This past month I had both a commercial demo and a narration demo professionally produced and now I am off and running getting my new marketing plan to work for my VO business. I have also created a new Facebook Fan Page to help promote my business too, check it out at facebook.com/DavieKimm.

June has been kind of wet here and the good thing about it is it is very green and things are growing like crazy. It can be nerve racking when you have your sound equipment subjected to the weather though! This past month we had stops in Russell, MN for the Wagon Stampede Rodeo. Nicky was unable to make it to this event so I had Val Lundquist run the music for me and she did a fantastic job! The next week Nicky and I went back for the second consecutive year to the Minnesota High School State Finals Rodeo in Hugo, MN. A lot of the parents I used rodeo with in my High School Rodeo days so it was great to get to see them and spend some time with them again. Minnesota has a lot of great young talent and should do well in Gillette at the NHSFR!

While in Hugo we were parked next to one of the judges Corky Ritchie, he and his wife Sharon are from Clear Lake, SD. One of my old traveling partners and great friends Robert O'Donoghue grew up near them and always had great things to say about them and it was really great to finally meet them and get time to visit with them too. Nate Young the other judge was also a good friend from the past. Nate who used to ride bareback horses was there with his wife Dianne who timed the rodeo . Dianne is also Bob Barnes niece. Barnes PRCA Rodeo had the livestock and always great to see Westin Barnes who is Marty's son and Marty was also on hand for the short round on Sunday.

The next week I was off to see John Aus in Granite Falls, John and his wife RaeAnn  and I were all  in High School rodeo at the same time. John's son Tanner is in the top 40 in the PRCA Bareback riding World standings. Their daughters Braelee and Danielle are also headed to the NHSFR in Gillette as Freshman! Always good to see the next generations taking it to them in the arena! 

Well we are already into July and for the first time in 10 years Nicky and I were home on the 4th. We took advantage of the time off and visited Valleyfair an amusement park in Shakopee, we also visited Canterbury Park and watched the horses run, and did some tubing on the Cannon River.

With the fun over it's time to get back to work, we leave for Hamel tomorrow for 5 performances of the 30th Hamel Rodeo & Bull Ridin' Bonanza (Minnesota's Largest PRCA Rodeo) and then head to Mitchell, SD next week for 4 performances of the 40th Corn Palace Stampede.

Should have lots to update next month!

Until then, God Bless, stay safe and Happy Trails!

Davie

Posted May 29, 2010.

Seems like such a long wait and then, just like that summer is here! Time is flying right on by, things have been very hectic around here lately. Nicky and I have been busy around the place getting the garden in and things in tip top shape before we are off and running for the summer run.

Things are also busy with my voice business as I prepare to have my demos reproduced. I have a very reputable voice coach here in the Twin Cities directing me and producing my demo. I am scheduled to go into the studio on June 8th! I am very excited about that. Then it will be time to make the rounds with the talent agencies here in town. I am already working on getting my own work through many internet sites like voice123.com, voices.com, and so on but,  talent agents are just another part of the marketing arsenal! I am also building a separate website for my voice over business www.VoiceOversbyDavie.com and just about have it completed and hope to have it published and online in a few days. I am right in the middle of my 2nd acting class at the Guthrie Theater the last one offered for the summer. I am really having a lot of fun with that and who knows maybe I will try to put that to work this fall with some physical acting along with the voice work... I hope to be taking an Improv class this fall and that should be a blast!

Nicky and I had a brand new event this past month the Sandstone Bulls & Barrels in Sandstone, MN. It was great to be in Sandstone as my older brother Mike lives there and Nicky and I had a chance to see him and visit on Friday night. Three local Bucking Bull Producers got together and put on  this first time bull riding event that also featured barrel racing for the gals. Glad to see the local support they got to make the first one a success. Josh & Molly Trest, along with Tony Carlson, and Charlie Surdey were the producers. Will O'Connell & Lance Schwartz were fighting bulls and it was fun to get to work with an old traveling partner once again, Randy "Slipknot" Schiedler who provided the comedy.

Things really get cranked up this next month but, I am really looking forward to all that is going on! I am truly Blessed to be doing what I love to do each and every day!

Until next month, keep safe out there, God Bless, & Happy Trails,

Davie

Posted April 30, 2010.

Wow! What a spring! All I can say is after this past winter we deserve it! Last year we didn't get out in the fields until after the MN Horse Expo the end of April. This year I missed out in the tractor driving as my schedule wasn't going to open up until after May 1 and they were all done planting by this past Monday. Oh well, I am sure the gang at Kohlnhofer Farms will have corn for me to harvest when October rolls along. One thing for sure, I will be down at the farm pretty soon for the spring Turkey Archery season coming up this next month!

Well, with a fairly busy April in the rodeo business I have also been working hard in my voice over business too. I have been working with a Nationally known voice coach to help remove my mid western accent and get more neutral, and a voice acting coach who will be helping put together a new demo that I hope will get my VO business launched with talent agencies here in the Twin Cities area. I have also been taking an acting class at the Guthrie Theater in downtown Minneapolis, what a blast that is! I guess you could say re-investing in myself before things get busy with the summer run. I am really excited as this will not only help improve my delivery for VO but, should also help to improve my live announcing too! I will also be looking into an Improv class as soon as the schedule permits. Fun, fun, fun!

This past month we had stops in Brookings, SD for the SDSU Jackrabbit Stampede. (Hard to believe that Nicky and I have been going there now for the past 8 years) Ron Skovly really has the Jacks looking great this year, and it's always great to be working with the Sutton family. Next we were in Henderson for the High Island Arena Rodeo always fun and great to see everyone there, and Nicky and I also got to spend some time with Kathy and Dave Biron who open their place up for this event. Last weekend we once again helped out friend and colleague Kelly Kenney by providing the music production for the MN Horse Expo Rodeo, always great to see him and the entire Barnes Rodeo Family including the Colonel himself who made it up on Sunday! I always enjoyed going to "Barnes PRCA Rodeos" as a bronc rider ... you always had a good chance to win, as their horse pens are always great! The Saturday night crowd was as big as I have ever seen at the MN State Fair Coliseum! They even sold the 4 seats that were right behind where Nicky and I were working, I am sure they didn't see much!

As always, God Bless, stay safe out there, and Happy Trails!

Davie

Posted March 24, 2010.

Well most of February and March has been devoted to re-branding my voice over business. A lot of progress has been made including a redesign of my home studio. Getting some more voice training, searching for a voice coach, talent agent, and even signing up for some acting classes at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis! I am really excited about taking my voice over business to the next level!

In the midst of all of this we had a stop in Valley City, ND the first weekend in March for the North Dakota Winter Show Rodeo. The weather was absolutely beautiful for the time of year and the snow melt was on! Always good to see Jim Nelson from Miller Motors and Kavin Kingery from Dodge Rodeo. Sutton Rodeos of Onida, SD, and Mosbrucker Rodeos of Mandan supplied the stock and Bob Aber was the producer and has been for most of the 47 years of rodeo in Valley City during the Winter Show. A really great rodeo and we had several contestants in the top 10 in the world standings make the trip from Rodeo Houston, where many of them were headed back to for the semi-finals. Make sure to check www.prorodeo.com for the complete results. The All American Cowgirl Chicks were the Specialty Act , Jerry Norton provided the Comedy, Al Sanvold & former World Champion Lloyd Ketchum were the bullfighters. 

The following weekend the Minnesota High School Rodeo Alumni Foundation held their Mid-Winter Round-Up in Rogers, MN. I was honored to co-emcee this event with fellow Alumnus Wade Grinager. The first time that I had an opportunity to work with Wade and really had a lot of fun! It was a huge success for the Alumni Foundation who creates many scholarship opportunities for High School Rodeo members. A fun time was had by all and it is always so great to catch up with old classmates many of whom still continue to be some of my best friends to this day! 

Things really pick up next month as the events start kicking into high gear!  The weather has finally broke loose here in MN and the snow has now melted! Yahoo! 

God Bless, keep safe out there, and Happy Trails! 

Davie

Posted February 12, 2010.

Nicky and I just returned from the Black Hills Stock Show Rodeo in Rapid City, SD.  This year the first weekend was quite a bit different with the format change of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour as timed event slack took up the morning and afternoons. Tie-down Roping slack was held on Friday, Steer Wrestling slack on Saturday, and Team Roping slack on Sunday. The Seminole Hard rock Xtreme Bulls Tour was the first Friday & Saturday nights. After the Friday Night performance Tanya Tucker (who sang the anthem ), was in concert in the Rodeo Zone! The BHSS Xbulls also featured a  first ever live web cast Saturday night on ESPN360 that was broadcast to more than 50 million around the globe including many overseas U.S. Troops! South Dakota bull rider Clay Hindman from Belvidere, topped the field and was awarded the Montana silversmiths buckle for the win (for complete results go to www.prorodeo.com). I was teamed up with ESPN analyst Jeff Medders, as we called the action on Saturday night. Keith Isley was in the barrel, and Chris Aman, Josh Rivinius, and Lloyd Ketchum were the bullfighters. Brent Sutton, Mike Greenleaf, & Bronc Rumford were shagging bulls. The first Sunday was the South Dakota High School 20X Extreme Showcase Rodeo. This rodeo is very special as it showcases the top 3 contestants in each of 4 regions throughout the state as they square off in a big time venue, and in front of the watchful eyes of many top recruiting college rodeo coach's from through out the Country. A college fair is also part of the days events.

When the first weekend was complete and a  few days off ahead, we once again ventured off hiking in the back country of the Black Hills wearing out our two Jack Russell Terriers. Wednesday I was back at it with a radio remote in the morning, and catching up with friends at the KBHB Bucking Horse & Bull Sale. Then off to the airport to pick up friend and colleague Wayne Brooks, then all the rodeo personnel got together with the Sutton's in the rodeo zone for the Three Dog Night Concert. After all the fun it was time to get started on the rodeo which started back up on Thursday morning with the Barrel Racing Slack. The First rodeo performance was Thursday night (TEWP night), followed by two performances on Friday & Saturday for the BHSS Wrangler Million Dollar Silver Tour Rodeo (check out www.prorodeo.com for all the results). The Saturday night crowd was a sellout with over 7300 people in the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. On the final Sunday it was time for the 1st BHSS Ironman Timed Event Championship, the winner to receive a Tony Chytka Bronze. We had a limited field but, a very competitive field of competitors. They all had to wrestle a steer, tie a calf, head a steer, & then heel a steer. The Champion determined from the fastest aggregate time in 4 events, and the fastest time in each event receiving some money  too. When all was said and done it was Brad Johnson of Reva, SD who held off Clay Cowan to be crowned the 2010 BHSS Ironman Champion and awarded the bronze! Look for this event to be bigger and better in 2011!

We will have a few weeks off before we head out to the North Dakota Winter Show in Valley City, ND. Keep warm and remember spring is right around the corner!

God Bless, and Happy Trails!

Davie

Posted January 5, 2010.

Hoping everyone out there has had a blessed Holiday season! Winter has really had a grip on us here in the mid-west this year with lots of snow and sub-zero temps. A Christmas winter storm kept us from our original Holiday travel plans to be with family so, Nicky and I celebrated Christmas at home in Minnesota this year. However, we did get to travel and spend time with family and friends over the New Year. 

Well, we find ourselves in the year 2010! So far it is looking to be a very busy year, make sure to check back often for up to date schedule changes as there are many dates yet to be finalized. The way things are shaping up so far,  the Black Hills Stock Show Rodeo in Rapid City will be our first stop in 2010. Be sure to check out www.blackhillsstockshowrodeo.com  for the complete schedule of events.

Until then, God Bless and Happy Trails!

Davie

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