Inspiring the Montana Stockgrowers & CattleWomen at their annual Convention

The Montana Stockgrowers Association and Montana CattleWomen's Convention was held in Billings at the Holiday Inn Grand. This is one of Montana's largest conventions. For the past two years, Miss Montana has had the opportunity to visit an event of the convention and to speak. I was asked to speak at the Inspirational Breakfast preceding the final session.
Earlier in the week my cousin Shawn was out doing chores on the ranch while listening to the radio. At first he thought he misheard the commercial but when he confirmed it during a second airing, he found much humor in it. Apparently the promotions for the Montana Stockgrowers Convention broadcasted that Miss Montana, Carrie Hageman, would be speaking at the Inspirational Breakfast. The reason this is funny to our family is because I have been called Carrie all my life. She’s my older sister and even our mother sometimes could not keep our names straight.
When I spoke at the breakfast on Friday morning, I told them that they were fortunate to have this Hageman instead of Carrie because they would have gotten a speech on finances and tax laws (she’s a CPA in Seattle). I spoke about the love of the land being a huge inspiration in their business and sang “Cowboy’s Sweetheart” for them (I thought it only appropriate). I mentioned my family’s ranch in Rapelje and many people knew my relatives. It gets to be a small world in this business!