives about joining our Gay Rodeo Association!