26 #2
At about 10:15, my number was called again. Mom was there with her stopwatch and said, “Nail this one, get them excited a bit.”
So I did, and had the best time of the morning.
That stopped a few folks in their tracks.
And the word started spreading about who I was.
Now, you do not, I repeat, you do not expect a top runway model to be riding barrels in Worthington, Pennsylvania, at a two-bit community rodeo event sponsored by some 4-H group or whatever.
So I was not recognized. But my camera crew most certainly was.
And they were inundated with questions about who I was.
However, these guys are used to this and kept their cool.
The ride started at one, and I drew a 1:45 heat.
Again, Mom said, “Give it everything,” and Lightning did that.
For the round, we were number three. I easily took my heat, and that moved me up to the sixteen-round that started at four p.m.
Mom said, “Take it easy on your gal. You are riding against a sixteen-year-old on a quarter horse, so don’t hurt yourself or your ride proving anything.”
And that is what I did.
Now, by this time, my name was also being announced. At the first ride, I was not recognized. At the second ride, I was completely known to the crowd and was the subject of intense scrutiny.
Ellen shepherded me out to a press conference where I talked about growing up riding barrels and living in Slippery Rock and how my life had changed direction when I was discovered in Grove City last fall. But we left out that I was a boy, Shannon, last fall. Let them figure it out.
The clothing company that provided my Western clothes also sent representatives, and they were thrilled with the look. I understand Ellen signed them for a week of my time sometime this fall. It was about triple the highest they have ever paid for a model. They loved the look.
And that evening, Carmine flew in from wherever so that she would get to see me ride in the morning.
And that is what happened. Nine a.m. opened practice, and I signed up for two runs.
Mom said to go easy, no use overdoing the horse, and Lightning wasn’t the most happy about being held back.
But Mom is right. I had good times from yesterday, and we were just stretching muscles and warming up slowly.
And the place was overflowing with attendees, which made the organizers extraordinarily happy.
4-H is a non-profit group that helps kids in rural communities.
Having a good program like today just makes things better for kids somewhere along the way.
I will be leaving a sizable donation. Lowri and Dad handle that.
And the fashion press made it down from New York, like all of them.
I was photographed heavily on both practice runs.
We allowed the photographers access to the course for the practice sessions, and I grandstanded a bit, came out of the saddle when I didn’t have to, and made it look like I was a bit over my ability when I was playing.
The locals and riders knew damn well what I was doing.
They could pull the same stunts. But they don’t get their video shown on fashion news shows when they do.
Nor do they get paid to be allowed to show that video.
I did notice a couple of massive format, like 300 meg, cameras being set up, which means someone was hoping for a cover or two. Yes, Fashion Top Model does Rodeo Queen on steroids. This is fun, far more fun than boy Shannon ever had, I will be honest.
And at one, the first races of the day started.
Mom said to go light on the first heat because my competitor was a bit unsteady the day before, and Mom did not think that this morning’s runs were any better. Again, do not harm a horse. So I did and won.
And now there were four of us. And now Mom said, “Go for it.”
And I did, and it was an epic ride, the best I have had on Lightning.
And then the semi-finals, and again, “Go for it, Shannon.” And I could see hundreds of long lenses shooting. This is fun.
And finally, the finals. Look, I did what I could. I gave Lightning her head, and she ran with it. But I was about 1.24 seconds off the mark, and that means I placed second in a rodeo, and the fashion world is going to go nuts.
Just so that you know, a full-blown full-time circuit rider is in the 12-13 seconds for a run. I was about 14.85 seconds. So, no ideas that I can give up modeling and follow the rodeo.
Ellen came by to see me as we were cooling Lightning off and said, “Score big time, girl. You are going to make me millions, and to think, when I found you, you were just a simple boy.”
I cracked up. I utterly lost it. Claire came by and asked if I wanted her to call 911. I laughed even harder.
Yeah, I am just a simple boy from Slippery Rock who does not know what he wants to do with his life.
And of course, the press, local, national, regional, fashion, all of them went nuts over this event.
What it showed was that it was not a publicity stunt, that I really could ride on a competitive level.
The gal who won rides these events full time and makes a really good living doing so.
Everyone expected one of the six to eight ringers who were paid expenses to ride this weekend to come in the top four.
That an unknown dudette got number two? That they were not expecting.
But I am a happy girl right now. And Carmine is happy that I am not broken in a hospital with diseased, brittle bones.
Dad thinks the entire event was a hoot. Where did that ever come from?
But it is rodeo in Hicksville, apparently.
The 4-H program asked nicely if I would give a riding demonstration to the club members and work with them one day this summer.
I asked if they wanted me to teach both the boys and girls. That went over their head.
And in the end, two covers. One is some western wear fashion rag that I had never heard of.
They were not happy with Ellen’s fees, but this was a once-in-a-lifetime event for them, and they could not pass it up.
And Cosmo went with me. Cosmo thought that I was a truly modern woman with untold and hidden potential.
That got its share of laughs, I assure you.
You think that these guys would research who we are. I mean, it isn’t a secret in the industry that I am trans.
And about that. I am just not that guy. I can’t fight it anymore. I am a transgender woman with an intersexuality issue who also happens to be a top model.
My old standard from a year ago, “I am Shannon, I am male, cisgender, and heterosexual,” was a lie I was telling myself.
Well, to be honest, it was a lie that I was never aware was a lie.
I am a card-carrying queer, according to Claire, who would know, member of the LGBTQIA community with three checks on my membership card: intersexed, trans, and lesbian.
I suppose that it would be hard to argue with that set of truths.
It is going to take a while for these last few weeks to settle in.
I have about six weeks of work left, and Ellen has me booked almost continually.
Lowri and I will be flying out in the morning for somewhere in Europe.
Some specialty runways are for the yachting set, followed by some premier shoots for the UAE clothing firm Prestige, but not in the UAE, I think, in Morocco.
It really can pass for the UAE for what they want.
Surf and palms and a beautiful girl wearing their clothing looking out at the sea. So sweet.
And then to Japan for a few days. I think we stop in Australia, then London, where I do ten days with Angel, who is handling the bulk of the catalog work for KK Brands, and remember she is getting sixty percent of my rate for pretending that she is me.
And with KK, they do not give the model’s names in their advertisements, but I am known to be their exclusive for casual wear.
And Toronto, first time there, and then I do not know what comes next.