2010 Event Recaps

2009 Events
2008 Events
2007 Events

SMRA's Gives $4,500 to Charity in 2010

The members of SMRA would like to thank the community for its support of our various fundraisers, which has helped us to meet this impressive milestone in only six years! Our fundraising efforts have benefitted such organizations as Alive Hospice, Angel Heart Farm, the Louisville AIDS Walk, the Minnie Pearl Cancer Foundation, Nashville Cares/Nashville AIDS Walk and OutCentral. SMRA is seated with the International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA) covering the states of Tennessee and Kentucky. As an IGRA chapter, SMRA works to promote gay rodeo and the western lifestyle while raising money for member-selected charity partners. SMRA members have volunteered to work at gay rodeos in other chapters and in 2010 one of our members, Chad Billings, placed in the IGRA Finals Rodeo in the category of bull riding. SMRA is looking for new members to help us reach new goals in 2011 and beyond. To learn more about our organization or about gay rodeo, please contact us or stop by to speak with us at one of our many fundraising and service events. Our motto is, "good people, having a good time, doing a good thing." Come join in the fun!

Nasvhille AIDS Walk

At the annual Nashville AIDS Walk held on October 2, 2010, Justin and Michael walked the 3 miles to help raise funds for Nashville Cares. A total of $1,400.00 was raised for Team SMRA. Way to go Smoky's!

Good Time had on SMRA Pub Crawl

On August 28th about 30 folks boarded an Friends Against Drunk Drivers (FADD) party bus for the SMRA Pub Crawl. The gang had a great time on bus with entertainment from Miss SMRA 2010, Uma Stevens and Gay Country Artist James Allen Clark. James walked up and down the tricked out bus selling vodka soaked cherries. In between visits to Blue Gene's, Lipstick Lounge, Play, Stirrup and Tribe, pub crawl attendees enjoyed thumpin' music from the FADD Bus DJ, dancing around the three stripper polls in the disco lighted bus. SMRA would like to thank our proud sponsor FarmVet for helping us put on this event. Keep your eyes on the SMRA website and calendar for our next pub crawl as this one sold out early.
See photos the pub crawl

Celebration of Life Would have Done Bianca Proud

It seemed that almost all of Nashville's GLBT community turned out at the Lowes Vanderbilt Hotel on August 27 for the Celebration of Life for Nashville icon Bianca Paige. Paige, who passed away earlier this summer from HIV related complications worked tirelessly over the years to promote and education folks on HIV/AIDS and was always willing to lend her talents to numerous SMRA fundraisers. The event included live and silent auctions as well as performances, video memories and tributes played to a standing room only crowd. It was an event that just about as large as the personality of Bianca herself and something that would have done her all kinds of proud. Funds raised from the event went to cover Bianca's final medical and funeral expenses.
See photos from the Celebration of Life
Read more about Page 20 plus years of entertaining and education

Kentuckiana and Nashville Pride 2010

Who says you can't be in two places at once? SMRA did just that attending both the Kentuckiana and Nashville Prides which happened to take place on the same weekend in June. Our Kentucky contingent marched in the parade in Louisville, KY. Afterwards, the gang went out to have some fun and dance the night away at Starbase Q. In Nashville, our members had a booth at the festival on the Riverwalk. Despite the blazzing temperatures, Miss SMRA 2010, Uma Stephens, managed to keep herself looking as fresh as when she just stepped out of the powder room while she met up with a variety of folks and helped to promote SMRA.
See photos from Nashville Pride
See photos from Louisville Pride

Wrap-Up for Spring Roundup 2010

SMRA's Spring Roundup this year was an awesome weekend! From the great time we had at Lipstick Lounge with the cowboy/cowgirl trivia and Southern Comfort drinks to the spiritual and awesome Gospel Show on Sunday, one couldn't go wrong.

Southern Comfort sponsored us for our night at Lipstick Lounge. SMRA received 50% of the drink sales of Southern Comfort. Thank you so much Southern Comfort for this great donation! We, also, had two trivia groups for their cowboy/cowgirl trivia. Unfortunately neither of them won but that just means we have to go more often to Lipstick Lounge for trivia night! Be watching for announcements on this! Thanks to Christa and Lipstick for their support of this event!

Plenty of Smoky's made it to Play for our Gay Ole Opry, silent auction and country dancing. Thanks to all the volunteers that helped set things up and tore down for the silent auction; who danced their butts off on the dance floor all night and performed like superstars in the Gay Ole Opry. Thanks to Uma Stephens, Miss SMRA 2010 and Kitty Kinkaid, Miss SMRA 2008 for their coordination of the Opry; Terry S. and David C. for handling the DJ and dance lessons and, of course, we can't thank Oscar and Play enough for their support.

Saturday night we had the SMRA Board of Directors and the General Membership. Right after our General Membership members went over to Blue Gene's to have some pizza which they sponsored. We just stayed there all night to party, enjoy the incredible performers and partake in the Jell-O shots that Brett W. made. Geno, thank you very much for the pizza and your continued support of SMRA.

The Gospel Show on Sunday hosted by Kitty Kinkaid, Miss SMRA 2008. As always, it was a great show that included illusionist performances and wonderful live singing. I very much thank Kitty for the opportunity to advertise SMRA at her event. Your support is always appreciated Kitty!

Finally, a special thanks to Darrell B., who donated his time to design the incredible posters for Spring Roundup. They looked terrific!

SMRA Member Wins Bullriding Buckle

Phoenix, AZ – One of our own, Chad B. aka “Smurf,” came home from the Road Runner Regional Rodeo (RRRR) a buckle winner in bullriding. Smurf was the only cowboy to cover his ride out of the three competing cowboys. Ruding the spotted black and white bull “Mud,” Smurf scored 63.5 points on Saturday and 50 points on Sunday. Congratulations Smurf on your buckle win. Hooray for the Smokies!
     

International Gay Rodeo Association University Recap

SMRA members Justin J. and James Bowman Harris aka Uma Stephens, Miss SMRA 2010 attended International Gay Rodeo Assocation University (IGRA U) this year in sunny Las Vegas. IGRA U is a yearly annual event where members of the gay rodeo community can learn more about various aspects of rodeo and organization production, organization and management; network with other IGRA members; and have a good ol' country time, too. James received an Associates Degree in Rodeo Arts. Congratulates to James on this achievement.

University had 90 attendees this year. It was well run with 6 different class sessions from Friday through Sunday. Not to mention the parties at night. Uma Stephens helped MC the 2010 Dance Competition held on Saturday night. She did a wonderful job keeping the crowd cheering through out the contest.

We would have had pictures from this weekend; however, Justin J. seemed to have "lost" his camera. Proving the old addage that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!

Be sure to mark your calendars for IGRA U 2011 which will be in St. Louis, MO. If you have any questions about IGRA U and its curriculum contact, contact Justin J., 615-202-1992.