Kelsey Teichert
This tribute is written by Kayla Teichert, daughter of Kelsey Teichert, to the best of my memory…
Mom began her tenure with the CSSC rodeo club in 2007. She was instrumental as co-secretary along side Julie Hunting (Darrel Hunting Presidency) and ran gates for the contestants.
It wasn’t until Cokeville’s 100th Centennial Celebration that the club was scrambling to find someone to carry the flag for the national anthem. It was then that mom realized a need for our local girls to be ambassadors to the sport of rodeo. “It started out a little rocky as most things do in the beginning.” says mom, but she persisted and kept at it. “I really wanted it to be a well-deserved competition and once the crowning was over then came the real work”.
Before the competition, each girl had to produce a minimum amount of money from sponsors and local businesses for the CSSC club to purchase buckles for the 2-day rodeo. Mom and the royalty put up posters for the CSSC all over the tri-state region and as a result had record-setting contestant entries. We sold raffle tickets for the club and assisted with the rodeo. From there, we had to raise money for ourselves as royalty. We set up hamburger stands on the 4th of July in the park and a silent auction at the annual high school volleyball tournament. She always donated a quilt that she had made herself to raffle at the Christmas Craft Fair in Cokeville. She was able to purchase the buckles, crowns, sashes, embroidery for each girl and a saddle for the queen at no cost to the club but only from our own diligence and hard work. Mom stayed up late at night and cut and sewed boat cushion upholstery for sashes to save money, purchasing flags/poles, candy and small American flags and other “essentials” out of her own pocket so that we stood out more on the parade route. She made gift baskets for each girl as a thank-you and always had the us girls send thank-you cards to all those who sponsored on behalf of the royalty.
The royalty was to attend a minimum of rodeos and parades to promote the CSSC 24th celebration. Every town we went to everyone was talking about Cokeville’s girls and everyone commented on how our group looked very nice in the arena and on the parade route. More times than not, the royalty won a standing in the parade, either first or second place as an “organized group”. Sometimes the CSSC royalty picked up a little money from parade winnings. “We went everywhere! We went to Raspberry Days in Laketown, Evanston Cowboy Days, Afton, Kemmerer....it was an all summer-long commitment and we had the time of our lives. Those girls really sat tall in the saddle and you could see the pride and confidence in their faces. It still makes me emotional as I know they had really taken on the role of ambassadors”.
Mom stays very busy as she runs the Gold Buckle Grill (a name that me and my siblings insisted on calling the place). Mom still donates to anyone who comes calling for a good cause such as the CSSC, the Rich County High School Rodeo Club, the Bear Lake High School Rodeo Club, contributions to the 4-H kids, school events and so forth. Even though mom has the restaurant, she is still active in church callings, a delegate for Lincoln Co. Republican party and always willing to lend a hand for her neighbors. For several years and currently, mom volunteers for the ski school program. She has been a beginner and intermediate instructor for Pine Creek. Hundreds of students from Cokeville, Afton, Etna, Osmond, Rich County and so forth. Many students have learned how to ski from mom. My siblings and I have helped her out from time to time when a class went over 25 students. She insists on no compensation.
For over a decade, mom assisted Gwen Petersen and Charlotte Freeman with the Cokeville’s community fair booth and in the last few years she has become chairman. She won the 2019 Best of Show for the booth. “You couldn’t wipe that smile off my face. Cokeville, not me, deserved all the credit for the booth. It was Cokeville’s talent that made it Best of Show.”
My mom has always been happy to stand in the background and let others shine. I think the best thing about my mom is I have never heard her boast about her accomplishments or volunteering for the community. She is and has always been humble, giving the credit to someone else or others. As her daughter, I couldn’t be more proud of her.
Kayla Teichert
Wow. What an absolutely amazing legacy shared by Kelsey’s daughter, Kayla. And Kelsey is 100% deserving of such high-esteemed praise.
Kelsey’s hard work and compassion shines through her countenance in every capacity she is involved — which as Kayla so eloquently pointed out…is a lot. Her contributions to the Cokeville Stock & Saddle Club and Cokeville Rodeo made a significant impact, and she touched so many lives through her efforts.
Kelsey, we remember your efforts and vision that you so freely shared, and continue to share with the community and rodeo. Thank you.
We are proud to include you in our Rodeo Honorees.