Notes From Montana’s Rodeo Queen
Like many ranch kids, my favorite time of the year is spring. That’s because the newness of the world never ceases to amaze me. Montana has some of the harshest winters found anywhere, but when that snow melts away and you can see the first blades of green grass, the possibility of a good year is high.
And, with each healthy calf that makes its way into the world, your hopes grow stronger. If you're like me, you rarely lack a smile on your face as you watch the calves learning to navigate this world, bucking across a pasture with pure glee.
However, like everything in agriculture, those smiles are hard won. Spring days are not always so sweet. Sometimes a spring day on the ranch means you’re absolutely chilled to the bone. But you can’t quit until the calves are safe and warm or you’ll lose them. Sometimes you may think your permanent residence is a couch, as you check the heifers’ calving process every two hours. Sometimes you’ll work extremely hard to help a cow only to find that no amount of effort could change God's plan. Sometimes it’s a mix of misery and laughter, like when you’re hauling a calf sled through knee-deep mud only to find yourself sprawled face-first in the stuff and in need of a shower at 4 a.m.
Before you know it, calving season is over, and branding time arrives. This is a time of family and friendships and it shows that the principals rodeo was founded on are still alive—your roping skills are put to the test in the branding pen as the community looks on. They’re all watching your spring-broke colt and how it’s handling things; every old-timer is sure to offer advice. And they’ll ask, “Well, how do you think the calves look?” Eventually, it’s time for fun and we had more fun at our brandings than you could imagine. Food that rivaled that of a five-star chef was served to hungry men and women, people who showed up—from miles away—at daylight, with a trailer full of horses and a cab-full of help.
Perhaps my favorite part of branding is watching the next generation. They eagerly run, with a smile the size of the state on their faces, to help when offered an opportunity to wrestle a little one. They always end up with sticky hands and faces from eating treats at the back of the branding pickup, and with more dirt on themselves than they left behind in the pasture.
All of this happens at once. All of this speaks to our neighbors and lasting friendships, day after day during spring and early summer.
Agriculturally speaking, these are the days that fill your cup—seeing healthy cows and calves after a long, hard winter, and meeting with friends, new and old, with a common mindset and a goal to accomplish. This is our western heritage, and where I’m from, it’s alive and well.
Meet the Queen
If you holler for KK in Bozeman, Miss Katie in Lame Deer, or heaven forbid Kaitlin Mary Kolka on either of the two cattle ranches I grew up on in the southeastern corner of Montana, I’ll respond. Here’s why:
KK
For three out of my four years at Montana State University (go Bobcats) I worked for Residence Life and answered to KK. Two of those years I served as an assistant resident director. This position basically boils down to little sleep, lots of love, incredible memories, and some unforgettable situations. From keeping college freshman on track, to the 3 a.m. life talks, to campus-wide programming, I’ll forever be thankful to the people that made those years so incredible. While in Bozeman, if I wasn’t working, in the library, or at an internship, I was volunteering. Eagle Mount and the Senior Citizen Center were two of my favorite places to spend my free time. I also served as a youth group leader for Connect Church during those years.
Miss Katie
Every year during summer away from college, I came home and worked for the Chief Dull Knife Extension Service as the kids kollege coordinator. This program focused on health education for youth on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. After finishing an exercise science degree with a minor in coaching in Bozeman, I came back to work full time as an extension agent. This job allows me to program and advocate for health, the sport of rodeo, and agriculture—all of which I am extremely passionate about.
Kaitlin Mary Kolka
I was blessed to grow up with two families and a total of seven siblings. On a horse before I could walk, it is no surprise that my childhood was filled with competitions in 4-H, FFA, YRA, and high school rodeo. It was, and still is, the simplicity of moving cattle on my family’s ranch that does the most for my heart. It is in this area of my life that the fundamental morals and values I still rely on to this day were developed. That upbringing and foundation led me to the honors of being named Montana State High School Rodeo Queen, National Coca-Cola Scholar, MSU Pure Gold Award winner, Advisor of the Year, and Montana’s 25 Under 25.
No matter if people know me as KK, Miss Katie, or Kaitlin, they are all aware of my love for Jesus, red cows, and you guessed it . . . rodeo. Rodeo is a sport I grew up in and started advocating for at the age of eight when I won my first crown. I soon found that not everyone grew up with a love for the sport. This was a problem that a determined eight-year-old felt she could fix. As the years have gone by, my determination, love for the sport, and passion for educating the public have grown as well. Being given the incredible opportunity to advocate for this sport and circuit as Miss Rodeo Montana, I promise to always bring a faith-filled heart, a smile the size of our state, and a contagious passion for our sport.
I hope to see all of you down the road, and make sure you follow the hashtag #MRMT18N40 to see all of my adventures on the ranch, as an extension agent, and as Miss Rodeo Montana.
By Kaitlin Kolka, Miss Montana Rodeo Queen 2018