Troy University Athletics
Missildine Takes Top Crown
1/22/2010 5:00:00 PM | Rodeo
Oklahoma City –Troy University's Dakota Missildine was honored as the International Professional Rodeo Association's Miss Rodeo USA. She is the 44th annual recipient of the honor.
“It is an amazing honor to be Miss Rodeo USA and realize that I've achieved something that I've worked essentially my entire life for,” Missildine said. “It really is a dream come true.”
The road leading up to Miss Rodeo USA for Dakota began as a little girl. When she was young, her mother read her Rodeo News magazines as bed time stories. Her favorite stories were those of Miss Rodeo USA. Dakota admired the lifestyle of Miss Rodeo USA and what she did for the sport. This new title is still sinking in with Dakota, and the realization has yet to hit her.
“It's all very exciting, however I still feel like the same Dakota,” Missildine said. “I think this is the key though to being successful at anything we do. We must stay true to ourselves and be appreciative of the many blessings we have been given. I've been blessed in more ways than I can count and I want you all to know how much I appreciate each and every one of you.”
The honor of Miss Rodeo USA is determined by the IPRA every year. The pageant was set up in 1966 to promote the sport of rodeo. The contestant's characters are judged on categories of personality, appearance, and horsemanship. The pageant was a five day event that began on Wednesday, January 13 and ended on Sunday, January 17 with the crowning of Missildine as Miss Rodeo USA. Along with the already busy event schedule, the contestants were also occupied with media interviews, luncheons, dinners, style shows, rodeo performances and informal get-togethers.
“I had mentally and physically prepared myself for the week,” Missildine said. “Mentally, I was motivated. I knew that I had studied and adequately prepared for the competition. I knew myself inside and out so the interviewing process proved to be my strongest area of competition I think. Physically, I had tried to rest as much as possible before the competition. During the competition I drank plenty of water and really enjoyed myself- the laughter and new friendships I made definitely kept my spirit up.”
Each of the contestants also had to have a platform for their campaign for Miss Rodeo USA. This platform must be used throughout the year to attract newcomers to the sport. Dakota chose Golden Heart as her platform. Golden Heart is a program she developed to encourage others to open their hearts and live by the Golden Rule – do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
“While growing up I've been able to witness firsthand how rodeo competitors take care of each other and are essentially a close knit rodeo family,” Missildine said in her blog. “This idea is largely in part to the rodeo family living by the Golden Rule. My goal this year is to take every opportunity to speak about living by the Golden Rule and come in contact with as many people as possible.”
She was a member of the Troy University Rodeo team from the Fall of 2006 to the Spring of 2009. She participated in goat tying, barrel racing, and breakaway roping - her favorite event. Her senior year she tried her hand at team roping in the practice pen. She finished in the top ten in the Ozark Region in breakaway roping in her senior year as well. She was also the Troy Rodeo Women's Team Captain her junior and senior year.
Dakota also had a hand in starting the Trojan Spirit Check. This was a weekly worship service that rodeo team members could attend if they liked since they were gone on most weekends and were not able to attend regular church services on Sundays. She was a member of the 3.0 GPA club all three years and served on the Student Athletic Advisory Committee.
Many may also recognize her as a sports anchor for Trojan Vision News. She also represented Troy University this past summer as a media intern at the College National Finals Rodeo. She was one of only two people chosen for this position, and she received it largely in part because she was a Trojan Rodeo team member.
“My time spent at Troy University has helped shape me into the person I am today,” Missildine said. “The skills I've obtained from serving on the Student Athletic Advisory Committee, adding to class room discussions, being a sports anchor for Trojan Vision News, competing on the rodeo team and being team captain have all benefited me in other areas of my life and made me a well rounded individual. My professors in the journalism and business departments along with my rodeo team members, coach and the athletic department have always supported my dream to become Miss Rodeo USA. This supportive group of people has helped build the strong foundation upon which I've based my new journey as Miss Rodeo USA.”
Dakota will be in the Montgomery area March 11-13 for the International Professional Rodeo Association's National All-Region Finals that will be held in conjunction with the Southeastern Livestock Exposition at Garrett Coliseum.
Congratulations to Dakota Missildine for being crowned Miss Rodeo USA!
To find out more about the IPRA pageant visit: www.missrodeousa.com
“It is an amazing honor to be Miss Rodeo USA and realize that I've achieved something that I've worked essentially my entire life for,” Missildine said. “It really is a dream come true.”
The road leading up to Miss Rodeo USA for Dakota began as a little girl. When she was young, her mother read her Rodeo News magazines as bed time stories. Her favorite stories were those of Miss Rodeo USA. Dakota admired the lifestyle of Miss Rodeo USA and what she did for the sport. This new title is still sinking in with Dakota, and the realization has yet to hit her.
“It's all very exciting, however I still feel like the same Dakota,” Missildine said. “I think this is the key though to being successful at anything we do. We must stay true to ourselves and be appreciative of the many blessings we have been given. I've been blessed in more ways than I can count and I want you all to know how much I appreciate each and every one of you.”
The honor of Miss Rodeo USA is determined by the IPRA every year. The pageant was set up in 1966 to promote the sport of rodeo. The contestant's characters are judged on categories of personality, appearance, and horsemanship. The pageant was a five day event that began on Wednesday, January 13 and ended on Sunday, January 17 with the crowning of Missildine as Miss Rodeo USA. Along with the already busy event schedule, the contestants were also occupied with media interviews, luncheons, dinners, style shows, rodeo performances and informal get-togethers.
“I had mentally and physically prepared myself for the week,” Missildine said. “Mentally, I was motivated. I knew that I had studied and adequately prepared for the competition. I knew myself inside and out so the interviewing process proved to be my strongest area of competition I think. Physically, I had tried to rest as much as possible before the competition. During the competition I drank plenty of water and really enjoyed myself- the laughter and new friendships I made definitely kept my spirit up.”
Each of the contestants also had to have a platform for their campaign for Miss Rodeo USA. This platform must be used throughout the year to attract newcomers to the sport. Dakota chose Golden Heart as her platform. Golden Heart is a program she developed to encourage others to open their hearts and live by the Golden Rule – do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
“While growing up I've been able to witness firsthand how rodeo competitors take care of each other and are essentially a close knit rodeo family,” Missildine said in her blog. “This idea is largely in part to the rodeo family living by the Golden Rule. My goal this year is to take every opportunity to speak about living by the Golden Rule and come in contact with as many people as possible.”
She was a member of the Troy University Rodeo team from the Fall of 2006 to the Spring of 2009. She participated in goat tying, barrel racing, and breakaway roping - her favorite event. Her senior year she tried her hand at team roping in the practice pen. She finished in the top ten in the Ozark Region in breakaway roping in her senior year as well. She was also the Troy Rodeo Women's Team Captain her junior and senior year.
Dakota also had a hand in starting the Trojan Spirit Check. This was a weekly worship service that rodeo team members could attend if they liked since they were gone on most weekends and were not able to attend regular church services on Sundays. She was a member of the 3.0 GPA club all three years and served on the Student Athletic Advisory Committee.
Many may also recognize her as a sports anchor for Trojan Vision News. She also represented Troy University this past summer as a media intern at the College National Finals Rodeo. She was one of only two people chosen for this position, and she received it largely in part because she was a Trojan Rodeo team member.
“My time spent at Troy University has helped shape me into the person I am today,” Missildine said. “The skills I've obtained from serving on the Student Athletic Advisory Committee, adding to class room discussions, being a sports anchor for Trojan Vision News, competing on the rodeo team and being team captain have all benefited me in other areas of my life and made me a well rounded individual. My professors in the journalism and business departments along with my rodeo team members, coach and the athletic department have always supported my dream to become Miss Rodeo USA. This supportive group of people has helped build the strong foundation upon which I've based my new journey as Miss Rodeo USA.”
Dakota will be in the Montgomery area March 11-13 for the International Professional Rodeo Association's National All-Region Finals that will be held in conjunction with the Southeastern Livestock Exposition at Garrett Coliseum.
Congratulations to Dakota Missildine for being crowned Miss Rodeo USA!
To find out more about the IPRA pageant visit: www.missrodeousa.com
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