story by Siri Stevens
The secretary/treasurer for MidStates Rodeo Association, Lee Strahan lives in Riga, Michigan. “I love the state and all of the great scenery and outdoor activities it offers. Although I enjoy jet skiing and snowmobiling, most of my free time is spent riding horses and motorcycles. I work on the family farm keeping the books and have a fireworks store, so that keeps me busy.”
Lee has just finished her first year working with the association. “I really enjoy it – it’s a different aspect of the equine industry. I come from the horse show world so rodeo is fairly new to me. I definitely get that family feeling from rodeo contestants.” She heard about the position through a friend and thought it would be a great opportunity to meet new people and have fun doing it.
Lee is an avid rodeo spectator, especially at the NFR, where she has been going for the past 23 years. “My parents always went to the NFR and they took my sister and I when we were young and it’s been a tradition ever since.” Lee grew up with horses. “I’ve been showing my entire life – I show all around pleasure and in recent years I’ve gotten into reining and working cow horse. I really like the working cow horse – it’s exhilarating.”
She has a full time job in accounts payable at a commercial snow removal company. In the summertime, the company gets ready for winter, so that gives Lee time to do her fireworks. “I do my work for Mid-States in between all the rest,” she said. Her job description for the association includes taking memberships, keeping track of the results, the rodeo sanctions, as well as the minutes, correspondence and everything that has to do with communication between the board, the members, and the rodeo committees. “We have 51 IPRA co sanctioned rodeos, and our members can compete in 70 rodeos throughout the season – starting in February and ending October with a finals that are amazing.” Thanks to the hard work of the board, the association is able to give back $75,000.00 in cash and prizes to the members at the Finals.
In her spare time, she rides her horses (she has 9), and shows. She keeps her horses at her parent’s farm a mile from her house. Lee and her sister, Jaclyn, will eventually take over the bicentennial family farm where they grow corn, wheat, and soybeans that is currently run by her parents, Louis and Juanita.
Lee is hoping to grow their fireworks store, Uncle Louie’s Fireworks, to open a few more locations in the future and plans to continue her role as secretary of the Mid-States Rodeo Association.
