Queen Page stays on the move
Chronicle photo by Alex Paul
Page Davisson will reign over the 75th Omak Stampede.
Submitted photo
Omak Stampede Queen Page Davisson at age 5, riding Black Beauty, a Christmas Eve present 13 years ago.
By Alex Paul
Chronicle staff
Miss Omak Stampede Page Davisson is a young woman on the move.
The recent Tonasket High School graduate is busy this summer representing the 75th Omak Stampede throughout the Northwest and Canada and also works at The Corner Bistro, Omak, earning money for her freshman year at Eastern Washington University.
She said she set her sights on being the Stampede queen after enjoying her time as the Tonasket Founders’ Day queen last summer.
The rodeo is a natural fit for Davisson, who said she has been “riding a horse since I could walk. Riding a horse is a partnership. If you don’t click with your horse, your horse won’t do well. You have to work as a team.”
Davisson’s horse, Buddy, is a palomino quarter-pony quarter horse. He’s 8 1/2 years old.
She also has competed in barrel racing and junior rodeos.
During high school, Davisson was active in softball, tennis and basketball. She also has been involved with FFA and showed pigs and sheep at the county fair.
She graduated with a 3.4 grade point average.
Davisson earned the national scholar-athlete award and eight scholarships to Eastern, where she plans to study physical therapy, she said.
She said she would like to move back to the Tonasket area after college and to “give back to the community that has been so good to me.”
Davisson is the daughter of Deanna and Eric Strandberg, Tonasket, and Jeff and Lauri Davisson, Riverside. Her father was involved with the World-Famous Suicide Race for many years.
“I’m looking forward to working with the little kids on kids’ night,” Davisson said of the upcoming Stampede. “I love kids and I like the family oriented activities that night.”
Davisson has three siblings, Raylene, 24; Brook, 16, and Samuel, 9.
In what little free time she has, Davisson said she enjoys swimming at Palmer Lake near Loomis.
“Page is one of the better queens we have ever had, in my opinion,” said Ed Thiele, a member of the Stampede board of directors.
“We took her to the state Capitol in Olympia and she was wonderful,” he said. “She is intelligent and she impressed the legislators. We were even invited to the office of the speaker of the House. She has a wonderful personality that attracts people and she’s smart. She’s really a standout queen.”
Royalty sponsors include A Cut Above, Alpine Veterinary Clinic, Anchor Printing, Anne Schneider, Concrete Creations, Dairy Queen, Damskov Auto Sales, David and Sarah Grooms, Deb Ritch, DeTro’s Western Store, Fiddler Fencing, Harrison Jewelers, Havillah Road Printing, Ivadell Sullivan, Jack and Karmen Beeman, Janet Dengel, Jennifer Tollefson Photography, Lola Powers, Lori Cook, Lorna’s Fancy Stitches, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Melissa Sexton and Jan Ames, Pepsi/
Weinstein Beverage, Sunrise Chevrolet, Pro Stitch Embroidery, Puttin’ on the Ritz, Rawson’s, Rodstol’s, Sandi Buzzard Accounting, Sexton Equine Center, Shell/Taco Time Express, Studio Off Main, Unicel and Wells Fargo.
Schedule of events
Wednesday, Aug. 6
| 5-11 p.m. | Davis Shows carnival opens | East Side Park |
| 6-9 p.m. | Omak Western and Native Art Show kickoff | Courtyard Downtown |
Thursday, Aug. 7
| All day | Stampede outreach | Triangle Park area |
| 8 a.m. | Kick-off ride-in* | Fairgrounds to Stampede grounds |
| 9 a.m.-8 p.m. | Omak Western and Native Art Show | Courtyard Downtown |
| 4 p.m. | Wrangler Kids’ Night | Stampede arena |
| 5-11 p.m. | Davis Shows carnival | East Side Park |
| 6 p.m. | Indian Encampment opening ceremonies | Encampment area |
| 7 p.m. | Omak Stampede PRCA Rodeo | Stampede arena |
| After rodeo | World-Famous Suicide Race | Suicide Hill |
*-Sponsored by the Okanogan Team Penners Association
Friday, Aug. 8
| All day | Omak Stampede Indian Encampment | Encampment area |
| All day | Christians-in-Action Stampede outreach | Triangle Park |
| 7 a.m. | Slack - timed events | Stampede arena |
| 9 a.m.-8 p.m. | Omak Western and Native Art Show | Courtyard Downtown |
| 4 p.m.-midnight | Davis Shows carnival | East Side Park |
| 7 p.m. | Omak Stampede PRCA Rodeo | Stampede arena |
| After rodeo | World-Famous Suicide Race | Suicide Hill |
| After rodeo | Dance featuring Scott Smith and SRO | Arena dance area |
Saturday, Aug. 9
| All day | Omak Stampede Indian Encampment | Encampment area |
| All day | Christians-in-Action Stampede Outreach | Triangle Park |
| 9 a.m.-8 p.m. | Omak Western and Native Art Show | Courtyard Downtown |
| 10 a.m. | Omak Stampede Kids’ Parade | Staging at Civic League Park Parade on Main and Ash |
| 11 a.m.-midnight | Davis Shows carnival | East Side Park |
| 11:30 a.m. | Omak Stampede Board vs. Indian Encampment stick game | Encampment area |
| 1-3 p.m. | EquiFaith | Stampede arena |
| 7 p.m. | Omak Stampede PRCA Rodeo | Stampede arena |
| After rodeo | World-Famous Suicide Race | Suicide Hill |
| After rodeo | Dance featuring Scott Smith and SRO | Arena dance area |
Sunday, Aug. 10
| All day | Omak Stampede Indian Encampment | Encampment area |
| 8:30 a.m. | Western church service | Triangle Park |
| 10 a.m. | Stampede grand parade | Downtown Omak |
| 10 a.m.-3p.m. | Omak Western and Native Art Show | Courtyard Downtown |
| 11 a.m. | Davis Shows carnival | East Side Park |
| 2 p.m. | Omak Stampede PRCA Rodeo | Stampede arena |
| After rodeo | World-Famous Suicide Race | Suicide Hill |