Sghs sheepherder 33 3 2016

The

Sheepherder

Serving Sweet Grass County High School

Volume 33, Issue 3

March 31, 2016

Herder Boys Burn Up The Baskets

Photo Courtesy of Mariah Allen Photography Photo Courtesy of Erin Dringman The State team: Weston LaVoy, Drew Pike, Cody Hathaway, Toby Wipf, Sam Curry, Ryan Morgan, Brent Finn, Billy Stevens, Blake Finn, and Luke Rech.

ALL THE WAY TO STATE

were defeated in a close game ending in a score of 63-51. This loss landed them in the 10:30 a.m. match-up against the Jefferson Panthers. The boys played a tough game and kept everyone on their feet in a double overtime loser out game; however, with a devastating score of 56-54, the Herders were sadly out of this year’s Class B State Tournament.

With an overall season record of 18-5, and a second place win at both the 5B District tournament and the Southern B Divisional tournament, the Herders had an outstanding

January 16, 2016 - an ordinary Saturday for most, but a life changing day for Miss Bailey Veteto.

Bailey is the daughter of Jill and Justin Bailey and the late Jeff Veteto, and proud big sister to Sterling.

Bailey’s roots in agriculture run deep, dating back to before her birth, as both her maternal and paternal families have lived on and loved the land for decades. Bailey is the sixth generation to be born on her mom’s family farm, and her father’s family homesteaded in Montana seven generations ago.

See State, page 5

See Bailey, page 7

By Caitlyn Corso, The Sheepherder The Sweet Grass County Herder boys once again earned their spot in the MT Class B State Basketball tournament with a second place win at the 2016 Southern B Divisional tournament in Billings. The 2016 State Tournament was held in Butte, MT at the Butte Civic Center, Thursday March 10th through Saturday March 12th. The boys went into the tournament with a strong standing and worked all season to prepare.

This year’s team included Seniors: Brent Finn, Luke Rech, Drew Pike, Weston Lavoy,

Ryan Morgan, and Sam Curry; Juniors: Cody Hathaway, Toby Wipf, Billy Stevens, and Garrett Mulholland; Sophomore Kenneth Smith; and Freshman Blake Finn; this year’s alternates included Ethan Bullock, Kell Schwers, and Casey Gunlikson.

The Herders wrapped up the first night of the State Tournament with their first game, ending in a 71-67 victory over the Shelby Coyotes at 8:00 p.m. With one win in the books the boys moved on to play Big Fork at 8:00 p.m. on Friday night, but unfortunately

By Erin Dringman, The Sheepherder

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Comes to SGHS

By Greta Sanders, The Sheepherder “The course of true love never did run smooth.”

Perhaps one of the most wellknown (and romantic!) quotes of all time, this famous line finds its origin in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the play chosen for the Spring production at SGHS. Ugh, Shakespeare.

Right?

Wrong!

William Shakespeare is regarded as the greatest play-

wright of the English language, and for very good reason. His plays are full of wisdom and wit, and he was incredibly adept at describing the human condition.

I could go on for forever about all the reasons why Shakespeare is so incredibly awesome, but The Sheepherder isn’t nearly long enough! Instead, you and your family and friends should come check out A Midsummer Night’s

Dream for yourselves: a story of unrequited teenage love, an incredibly dysfunctional fairy family, and zany, crazy, part-time actors who definitely shouldn’t quit their day jobs. The play will take place at the Civic Center on April 8th, 9th, and 10th; stay posted for times! Come enjoy this year’s production by the SGHS thespians, William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream!

Photo Courtesy of Kate Walker Play cast members rehearsing for the upcoming production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

“Your town. Your news.”

The Pioneer is proud to sponsor the The Sheepherder insert for the 2015-16 school year.

Page 2

March 31, 2016

Speech & Drama Signs Off

By Erin Dringman, The Sheepherder Drama, severe oddity, and an utter lack of the ability to be silent (unless your face is painted white) are seen as obnoxious qualities in every aspect of life.

Every aspect, that is, except the world of Speech and Drama.

“World” is an accurate term to describe the land in which Speech and Drama competitors live - it is a world, an island, a galaxy, entirely to itself.

Speech and Drama world is not “normal”, but its inhabitants are proud of their oddities. For instance, at every meet a spectator can find a group of kids in period clothing and graphic t-shirts sitting cross-legged on the floor with Magic cards splayed before them. They could also accidentally bump into a debater and learn the true meaning of the expression “death glare”. The kids who live in Speech & Drama world are united in their uniqueness; their community is one where individuality is celebrated.

There are thirteen SGHS students who were lucky enough to find their individuality celebrated in the wacky world of Speech and Drama this year. These kids spent five months immersed in this world, engaged in chanting about burritos and doing the hokie pokie as a warm-up exercise.

Furthermore, they spent five months learning how to hone their talents, perfect their skills, and discover themselves. These thirteen students’ lives were immeasurably enriched as residents of the Speech and Drama world.

The 2015-2016 Sweet Grass Speech and Drama team consisted of ten returning members and three new faces. Each of these team members competed in an event of their choice, which served as their alternate personality during the season.

After nearly half a year of practices, early morning departures, and meets, the Speech and Drama season drew to a close.

The ending was a bittersweet one for the team, as the four captains and two other seniors bid adieu to the activity that had given

a combination of adrenaline, nervousness, excitement, and determination. This proved to be a potent mixture, as each competitor performed passionately and ended the season on a high note.

At the awards ceremony on the eve of January 31st, five mem-

sixth in Serious Duo. The rest of the state SGHS team achieved greatness at the final meet as well. Tyler Butler broke to semifinals, placing in the top 12 Serious Soloists in the state. Divisional Serious Solo champion Kirsten Gano rounded

and teammates, and to unabashedly embrace their individuality.

The wonderful Herder coaches, Kari Blaylock, and Gabryelle Perkins, worked ceaselessly to give these thirteen kids a home, to allow them to be a part of something bigger than themselves, and to help them find their niche.

Indeed, the Herder coaches did such an excellent job with their team that Kari Blaylock was awarded Drama Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year and the seventh time in her career.

The 2015-2016 Speech and Drama Team: Avery Conner (12) & Ethan Peterson (12) - Classical Duo Kacin Bolinger (12) & Honey Cranston (11) - Serious Duo Emily Wagner (10) & Kierra Plaggemeyer (10) - Serious Duo Kirsten Gano (12) - Serious Solo

Photo Courtesy of Kari Blaylock The 2015-2016 Speech & Drama Team: Kierra Plaggemeyer, Emily Wagner, John Baxter, Avery Conner, Ethan Peterson, Jasom Smith, Honey Cranston, Tyler Butler, Kacin Bolinger, Erin Dringman, Kirsten Gano, Megan Gerard, Lauryn Yuzeitis, and Wyatt MacKubbin. them a home during their high school careers.

However, the conclusion of the season was not altogether a sad one, though tears were shed with every emotion. At the divisional meet held January 23, ten SGHS team members placed in the top six, clinching their spots at the state tournament.

From January 30-31, the Speech and Drama team competed at the state meet, working through up to six rounds with

bers of the Herder team stood on the podium. Avery Conner and Ethan Peterson, in a moment of vice-like hand holding with mouths agape in wonder, were awarded their second consecutive state championship in Class B Classical Duo. Erin Dringman bookended her high school S&D career by winning her second state championship in Impromptu Speaking. Also placing was the wonderful team of Kacin Bolinger and Honey Cranston as

out the year with a thirteenth place finish, as did Emily Wagner and Kierra Plaggemeyer in Classical Duo. The successes that the Herder Speech and Drama team reaped at the competitive level were great. However, the seeds that they sewed on a personal level were more important. As inhabitants of the world of Speech and Drama, the thirteen members learned to speak and act in front of others, to support their peers

Tyler Butler (9) - Serious Solo John Baxter (9) - Serious Solo Lauryn Yuzeitis (11) Humorous Solo Wyatt MacKubbin (11) Humorous Solo Jason Smith (9) - Humorous Solo Megan Garrard (12) Pantomime Erin Dringman (12) Impromptu

FFA Districts

By Caitlyn Corso, The Sheepherder

On February 5th, the Big Timber FFA Chapter traveled to Shields Valley to compete at the 2016 South Western District Contest. Teams that competed included Agronomy, Mechanics, and Farm Business Management. There was also an individual Star Greenhand competitor.

The Agronomy Team made up of Kelli Mack, Martje Plaggemeyer, Caitlyn Corso, Carter Brownlee, and Brigit Flanagan took first place as a team. Martje Plaggemeyer received third and Kelli Mack received first place individually.

The Mechanics Team of Tucker Stenberg, Billy Miller, Sam Curry, and Trever Klein took first place as a team, and Tucker Stenberg received third place individually.

The Farm Business Management Team consisting of Luke Rech, Tucker Stenberg, Charli Moore, and Sam Curry received second place overall. Gunner Hathaway also received third place in the Star Greenhand contest.

These teams will be competing at the State Contest in the end of March. The Big Timber FFA also brought home the 2016 District Sweepstakes title, a great feat for the Chapter. Congratulations to all of the members who competed!

Photo Courtesy of Erin Dringman The 2015-2016 Big Timber FFA Chapter officers take a leap of joy when they heard their chapter won District sweepstakes.

Page 3

March 31, 2016

Pep Club: The Spirit and Soul of SGHS

By Caitlyn Corso, The Sheepherder Another great season for the Herders means another long season overflowing with school spirit. The driving force behind this great school spirit is the SGHS Pep Club.

This year’s Pep Club consisted of peppy students who are dedicated to making sure not a game goes by that is lackluster in Herder pride.

The leaders of this year’s Pep Club were Greta Sanders, president, Ryan Morgan, vice president, and Caitlyn Corso, secretary. These members, along with others, ensured that every athlete and participant was recognized properly and that nothing throughout the school is underappreciated.

From locker signs to pep rallies, Pep Club does everything it can to show school spirit no matter what the occasion. Pep Club is excited to spring into the next season and support the Herder teams for the rest of the year. Thank you to all of the Pep Club members for everything you do for our Herder teams!

The 2015-2016 SGHS Pep Club shows their Herder spirit!

Photo Courtesy of Mesa King

Serving and Volunteering for You

SAVY Gives Back to the Big Timber Community

By The Sheepherder Staff

Spring has come, and Serving and Volunteering Youth is keeping busy (just like the rest of the school!).

SAVY President, Greta Sanders, Vice President, Sam Curry, and Secretary, Caitlyn Corso have worked hard to be as involved in not only SGHS but the community as well. Throughout the past few months, SAVY has completed numerous projects to benefit the community.

After several SAVY members attended the Montana Behavioral Initiative Youth Conference in December, the good ideas for service projects came flooding in. Rather than struggling for project ideas, SAVY was forced to pick just a few of the fantastic ideas members came up with! It was decided that each month, SAVY would attempt to complete 1-2 projects, depending on project size.

In January, letters were written to veterans. In February, SAVY members worked to help the Big Timber Community “Kiss The Cancer Away” by donating money to the Sweet Grass Cancer Alliance, and kissing a poster in support of the fight against cancer . The following months are full of fun projects yet to happen.

Keep your eyes open for SAVY members in Big Timber doing the community good!

Photo Courtesy of Erin Dringman SGHS students support the fight against cancer by participating in “Kiss the Cancer Away”.

The Sheepherder 2015-16 Staff The Sheepherder is published by the Journalism class at Sweet Grass County High School. Our goal is to provide a public forum to express the zany and unique imaginations, ideals, and ingenuities of the student body. We strive to unbiasedly represent the diverse interests and opinions of our students and the community.

Photo Courtesy of Greta Sanders SAVY “Kiss The Cancer Away” fundraiser at a home basketball game to support the fight agaisnt cancer.

Erin Dringman Editor in Chief & Design Editor

Caitlyn Corso Web Editor & Design Editor

Greta Sanders Marketing & Opinion Editor

March 31, 2016

Page 4

Winter Cheer

By Caitlyn Corso, The Sheepherder Seventeen dedicated members undertook the responsibility of cheering on the Herders for the 2015-2016 winter cheerleading season. Of these seventeen were three seniors: Mckenzie Freeman, Megan Garrard, and Caitlyn Corso. The team was coached by Jennifer Wood and Rae Walker, who ensured that the team worked extremely hard to prepare for each and every basketball game and into the hectic tournament season. With the Herders making it all the way to state, it was another long season for the cheerleaders who never once stopped working to be the best that they could be to represent SGHS and proudly cheer on the basketball teams. “I´m really proud of all we ac-

Photo Courtesy of Erin Dringman The cheer team performing at District Tournaments in support of the Herders. complished this season. We worked hard to support both the boys and girls teams, and there´s no group of girls I´d rather have finished the season with!“ said junior, Kate Walker, of this season’s team. With this season coming to a close it will be just a short break until the returning members are cheering on the Herders yet again. Congratulations on an outstanding season, ladies!

Swingin’ Into Golf

By Greta Sanders, The Sheepherder It’s back! Golf season is in full swing with Mr. and Mrs. Campbell leading the way as the team’s coaches for the fourteenth year in a row. Returning golfers this year include Tanna Campbell, Cliff Weller, Sabrina Bennett, Carter Brownlee, Dennis Boshart, Caleb Patton, Kenny Conner, and Madilyn Emter; with senior golfers Weston LaVoy, Billy Miller, Tucker Stenberg, Christopher Norem, and Sam Curry returning for their final season. Ten new golfers are hitting the course this year; the newcomers being composed of two seniors, one sophomore, and seven freshman. When asked about the team’s prospects this season, Sam Curry said: “I think we have a lot of talent and experience on the team, and it should be an awesome season!”

Head coach Mr. Campbell shares Curry’s enthusiasm: “I

look forward to golf all year and when it gets here, I look forward to improvement all season”, also adding about his hopes for this year’s team: “I am hoping to qualify a boy’s team and girl’s team for the state tournament for the first time in school history.”

The first qualifier to determine team placement took place on March 24th.

The 2016 JV team will take their first trip to Eagle Rock on March 30th to compete.

The 2016 Varsity team’s first meet will take place on April 2nd at the Overland Golf Course, right here in Big Timber. Come out and show your Herder pride for the 2016 Golf Team!

Photo Courtesy of Caitlyn Corso Senior Billy Miller works on his swing.

We are the Herders,

Couldn’t be Prouder!

By Caitlyn Corso, The Sheepherder

Photo Courtesy of Greta Sanders SGHS Cheer team presents The Colors at a home basketball game.

Photo Courtesy of Greta Sanders The team prepares to play their first game in the District tournament.

Photo Courtesy of Erin Dringman

Photo Courtesy of Greta Sanders Emily Hughes takes a shot.

The Girls’ Basketball Team had a fantastic season under the instruction of Kim Finn and Jamie Duprey. This year’s team included Seniors: TediJo Todd and Holly Emter; Juniors: Tanna Campbell, Emily Hughes, Mesa King, Kate Indreland, Halley Stratton, and Charli Moore; Sophomores: Madilyn Emter and Elle Terland; Freshman: Sydney Prather, and Brooklyn Pederson as an alternate.

The Lady Herders ended their season with a 12-12 record, and went on to the District Tournament following the regular season. They came out of the 5B District Tournament as the third place seed, earning their spot to play in the Southern B Divisional tournament. The girls’ first game in the Division tournament was a match-up against Shepherd, ending in a 49-29 loss, landing them in their next game against Manhattan. The girls played hard, but ultimately ended their season with this game resulting in a final score of 64-47. The Lady Herders had an impressive season full of hard work and dedication, and we couldn’t be prouder of them!

Page 5

March 31, 2016

“Run Herders, Run!”

By Erin Dringman, The Sheepherder

The 2016 track season started off on a fast note, with nineteen members signing up at the registration meeting, held March 13th. This year, the Herder track team is led by returning head coach Paula Berry, the hurdles and jumps coach. Returning assistant coach, Kim Finn, will be the sprinting and relay coach. Evie Halverson will serve as the volunteer distance coach. On the throwing side, the Herder track team lacks a permanent coach but is throwing new distances on the back of excellent advice from part-time volunteer, Jason Schwers.

The track season began at 3:50 p.m. on March 14th, when nine girls and ten boys in mismatched sweats and t-shirts swarmed into the gym. Of these nineteen tracksters, twelve were athletes who returned from previous years and seven were new to high school track.

The returning team members piled onto the gym floor during the first day in a familiar assemblage of adolescent bodies awaiting the start-of-practice meeting, laughs ringing out as the boys wrestled and everyone adjusted their precautionary shin splint sleeves. The junior teammates watched the interactions of their older peers with some trepidation, their shiny new neon shoes squeaking on the floor in jittery anticipation. After a team meeting, the group flooded out the gym doors and onto the red dirt track to move as a pack into their warm up laps.

Fast forward three weeks, and the SGHS

track team has made great progress. With fifteen practices under their legs, the competitors are stronger, faster, and ready to run head first into the season. Throwing captain Carrie Lehman grinned as she

they truly love.

However, track is not just an individual sport. Senior throwing captain Drew Pike and senior sprints captain Luke Rech glanced at each other with expressions of

Photo Courtesy of Caitlyn Corso Senior thrower Drew Pike winds up with the discus during a snowy practice. spoke of her excitement for the upcoming meets, saying, “Track is the one place I can go and show the potential that I have in an individual sport.” The opportunities for individual success do abound as the Herder team members work on discovering their personal talents, be they in throwing, sprinting, jumping, or distance running.

In track, each competitor is able to find their niche and participate in an event that

State, Continued from page 1 season. “It was a good season, it just didn’t end the way we had hoped.

We were happy to make it to State again, we worked hard and I’m proud of what we achieved as a team”, said senior Drew Pike of this year’s ending result. The Sheepherder staff and town of Big Timber speak in unison to say that we are proud of the team; congratulations on another great year, boys!

camaraderie as they explained that the 2016 Herder track team is a close-knit group, despite its decreased numbers from years past. “We’re small, but we’re mighty” the boys said of their team. Senior hurdles captain, Ashley Gunlikson, echoed how great the dynamic of this year’s team is and how well everyone meshes, concluding with a statement sweet, simple, and sincere: “I love track.”

Photo Courtesy of Caitlyn Corso Seniors Brent Finn and Luke Rech work to increase their fast twitch muscles.

Ski Club Slaloms into SGHS

By Caitlyn Corso, The Sheepherder SGHS has a new club that was started by students, for students. The SGHS Ski Club is open to anyone who wants to go skiing with their friends.

Carter Brownlee had the idea to start the club with a few of his friends, and SGHS biology teacher, Mr. Hansen, is the club advisor. Members of the club ¨Just shred the mountain as much as possible, and help kids out if they need their skis or boards waxed we will help them and do a full tune,¨

The 2015-2016 Varsity team.

The track team’s competitive season kicked off with an optional meet at Billings Skyview March 29th. On Friday April 1st, the majority of the team will find their heats for the first time at the Snowflake meet in Columbus. The throwers will practice their motions in nervous excitement in the cage or on the javelin pitch while the jumpers find their marks and runners settle into their blocks and lanes, exhaling nerves and inhaling confidence.

To keep apace with results from this season’s track meets, check in at www. thesheepherder.org or on the Sweet Grass County High School Sheepherder Facebook page!

The idea sprung from the thought to have an activity for kids who don’t play basketball to participate in, and it´s a great way to make sure that they have safe transportation.

Carter would like to pass the club down to classes below him so that, ¨they can have awesome experiences and memories that we had.”

The first Ski Club trip was on December 23rd at Bridger Bowl; 27 students participated and they

Photo Courtesy of Mesa King

Photo Courtesy of Caitlyn Corso SGHS Ski Club: Orry Carroccia, Jacob Roberts, Nolan Johnston, Kenny Conner, Brandon Schwers, John Rennie, Casey Gunlikson, Cason McDonnel, Kyle Rennie, Nathan Baker, Ethan Peterson, Carter Brownlee, Cole Lunceford, Christopher Norem, Kell Schwers, and Advisor, Mr. Hansen.

Photo Courtesy of Greta Sanders Drew Pike and Ryan Morgan work to keep the ball away from Jefferson’s Trase Letexier.

said Brownlee.

The club does not get school funding, however members of the community have given donations for the bus fare, which is very helpful to a club that is just getting started.

plan to have at least one more trip before the end of the season. Everyone had a great time on the first trip, so if you think that you would like to join the club on their next trip for an awesome time talk to Mr. Hansen for details.

Page 6

March 31, 2016

ALICE in SGHS

By Caitlyn Corso, The Sheepherder Changes are all over the halls of SGHS, but the most recent has been the implementation of a new lockdown procedure within the school. This lockdown procedure is called ALICE: Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate. In the past, our strategy has been the same as all schools in the early 2000´s: simply hide and wait for help; however, over the past three years, the trend throughout the nation has changed. National School Safety and Security Service (NSSSS) officials still do not agree on what the best plan for a lockdown is. According to ABC News, since the Columbine shooting in 1999 officials have realized that a change is necessary to ensure the safety of children everywhere. The solution was the idea of ALICE, a strategy that has been taken into 300 schools since the early 2000´s, and changes to traditional lockdown procedures are continuously being made nationally.

The Alice strategy was undertaken by SGHS for your safety, keeping up with the trends helps ensure that we have the most effective strategy for this safety. ¨It (ALICE) makes way more sense. Hiding together in a large group, just seems like an illogical thing to do. It also seems smarter to actually try to get out than to wait for all of the possible outcomes.¨ said Kate Walker, Junior at SGHS, about the new safety procedure.

According to Superintendent Alvin Buerkle, ¨We’re in the process of change¨, and this change is necessary to keep the

halls of SGHS a safe place for everyone.

The steps for the new ¨ALICE¨ strategy at SGHS are: 1. Evacuate, 2. Hide, and

steps, because depending on the situation, your strategy may have to change. Step 1 of ALICE is to evacuate, and alert, if

3. Fight. However, students and faculty should be prepared for all three of these

you can safely. Teachers have been given walkie talkies to have a more effective way

of alerting others of the situation, rather than phones or the PA system. If you are unable to evacuate, the next step is to hide, barricade the doors, and do everything in your power to stop the intruder from getting in. If steps one and two fail, the final step is to fight.

Fighting comes with its own set of instructions; distract, disable, and disarm.

It has been proven that throwing things at a shooter and making a lot of noise will make you a very hard target to shoot, so these are the steps you should take if faced with this task. You are capable of much more than hiding in a room like a sitting duck, so do everything you can to prevent the worst case scenario.

The new strategy’s main goal is to get everyone out safely if possible. Get out safely, or defend yourself if necessary, and be prepared to do so. NSSS Safety officials do agree that students should be aggressive when it comes to these situations, not passive as seen in past strategies.

Most schools are taking forms of ALICE into consideration, to ensure that the most effective measures are being taken to improve safety conditions. Prior to the change seen throughout the nation, schools were becoming less aggressive when an intrusion did occur due to a combination of budget cuts, complacency, and denial; possibly causing more danger than the gunmen themselves. Being prepared for this situation is the top priority, and hopefully with the efforts ALICE, that is exactly what we will be.

Foreign Flavors

Students Indulge in International Wanderlust

By Greta Sanders, The Sheepherder Wanderlust, “a strong desire to travel”, is an easy bug to catch.

The desire to see the world and to experience new cultures and ideas often consumes many a person; in fact, there’s a group filled with wanderlust here at Sweet Grass County High School. Led by Mrs. Lannen and Mrs. Gardner, International Club gives students the opportunity to travel to different countries and experience new and exciting cultures. The group set to travel this summer plans on touring Spain, France, and Italy. This two week trip will include stops in Madrid, Florence, and Rome; among many other iconic locations. Eight students, two parents, and two teachers will take this trip across the ocean. Among the eight students traveling, Elle Terland will be the one veteran International Club traveler. Last summer, Elle traveled with International Club to Ireland, Wales, England, and France, and her ex-

Photo Courtesy of Greta Sanders The 2016 International Club.

perience gave her an even stronger desire to travel. “The atmosphere was fun and the people I went with were really enjoyable. I figured it would be even more fun with people my age since there weren’t any last year.” Marissa Morgan will be a first time International Club traveler, and she couldn’t be more excited: “I can’t wait to see new things, because here in Big Timber we’re kind of sheltered; and I just can’t wait to experience things I wouldn’t be able to without this opportunity.”

If you’ve been stricken by wanderlust, there is a cure! A group of International Club members will be traveling to Costa Rica in the summer of 2019. Costa Rica not your cup of tea? Get a group together and suggest a tour! The possibilities are endless, and the world is your limit!

Page 7

March 31, 2016

Miss Bailey Veteto, Teen Queen Continued From Page 1 Rodeo has also played a prominent role in young Bailey’s life, as virtually every member of her family has competed in “the greatest sport on dirt”.

Bailey’s step-grandpa was a participant in the first ever Montana rodeo circuit finals as a bull rider. Her step-dad carried on the family tradition and was a six time qualifier in that same finalist event. Jeff Veteto, Bailey’s dad, was a professional barrel man in the PBR Challenger tour and her mom, Jill, was a barrel racer in high school.

After her high school racing days concluded, Jill went on to become a firstclass western seamstress, designing and creating rodeo outfits. Bailey, speaking fondly of her mom’s talents said, “My mom has made rodeo queen dresses since I was born. She makes their dresses, their chaps - you name it, if it’s in their wardrobe, she can make it.”

Little did the little Bailey know that her mom would one day be making one of those dresses for her. In 2016, Jill was working with Lindsey Garbstead, a contender for the Miss Rodeo Montana title.

Bailey mentioned to her mom a burgeoning desire to start doing pageants. At first, Bailey planned to go for a local competition, but Lindsey encouraged Bailey to run with her for the state title. The pair soon embarked on an arduous journey to prepare for the pageant.

Lindsey and former queens sent rodeo and pageantry literature to Bailey so she could study. However, as a busy high school student, Bailey’s main preparations had to wait until a break from school arose.

The Christmas holiday served as a perfect window for Bailey’s “crash course” in the rodeo pageant lifestyle. All day every day, Bailey was perfecting the arts needed to win her that title. She curled her hair and assembled her look, with a little expert assistance from her mom and the sewing machine.

Mostly, though, Bailey’s days were consumed with studying in preparation for the competition, including the written and ridden examinations in horsemanship.

The Veteto/Bailey family background in

rodeo proved an invaluable asset to Bailey during her run for the title, as she drew on their wealth of knowledge to prepare. “My dad would sit at the table with me in the evenings and tell me about rodeo. I had a lot of help from a lot of different people,” Bailey said appreciatively.

Eventually, the time for preparation drew to a close and the competition began in full force. The pageant was four days long, held in Great Falls in conjunction with the Montana rodeo circuit finals.

Within the pageant, there were four main aspects upon which competitors were judged: appearance, personality, projection, and public speaking. The competitors were surrounded by judges at all times and had to be alert and engaged around the clock, which made for a very intense four days.

“They cut off all of our contact with the outside world,” Bailey said as she explained that her cell phone was taken away and she was not allowed to stay with her parents.

“The judges want to see how you will perform.”

The girls’ performances were constantly evaluated as they were subject to impromptu questions about their opinions on modern issues. On top of this, the competitors had many activities they did under watchful eyes of the judges.

One element of the pageant was a prepared speech that each competitor wrote and delivered to a daunting crowd of 300. They also had several interviews, ranging from a 15 minute personality session to a similarly timed horsemanship interview where their knowledge was put to the test.

Additionally, the competitors were judged on a horsemanship event where they rode two different patterns in an arena, one provided by the judges and another they created themselves. In this area of the competition, the horses were supplied by a stock contractor and the judges looked to see how well the girls

Photo Courtesy of Mariah Allen Photography Bailey Veteto is crowned Miss Teen Rodeo Montana.

Photo Courtesy of Mariah Allen Photography

Photo Courtesy of The Great Falls Tribune Bailey Veteto rides with poise through the horseback element of the Miss Teen Rodeo Montana competition.

could handle horses who were brand new to them.

In each aspect of the pageant, the same three judges ruled on the competitors’ performances. There were also “silent judges” who were able to submit remarks on the girls’ conduct, thereby ensuring that each girl remained vigilant and poised throughout every moment of the pageant.

The final day of the pageant was a hectic one for the competitors as it was time for the fashion show and coronation.

At the fashion show, each girl wore four different looks to showcase their modelling skills, as the winner does engage in western elegance modelling throughout their reigning year.

During the show, judges also observed how well the girls could share the stage with others, as they strutted the red carpet in unison for all but one of the four outfits.

After the fashion show concluded, scores were submitted and the girls got their first time to relax in four days. Soon, though, it was time for the coronation.

When Bailey took the stage for the crowning ceremony, she was nervous.

“The other competitors had been through pageants or held a title, but this was my first. I came in as the underdog.”

Bailey’s trepidation, it turned out, was without cause. When the sash was placed across her body, Bailey proved to all the underdogs in the world that it can

be done; they can rise above and achieve their dreams.

Lindsey, Bailey’s mentor and running mate, was also successful in her campaign and was crowned Miss Rodeo Montana.

She and Bailey have now embarked on their year-long reign as ambassadors of rodeo and agriculture.

Since rodeo season has not yet commenced for the spring/summer of 2016, Bailey and Lindsey have been travelling around the state to meet with different businesses to garner sponsorships. The duo is expected to travel over 20,000 miles in the upcoming year and are working hard to cover their costs.

On May 14th, Bailey and her family are holding a concert in Big Timber where Ned Ledoux, son of the famous rodeo champion and country singer Chris Ledoux, will perform.

In addition to her duties as Miss Teen Rodeo Montana, Bailey also maintains an impressive academic standard. In May, she will be inducted into the Margaret Deegan Chapter of National Honor Society. This summer, she will travel to Boston to attend a three day congress put on by the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists. Eventually, Bailey hopes to become a geneticist who specializes in the study of diseases such as cancer.

Bailey will balance her summer academics with trips around Montana to schools, hospitals, and rodeos where she will carry on in her family’s bootprints, supporting the great sport of rodeo and spreading knowledge about agriculture and the western way of life.

Page 8

March 31, 2016

“Every child is an artist -

Colton Bice - Senior Computer graphics, fun with words: “Chip” Madison Shirah - Junior A watercolor of Disney character Stitch

Joel Stene - Sophomore A landscape watercolor

- The problem is staying an artist when you grow up.” ~ Pablo Picasso

Carrie Lehman - Junior Watercolor animal portrait Lacey Johnson - Junior A landscape watercolor

Sammi Wieting - Junior Computer graphics, fun with words: “iCloud”

Brian Trautman - Junior A landscape watercolor

Drake Eschenko Tree & bird watercolor