Jul 2, 2026 — Kaylee Gripentrog: Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo & the Girl of the West

Bulletin for July 2, 2026

Featured Speaker: Kaylee Gripentrog

2026 Girl of the West, Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo — Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo & the Girl of the West

OPENING

Paula led the prayer and Benny led the Pledge of Allegiance.

"We stood together to fight the enemy. We stood to fight for what we believe in. We stood to fight for our country, and our family. Most importantly, we stood to fight for each other."

— Kyle J. White, United States Army Medal of Honor

Special guest Shadow was introduced — on leave from Okinawa, Japan, where he has been stationed for the past four years. He served eleven years in the United States Air Force and returns to Okinawa in October 2027.

80TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION RECAP

The Pikes Peak Club celebrated its 80th birthday at the Safari Lodge at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, with 42 members and guests in attendance. Highlights included a giraffeologist lesson and a private giraffe feeding session.

A safari-themed costume contest was held, with $50 prizes for each of the top five outfits — funded by secret donors. Results:

• First place: Larry Gaddis (11 votes)

• Second place (four-way tie): Kevin Lewis, Mark Elliott, Mark Hermann, and Barbara Gaddis

Donation proceeds from the contest will go to a nonprofit selected by the board. Happy 80th Birthday to the Pikes Peak Club!

KEYNOTE: PIKES PEAK OR BUST RODEO — KAYLEE GRIPENTROG & GUESTS

About the Guests

Three guests joined from the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo: Corliss Palmer, Terry Gilbert (Girl of the West in 1983), and Kaylee Gripentrog, the 2026 Girl of the West.

Corliss Palmer is a longtime volunteer who schedules over 150 appearances each summer. Terry Gilbert is training to take over Corliss's coordination role. Kaylee is the official ambassador for the 2026 rodeo. She graduated from a District 20 public hybrid school — the flexibility of which was essential to her horse activities — and plans to study animal science at Colorado State University.

About the Rodeo

The NFR Open is a professional rodeo event featuring top competitors from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The 2026 event runs July 14–18 at the Norris Penrose Event Center. Free parking and shuttles are available. Tickets should be purchased from the official website (highsteerbucks.org) to avoid resellers.

Pre-rodeo activities include a fan zone, mutton busting, and live music.

The Role of "Girl of the West"

As Girl of the West, Kaylee participates in rodeo flag events and serves as a community ambassador — but focuses on ranch cow horse classes rather than active competition. Her custom outfits and hat are covered by the rodeo budget. The promotional truck was purchased by Perkins, with the rodeo covering the advertising wrap and operating expenses.

A lively discussion followed on Western and rodeo superstitions — including never wearing yellow in the arena, never placing a hat on a bed, and the widespread belief in "lucky" competition outfits.

Club Rodeo Outing

The Pikes Peak Club will attend Thursday, July 16, 2026, in place of the regular meeting. Sixteen members are attending. Marty has photocopied all tickets and will send a reminder email the day before. A drone light show will follow the rodeo, launching from Bear Creek Park — attendees are encouraged to watch from the parking lot for better visibility.

CLUB BUSINESS

• Sleep in Heavenly Peace: Members reflected on their participation in the recent bed-building event — described as one of the most rewarding service activities the club has done.

• Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame: A discussion arose about the potential move of the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame to Wyoming. Paula proposed distributing the "Code of the West" to every kindergarten student in Colorado Springs as a way to preserve Western heritage locally, and offered to help fund the initiative.

• Water Conservation Symposium: July 29, 2026 — visits to farms in the Lower Arkansas Valley. Approximately 17 members have signed up. Those interested in carpooling by van should contact Kevin directly.

• Member Biographies: A proposal was made for members to share life stories and career paths, particularly to help new members get to know the group. Options discussed: brief weekly sharing or two members presenting full biographies as a scheduled program.

CONCLUSION

As the giraffes might say — "You don't get no leaves unless you stick your neck out." Stand tall, reach high, and follow your dreams. The Pikes Peak Club has been doing just that for 80 years.

GO SWITCHBACKS. See you at the rodeo on July 16!

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The Pikes Peak Club · pikespeakclub.com