Karen Brown, owner of Trail’s End, Fireworks World, Super 8, the Rock Port Inn, and Dusty Trail Cafe and Steakhouse, all in Rock Port, Missouri, was this year’s Tarkio Rodeo Parade Grand Marshal. She was recognized at the rodeo and rode in the parade.

Karen Brown was named the 2024 Tarkio Rodeo Parade Grand Marshal. Karen is the owner of Trail’s End, Fireworks World, Super 8, the Rock Port Inn, and Dusty Trail Cafe and Steakhouse, all in Rock Port, Missouri, and the Oasis Travel Center in Robertsdale, Alabama,

Karen was born in Stella, Nebraska, to Edgar and Carolyn Bredemeier. She graduated from Southeast Nebraska Consolidated High School and attended Northwest Missouri State University. She lives in Parkville, Missouri, and part-time in Rock Port with her three cats. She has two daughters, Rachel and Elizabeth.

As owner of several Atchison County businesses, Karen tries to make her corner of the world a little bit better and just recently completed the remodel of the gas and diesel islands at Trail’s End. She was one of the first big supporters of the Tarkio Rodeo and has continued to support this event for the past 30 years. As Tarkio Rodeo Parade Grand Marshal, Karen was honored with a plaque at the Tarkio Rodeo and took a ride on the Broken Spoke Clydesdales wagon. She also rode in the Tarkio Rodeo Parade.