Amidst the dirt and the dust of a rodeo is an individual with a little glitz and a lot poise. Follow the herd of young girls in the stands, and you will encounter well-ironed jeans, a shining crown atop a cowboy hat, and a warm smile. This is a rodeo queen.
The sport of rodeo harbors many courageous cowboys and cowgirls, who hope that hours of practice at home will give them five to 15 seconds of glory in the arena. A western tradition, rodeo hosts a variety of competitors in events such as bull riding, bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, barreling racing and many more. The smell of kettle corn, beers clasped in friendly hands and upbeat music accompany the dedicated fans as they cheer for their favorite athlete. Rodeo embodies dreams, aspirations and family.
At the beginning of every rodeo, the national anthem will play, a small prayer will be spoken and one rodeo queen after another will gallop into the arena, waving to the crowd with ecstatic smiles.
I’ve ridden horses for the majority of my life and will admit that I was skeptical of participating in a form of “pageantry” in the rodeo world. I associated the sport with hard work, hours of practice, fast horses and professional athletes that I looked up to. What I quickly realized is that a rodeo queen has all those characteristics. She spends hours working with a variety of people, is constantly on the move or taking care of her horse, and rides into an arena at a break-neck speed.
A rodeo queen is not a pageant girl. She is a woman well versed in horseback riding, public speaking and rodeo knowledge. She volunteers her time as an ambassador to her respective county, state or professional title that she represents. A rodeo queen will travel hundreds to thousands of miles in her one-year reign, representing her rodeo at multiple competitions. She will speak for her rodeo in front of news cameras, on radio shows, to local community groups, and to both children and adults. A rodeo queen is the face of her rodeo.
One does not just become a rodeo queen. For example, when I competed for a title, I had to write and recite a two to three minute memorized speech, I was interviewed about my awareness of current events in the news, I completed a written test on rodeo knowledge, I answered impromptu questions and completed a horsemanship pattern.
One of a rodeo queen’s most important jobs is remaining a role model for children, especially young girls, and a source of information for adults. One of my favorite memories is the look on a little girl’s face as I handed her an autographed picture. Her smile spoke volumes and in those small moments, I realized the role I was embodying was much larger than curled hair and lipstick. Yes, I had to dress the part, but in donning my crisp jeans, belt buckle, and flashy earrings, I became someone’s source of inspiration.
A rodeo queen works with her family, participants and each person who helps make a rodeo possible. The support that a rodeo queen receives and in turn gives back is nothing short of a family. I suppose that’s why rodeo has survived all these years. It’s a sport that would not be possible without the collaborate effort of all those involved. It’s the rodeo queen who has the honor of sharing this message with the world.
Whether she is a county queen, state queen, or even Miss Rodeo America, she is far more than a pageant girl among the sweat and earth of a rodeo. A rodeo queen title gives young women a chance to discover confidence within themselves and represent a sport they believe in and enjoy. A rodeo queen is just another cowgirl.