West Valley graduate McPhee crowned Miss Redding Rodeo 2009

SHANNON MCPHEE

Shannon McPhee, 21, was recently crowned Miss Redding Rodeo 2009 at the Redding Rodeo Association's annual social.

She is the daughter of Doug and Yvonne McPhee of Cottonwood and a 2005 graduate of West Valley High School. After graduating high school, McPhee attended Feather River College for two years studying sports medicine until 2007. This fall, she intends to attend Lake College in Redding and study medical assisting. In her spare time, she rides and trains colts, but her passion remains barrel racing.

The Redding Rodeo Association is changing its coronation banquet to August to give their next Miss Redding Rodeo more time in which to prepare for the busy rodeo season.

The next Miss Redding Rodeo competition will get underway in June. Instead of holding a contest this spring, association committee chairman Lee Ellison asked McPhee, who had previously served in 2005 as Miss Redding Rodeo, to reprise her reign.

McPhee will act as an official ambassador of the Redding Rodeo Association to promote the sport of rodeo.

"I have always had a love for horses, rodeo and the lifestyle that comes with it," McPhee writes in her autobiographical statement on the Redding Rodeo Association's Web site. "I have competed in gymkhana, local barrel races, and junior rodeos where I have made many friends and more second families than I can keep track of!"

While still in high school, McPhee was active in FFA where she was able to trav

el around the state compete in contests for opening and closing ceremonies, livestock judging, dairy judging and her favorite, agricultural sales.

"I plan on going to college in the fall to study sports therapy. My dream is to become part of the Justin Sports Medicine team so I can continue to be involved in rodeo, whether I am running barrels or fixing the cowboys," McPhee stated.

As the rodeo's representative, McPhee will attend various functions such as other rodeos and the Make-A-Wish telethon to help promote and educate people about rodeo.