McPeakes Give Three Decades To Tennessee Rodeo Youth "I would advise it for anyone who likes horses. It’s very family oriented.” by Nancy Brannon Tim and Dianne McPeake have recently retired as Tennessee National Director and Tennessee State Secretary, respectively, from the Tennessee High School Rodeo Association. Tim served as National Director for 18 years and Dianne served as Secretary for 22 years, from 1986 to 2008. In total, they have both worked and held leadership positions in Tennessee Junior Rodeo, Tennessee High School Rodeo and the National High School Rodeo for 30 years. They were two of the charter members in establishing the Tennessee Junior Rodeo Association. Tim served for nine years as that Association’s first President and Dianne was the first Secretary. For the McPeakes, their service was all about the kids involved in the rodeos. Dianne explained, “The contestants were awesome. One of our most memorable days was when the kindergarten kids graduated High School Rodeo their senior year. We had been with them all through their junior and high school rodeo years.” Dianne said some of the same kids who started out in kindergarten competed in the rodeos all the way through to high school, staying in the organizations for 13 years. “One young man won the PRCA World Championship Team Roping n Chad Masters. He started in about the 5th or 6th grade and went all the way through high school” in Tennessee Junior and High School Rodeo, Dianne said. As National Director for the State of Tennessee for 18 years, Dianne proudly said of Tim, “He’s the only man who has been National Director from Tennessee. He presided over 44 states, four Canadian provinces, and Australia.” Over the years, the McPeakes have “put a lot of time and work into it,” Dianne said. “And when we see what the kids have accomplished, we are very pleased.” She emphasized that their work is all volunteer. “We accept no pay for anything,” she said. Dianne has won her share of honors, too. In her first year as State Secretary in 1986, “I was elected Rookie Secretary of the Year,” she said. Prior to being State Secretary she was Rodeo Secretary for several years. Then two years after being Rookie of the Year, she was awarded National Secretary of the Year honors in 1988. She has been National Finals Announcer’s Secretary for the last ten years, since 1998. The McPeakes originally got involved in Tennessee Junior Rodeo with their daughter Jamie, who started out with Junior Rodeos in kindergarten and is now 28 years old. Dianne explained, “She made our most memorable times in Rodeo. She started out in kindergarten in Junior Rodeo and went all the way through High School Rodeo. Then she went to U T Martin on a rodeo scholarship. Now, she rodeos professionally. In 1998 she was within eight tenths of a second winning the National Pole Bending Championship. She has served as National Student Secretary, representing over 15,000 young rodeo contestants nationwide. In 1992-1993 she was Tennessee Junior Rodeo Queen. In 1996 she was Tennessee State Rodeo Queen and, lacking only eight points, she was runner up at Nationals. She was the first from Tennessee to be in the top 10 at Nationals. She has won every state championship in rodeo that girls can compete in. She was All-Around Cowgirl for three years.” Needless to say, the McPeakes are very proud of their daughter’s accomplishments. The Rodeos have been some of the best of times for the McPeakes. “We’ve made our mark on rodeo,” said Dianne. “We’ve had experiences that we’ll cherish for the rest of our lives. We have made friends from all over the U. S., Canada, and Australia, friendships that will last forever. We’ve had so many kids go through the rodeo program. I would advise it for anyone who likes horses. It’s very family oriented,” she emphasized. And, in turn, the children know that Dianne and Tim will do whatever is asked of them. Dianne told about a kid who had lost her horse and was going through a really tough time. Tim patted her on the back and encouraged her. Later “he received the nicest hand-written thank you note from her, saying how much his encouragement meant to her.” That is one of the many good memories from rodeo that the McPeakes will always carry with them. With all of these good times and memories, it may be puzzling why the McPeakes are leaving their leadership positions. The answer is that they believe they are leaving the Associations in very good leadership hands with Jim and Vickie Mitchell, who began their tenure in August 2008. Jim will serve as Tennessee National Director and Vickie is serving as Tennessee State Secretary. “We think they’re really good people,” Dianne said, and they will have their work cut out for them carrying on the McPeakes’ legacy. “We’ll still be around to help them,” Dianne said, and you will find them at the first rodeo of the season at Millington the second week in September. “When we took over” leadership, Dianne said, “there were maybe four rodeos a year. We built it up to about 32 rodeos a year. And why did they do it all? Dianne summarized it succinctly: “We love the kids.” Next Month: An interview with Gem and Vicki Mitchell of Bolivar, Tenn. who will be filling the positions formerly held by the McPeakes.