EMILY SKRAMSTAD

AGE: 21

HOMETOWN: UMAPINE

CURRENTLY LIVING IN: UMAPINE

HIGH SCHOOL: 2020 TOUCHET HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE

High school activities: In high school, I was an active member of 4-H and FFA, and participated in volleyball and basketball. Also, I was a member of the Washington High School Equestrian Team where I qualified all four years for the regional and state competitions.

College: I will be a senior this year at the University of Idaho. I am majoring in animal and veterinary sciences on the preveterinary track. Also, I compete on the college rodeo team.

Occupational goals: My last job was as a veterinary assistant for Dr. Eugenio Mannucci at Idaho Equine West. In the future, I plan to enter a doctor of veterinary medicine program with the ultimate goal of becoming an equine veterinarian.

Past Round-Up/Happy Canyon involvement: I have attended Pendleton Round-Up with my family during my entire life. I have ridden in the Westward Ho! Parade more than a dozen times. I also volunteered extensively when my older sister, Taylor, was a princess in 2017, including carrying flags in several parades, helping ride and jump horses during practices and attending the Children’s Rodeo.

Community activities/volunteer experiences: I am a lifelong rodeo athlete, including barrel racing, steer daubing, figure 8 and poles. I won many awards at the Milton-Freewater Pioneer Posse, two saddles from the Cayuse Junior Rodeo Association as the All-Around Senior Girl and several awards at the Walla Walla Fair & Frontier Days. As part of my court duties, I helped with stick horse racing at the Helix Heart of the Country Rodeo.

Parents: Scott and Kelly Skramstad of Umapine.

Favorite Round-Up/Happy Canyon tradition: My favorite Round-Up tradition is the countdown to the cannon right before the grand entry.

Favorite Round-Up/Happy Canyon memory: Watching the Saturday Round-Up performance and seeing who is crowned the winner for each event.

History with horses: I grew up on the Lazy SK Quarter Horse Ranch and have helped my family raise and train horses. Over the past 15 years, several of the horses have jumped the rail during the grand entry at Pendleton Round-Up. My main Round-Up horse is Champ, a 5-year-old from our family’s breeding program, who I have trained since day one. My backup horse is Foxy, who has been around the track previously during four grand entries.

Best part of the court experience: Being able to travel to so many different rodeos and being able to experience it with the four other girls. I’m excited to join the group of historic women who have served on the court. And as a rodeo athlete, it is such an honor to be able to represent not just the Pendleton Round-Up but the countless rodeo contestants, the volunteers that make it happen and the hardworking board of directors as well as the whole town of Pendleton and Eastern Oregon.

While in Pendleton: I would encourage people to visit the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame.