What a month we had in August! The record temperatures in the region didn't keep the Smokies and their friends away from their fundraising commitments! Our Royalty Team was busy this month and it was great to see so much support for their efforts.

I'd also like to congratulate our members that find success with their horses etc. outside of the IGRA arena. We have members that show horses, cattle, etc. for a living and do a great job. We can all be proud.

With the closing of The Chute Complex in Nashville, SMRA's executive board is negotiating to find a new venue for our monthly Rodeo Night Fundraiser. Rest assured, the tradition will continue and all of you non- members out there will still have a place to do your boot scootin' every month. We won't let you down! So be sure to check our website for updates as they become available. Of course, you can always send me an email and I'll be sure to let you know where the next Rodeo Night will take place.

On Friday, August 10, 2007 SMRA's Royalty Team hosted a special Rodeo Night at TRIBE in Nashville. There was a pretty good crowd - the most cowboy hats seen at TRIBE since the IGRA Convention last year! - and the club was beautifully decorated. Mr. SMRA 2007, Justin James, organized the evening which began with country line dance lessons and culminated in a Tear-the-Shirt-Off-a-Bartender Auction to raise funds for our Charity Partners. Membership and Inventory information was available and the Pony AdPress was distributed as well.

Special thanks to Justin James and the 2008 Royalty Candidates, the bartenders and staff at TRIBE, to Terry Fisher who did a great job teaching line dance lessons, and to the local businesses and individuals that donated prizes. SMRA couldn't host successful fundraisers without assistance from great people like you!

On Saturday, August 18, 2007, SMRA's 2008 Royalty Candidates hosted a BBQ Bash fundraiser at TRAX! Despite the record-breaking heat, we had a great turnout and the candidates raised more than $300.00.

There was plenty of food and draft beer available as well as great conversation and friends. SMRA's Royalty Team does a great job of leading our fundraising efforts! Skip, Steve, Kitty, Jami Lynn, as well as Mr. SMRA 2007 Justin James, continue to work hard to make SMRA's Royalty Program a success.

Thanks to Jack Marshall, Royalty Committee Chair, Steve and all the staff at TRAX, and everyone that braved the heat to support our Royalty Candidates!

Angel Heart Farm, and SMRA 2007 Charity Partners, will soon be moving to its new location and members of SMRA are on hand to help out. JamiLynn B. and Satu P. have been working with leadership at Angel Heart Farm to help relocate their "Angel Garden" from the old location to the new property and JamiLynn will use her gardening experience to help design the new site. The bulk of the work will take place during the weekend of September 8-9, 2007 and volunteers are welcome.

On Saturday, September 8th, volunteers should meet in the parking lot at Lucky's Garage at 10:00 a.m. to go to the new farm. The project for Saturday will be to till the land and prepare the soil. This should take 4- 6 hours if enough volunteers pitch in.

On Sunday, September 9th, volunteers should meet at the current location (9840 Sam Donald Road in Nolensville) at 10:00 a.m. All the plants from the old garden need to be transferred to the new farm and the decorative items (stones) will need to be put in a trailer for hauling.

On Wednesday, August 29, 2007, SMRA members gathered at Blue Gene's for Cowboy Happy Hour. These events are great opportunities for members to talk about Smoky Mountain Rodeo Association and what it's all about.

In addition to happy hour drink specials, Blue Gene's provided excellent appetizers and played country videos and music for the entire evening.

Special thanks to Geno, Gene, Timmy and the rest of the staff at Blue Gene's for making our members and guests feel welcome!

A very important event is coming up on October 6th, 2007. An event that SMRA has been proud to be part of for the last 3 years. This will be our 4th year and it keeps getting bigger and better. It's the Nashville CARES AIDS Walk. I have registered SMRA for this years walk. Now all we need are hard working team members to help raise the goal of $2000.00. Last year Tom Schlueter-White did an incredible job and was the highest. I can't remember specifically how much he raised right now but it was the most. He is a great person to look up to and learn from. It just takes a little effort! Every little bit ads up.

This important fundraiser helps provide direct services to more than 1,500 people living with HIV/AIDS in the Middle Tennessee community. Annually, Nashville CARES education department reaches more than 40,000 youth and adults with life saving prevention information. All services are free of charge -- your donations make this possible.

The goal is to have 8 members this year. We have 6 great, hardworking, excited members so far: Bill Tedder, Justin James (Waldner), Kenny Carruth, Brad Klein, Tom Schlueter-White, David Wheatley and Steve Bloodworth....so what are you waiting for!?!? Come and join the fun!

As Mr. SMRA, one of my requirements is to raise $500 for a 501c3 charity other than SMRA. So, I am trying to raise funds through the AIDS walk to help satisfy this requirement. I appreciate any help with donations under my name to help me obtain that requirement. Of course, the other team member are just as worthy!

This is the time, the 2007 AIDS Walk is the place, YOU are the one who can make a difference now. Thank you for your support!

Click here for details. Please donate generously!

The SMRA gallery section has been updated with a plethora of pictures! Photos from the Knoxville PLAY DAY, Royalty Rodeo Night and BBQ Bash are now up on the site. Relive some of the fun moments or see ones you may have missed on the SMRA gallery pages.

Keep in mind the web folks have the mindset of "the more the merrier". We can never have enough photos submitted to us! If you are a "saloon shutterbug" or "prairie photog", send your pictures from SMRA events to either webmaster@smra.net or give a disc of your photos to Tom S-W.

Patrick Hunter, Webmaster

On Sunday, August 19th, Nashville's Conductors hosted their first Drag Survivor Show. Thanks to the support of several Nashville clubs, the Conductors were able to raise $1,458.00 for the Nashville CARES Building Fund.

The Survivor Drag event pitted five contestants who had never done drag before to compete for the title of Drag Survivor. Each contestant came on stage in full drag thanks to the volunteer talents of the Lucky's LaCage Entertainers. The contestants blindly chose a song to perform, with no practice and no idea what that song would be. They gathered tips, and then stood for the judges to evaluate. The comical judges' insults and supportive jabs kept the audience laughing and the contestants steaming. The lowest tip maker was voted off the stage until a final winner was determined.

At the end of the night, Miss Bella Hay representing SMRA, won the crown! We can all be very proud of this accomplishment. "Thanks to all the Smokies that so generously donated to help me win my crown!" said Miss Hay, adding "I can't thank ya'll enough! Love ya! Mean it!"

At press time, rumors of Miss Hay's demise resulting from a tragic hootenanny mishap were circulating among the community but could not be confirmed.

Satu Puolitaival was born and raised in Espoo, Finland. In 1999, she moved to Salisbury, North Carolina, having earned a basketball scholarship at Catawba College and played for two years. At that time she decided to concentrate only on academics, majored in chemistry and graduated with a B.S. degree. In 2003 Satu moved to Nashville to join the chemistry Ph.D. program at Vanderbilt University where she continues to perform medical (mainly cancer) research.

Satu was introduced to the cowboy/cowgirl life by her friend Jamilynn who taught her many of the line and couples dances - and she fell in love with country dancing! Satu already knew that she loved the horsemanship aspect of the "country life" because she rode horses as a kid. Satu joined SMRA in January 2007 and she is glad to be a member because she's met many wonderful people and made great friends through participating in SMRA functions and committee meetings! Satu says, "I look forward to being a part of a Smoky Mountain Rodeo Association dance number! I can't wait to be an 'official' part of a show, and it's better for everyone if I don't try to sing!"

In addition to her work on SMRA's Membership and Fundraising Committee, Satu intends to volunteer at Angel Heart Farm with a few friends. She looks forward to working with a Charity Partner on behalf of her fellow "Smokies".

It's not too late to take part in an inexpensive advertising opportunity that has the potential to reach all accross the US and Canada (via www.smra.net). SMRA, on behalf of its Charity Partners, continues to update the Pony Ad-Press and will continue to distribute it at all of our events: Rodeo Nights, Pride Events, Play Days, Trail Blazes, Pub Crawls, etc. For a one time fee supporters can place an advertisement in the Pony Ad-Press for the remainder of the year. If they choose to update the ad to reflect current events prior to printing of the Pony Ad-Press, all they have to do is send us an updated advertisement and we'll be happy to place it in the current edition.

Ad prices have been recued and are extremely reasonable considering the high amount of exposure that they will receive. CLICK HERE to learn about rates! And CLICK HERE to learn about ad specifications!

This is a great way to support SMRA and our Charity Partners for as little as $25! SMRA is flexible and understanding. Give us a shot! We are very easy to work with. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us at jameswall77 @yahoo.com or membership@ smra.net.

Thank you,

Mr. SMRA 2007 Justin James and Steve Bloodworth
Fundraising Co-Chairs

Click here to see the current issue of Pony AdPress

September 7-9, 2007
Atlantic Stampede 2007 - Washington, DC
Hosted by Atlantic States Gay Rodeo Association (ASGRA)

September 14-16, 2007
Best Buck in the Bay 2007 - San Francisco, CA
Hosted by Golden State Gay Rodeo Associatoin, Bay Area Chapter

October 12-14, 2007
IGRA Finals Rodeo - Denver, Colorado
Hosted by Colorado Gay Rodeo Association

The International Gay Rodeo Association 2007 Finals Rodeo is fast approaching. Make plans now to see the Best of the Best Cowboys and Cowgirls on the Gay Rodeo Circuit in Denver, Colorado, October 12-14, 2007. This year's rodeo, hosted by the Colorado Gay Rodeo Association, will be held at the National Western Stock Show Events Center, a World Class facility and Denver's Premiere Show Place. Host hotel accommodations are available at the Denver Warwick Hotel, situated in Denver's trendy Uptown neighborhood. For more information, visit w ww.igrafinalsrodeo.com.

ARTICLE V - Meetings

The President will announce each upcoming meeting (via electronic mail, postal mail, and/or other such method, as deemed appropriate by the President), including date, time, and location of each meeting.

CLICK HERE if you would like to print a copy of SMRA's current Bylaws. Questions or comments concerning SMRA Bylaws and Guidelines can be directed to the Bylaws Chair at bylaws@smra.net.

Hours of hard work go into the training for this event. This event is loaded with hazards, such as collisions, entanglements, and worst of all, possible loss of fingers. The team consists of two ropers and two well-trained horses. One roper is called the "header" and his or her responsibility is to catch the steer by the horns while the teammate, called the "heeler," has the responsibility of catching the steer's back legs, or heels. When the header makes the catch, he or she must wind the rope around the saddle horn, called "dallying off," and turning the steer away from himself causes the steer's heels to fly in the air for the heeler's loop to catch. When both ropers have been successful in their tasks, they must turn their horses to face the steer and pull their ropes taut.