“My heart skipped several beats,” exclaimed an ecstatic Mackenzie Cayford, who was crowned Valley Center’s first Rodeo Queen Friday at VC Community Center. Joining her as first princess was Emily Richardson with second princess, Rachael Kelley.
The Rodeo Queen received an inscribed Silver Montana buckle, hat tiara and sash. The $500 scholarship was presented along with a hand crafted saddle donated by the VC Rodeo Committee.
Miss Cayford told The Roadrunner, “My life-long dream has been to go to Colorado State University and study equine fertility and the $500 scholarship that I was also given will give me a jump-start in this direction, and I cannot wait to see where it takes me.”
She added “I have not ridden western long enough to have earned any silver buckles, but Friday I finally did. This silver buckle is very different because it also came with a matching hatband tiara, complete with its own pink garnet. This duo will forever be amongst my most prized possessions.”
Finally, she said, “I am so excited to be where I am right now, and I am so thankful to live in a town full of such giving, caring people.
“Thank you, everyone, for your donations, your time, and your efforts that went into this event. I am honored to represent Valley Center as her first Rodeo Queen, and I promise to do so to the best of my ability.”
Local businesses donated the large basket of gifts given to the winner. Both princesses received Silver Montana buckles, trophies, sashes and handmade bridles.
All winners were given bouquets of pink and white flowers, staying with the color theme, provided by Grand Avenue Florist along with all the table arrangements.
The event was catered by the Rotisserie Affair and the lots of dancing to music by The Working Cowboy Band.
Rodeo queen contest coordinator Theresa Trogdon told The Roadrunner: “The very first Rodeo Queen event was a success and a very fun night. All contestants proved to be winners in their own way, with ideas of trying out again next year. We look forward to the queen and her court’s reign throughout the year as representatives for Valley Center.”
A memory garden to contemplate the Paradise fire is planned for a quiet corner of the North Lake Wohlford fire station 73, near where one of the two fatalities of the fire occurred.
At April’s fire protection district board meeting the board heard a report on plans for the garden.
Giving the report was fire marshal Joy Justis and Nancy Cowie, director of ministry development of Daybreak Community Church in Carlsbad, which “adopted” the community of Valley Center and its fire survivors.
About three months ago Cowie started coming to VC for her church. During her second week here she met Pastor Bill Trok of Ridgeview Church.
Pastor Trok, upon learning of her love of gardening, took her to Station 73 and explained that the fire personnel there wanted to do something on the site where a tree burned, so that the Roach family would not have to look at its charred remains.
There had been a close relationship between the firefighters of that station and the late 16-year old Ashleigh Roach and her family.
Mrs. Cowie was asked to design a small garden.
She met with John Roach, Ashleigh’s father, who said that she had loved roses and Irish dancing.
Mrs. Cowie incorporated those elements along with water, as a life giving element, into her design, which is envisioned as a place that will be enjoyed by the public, fire personnel, and the family of the fire victims.
The memory garden had to be a space that would be easy to maintain, take little water and electricity. The space available was about 20 by 40 ft. It was envisioned as being a place that would be
The garden, to be called “Dancing Fountain Memorial” will consist of gravel, with a brass fountain in the middle, rose bushes growing on a trellis, and a bench. Water will up and out onto pebbles, suggesting an Irish dance. An Irish cross will lie flat on the ground.
Half of the plants are ready to be set and local person has volunteered to put in the pipe for irrigation and the electrical wiring.
Most of the materials will be located by local people.
Fire board members liked the idea.
“I think it’s wonderful,” said director Dan Thornton.
Director Mel Schuler had one suggestion, which was to contact to the family of the other fire victim, Nancy Morphew, to see if they have any suggestions for the memory garden.
Everyone agreed that this would be a good idea and Mrs. Cowie said she would do that as soon as possible.
“Thank you for doing this for the community, said board Pres. Patrick Garcia.
The first blasting on the Valley Center Road widening project will begin today (Wednesday) from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
The contractor for the road work will be blasting rock just north of Lake Wohlford Road at the bottom of the hill.
Blasting is a process that uses a targeted and contained explosion to break hard material that cannot be easily removed.
To ensure the safety of vehicles traveling along the grade, through traffic will be temporarily stopped when blasting occurs. The blasting and inspection process is anticipated to take about 15 minutes.
The Roadrunner hopes to get word of impending blasts a little earlier next time so that we can give our readers a chance to include it in their travel plans.
Mutton Busting is one of the many fun rodeo events that makes the VC Western Days Rodeo a family tradition.
There are a few seconds of sheer childhood glee, apprehension and absolute exhilaration. There is also the likelihood of ending up with a mouth full of dirt as four, five and six year old children take their moment in the mutton busting spotlight.
At this event, the crowd quiets as anxious, pre-registered young cowboys and cowgirls decked out in their best Western duds, enter the arena and are introduced to the crowd.
Grabbing a fistful of wool, each contestant attempts to ride or at least hold on as the sheep bolts from the chute and runs into the arena.
The crowd goes wild cheering for the young rider and while the ride only lasts a few seconds, it is for each boy and girl the ride of a lifetime and full of cherished memories.
Madison Wagner, 4, a Valley Center youngster competed and won in this “Mutton Busting” event last year at the second annual VC Western Days Rodeo.
Mutton busters ride sheep in a timed event similar to bronc or bull riding.
According to Madison’s father, Bill, the little girl has ridden in similar events many times during the past years at their home in Valley Center while onlookers Madelyn Wagner (Madison’s mom), two dogs, four horses and the family cat (named Half & Half) watched her diligently practicing by riding on the bucking back of her father, Bill. Training is rough at this ranch.
Madison is a very busy girl with her pre-school class at the Community Lutheran Preschool and carting with her pony, (Soldier), while also participating as an active Valley Center Vaqueros member.
While it will take some time before Madison ages and participates in another event, she is not going to stay away from rodeo. In fact, said Madison, she will “Ride on horses and catch cows.”
Look out little calf ropers!
You are invited to the Valley Center Western Days Rodeo at the rodeo arena May 28 at 7 p.m. and May 29 at 4 p.m.
When Madison arrives back on the ewe, she will be among a crowd of youngsters who have shown skill and a true love for rodeo tradition.
By DAVID ROSS
Red skies, red moon, the acrid smell of smoke from miles away—but much closer in the mind.
Fire season officially began Monday, three weeks earlier than it did last year, when the worst fire in the state’s history ended our innocence about fires.
But this year the term “season” is meaningless, and until the drought eases, watching the skies for fire may be a year ‘round pursuit.
California Dept. of Forestry has already begun to hire on crews that normally don’t join the force until August or September.
Six months after the fire that changed Valley Center and many other communities forever, people are again sniffing the air with nervous anticipation, jumping with alarm every time they hear a fire alarm and scanning the sky for telltale smoke.
This week six fires are blazing in Riverside, Los Angeles and San Diego counties.
Although last year’s fires consumed what seemed like most of the dry brush and trees in the region, it was actually only 7% of the available fuel.
That means that 93% remains to burn. Think about that.
We may be a bit more prepared. Many residents have taken seriously the admonitions about clearing brush around their properties.
The VC Fire Protection District is moving towards adopting a weed abatement program that could be in place by next fall.
Thousands of trees damaged by drought and beetles in places like Palomar Mountain have been cut down. That makes them less of a fire highway. But the road is still there.
This week may not be so bad. Winds are mild, although the weather is hot and dry. However Santa Ana winds typically do not start with a vengeance until fall—which is, of course, why October and November are usually such fierce fire months.
Nevertheless, fire season is upon us. It may not go away in our lifetimes.
The Jazz at the Park fund-raiser on Saturday at Pikake Gardens brought out nearly 200 guests and raised about $20,550 for the high school theater according to school Supt. Karen Jobe.
Guests took part in silent auctions, among the biggest of which was five days and four nights in Big Bear and a statue by local artist Phyllis Raynes (whose sculptures grace the front of Escondido Charter School).
During the event representatives of Fifth District Supervisor Bill Horn, Sue Cassellius and Dorothy Steinbeck, presented a check for $40,000 for the theater. The money comes from Horn’s community discretionary fund and had been previously approved by the Board of Supervisors.
Mrs. Jobe told The Roadrunner, “I was pleased. It was my first experience working with the greater community of Pauma and VC, having the various clubs and Valley Center and Pauma people working together on a common focus.”
Models of the theater were available to see, and many people were surprised to see that the facility envisioned is a full theater.
It will be a joint use project of the school district and the VC Parks & Rec district, and will be available for the people of VC to use for a variety of performing arts.
“The things that happened in putting this on were not just monetary,” said Mrs. Jobe. “They were positive spirit building. People got to hear just how great our students are.”
Musicians from both the middle and high schools performed jazz during the afternoon. Charles & Marsi Carr (Skylark) also provided live music.
Clyde & Connie Childress, owners of Pikake Gardens, were the hosts. They encouraged guests to wander among the several types of gardens that their property encompasses.
The Valley Roadrunner
P.O.B. 1529, Valley Center, CA 92082
Tel. 760.749.1112 Fax 760.749.1688
Website: www.valleycenter.com
Email: editor@valleycenter.com
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