RodeoRoyalty.com

New Online Rodeo Queen Marketplace Launched

Two-time Minnesota High School Rodeo Queen Kya Laulainen has announced the launching of Kya's Corner, a website catering to the selling of new and gently worn rodeo queen pageant clothing and accessories.  The site went live on July 16 and can be found at KyasCorner.com.

Kya's Corner will be similar to the former Second Go-Round hosted by RodeoRoyalty.com.  However, it is not affiliated with RodeoRoyalty.com.  Please refrain from contacting us in regards to Kya's Corner. 

RodeoRoyalty.com wishes Kya the best in this new adventure and appreciates her efforts to meet the needs of rodeo queen contestants throughout the world.

Rough Stock Event Questions

The following questions have been compiled to help you study for interviews, impromptu questions and general conversation. It is up to you to answer these questions, you'll learn the material better if you do your own research.  A variety of sources have been used to compile these questions.  If you are running for a title which is affiliated with a PRCA rodeo then you'll need to study materials put out by the PRCA (all can be found on their website), and the same goes for a pageant affiliated with the IPRA, the NHSRA or any other rodeo association. The majority of the information is the same other than records and standings.  Make sure you are familiar with who is leading the standings in each event for the association affiliated with your pageant.

Which rough stock event is known as rodeo's "classic" event?

Describe the "mark-out" rule.

Which rough stock event does not have a mark-out rule?

What is a "suitcase handle"?

What piece of equipment is used to enhance a horse's natural ability to buck?

Name three ways in which a bareback rider can be disqualified during their ride.

Explain how points are distributed in the rough stock events.

How can a rider in the saddle bronc riding enhance his score?

Name five ways in which a saddle bronc rider can be disqualified.

What is the length of time a rough stock rider must ride their animal for a qualified ride?

What is the purpose of the bell in the bull riding?

When does the secretary begin the time for a rough stock ride?

How does the rodeo judge signify to a rough stock rider they have failed to mark a horse out?

In which rough stock event is the rider not required to spur during their ride?  If, during this event, the rider does spur the animal what will happen to their score?

What does the term "over his hand" refer to and which event is this style of riding found in?

Name three ways a bull rider can be disqualified.

Where is the well.

Name and describe the piece of equipment a saddle bronc rider uses for balance during his ride.

What is the history of the "Association Saddle"?

Name the cowboy(s) with the most consecutive world titles in each of the three rough stock events.

Name the cowboy(s) with the most world titles in each of the three rough stock events.

Name the three brothers who qualified in the same event in the same year including the year and the event.

For each of the three rough stock events name the cowboy(s) with the highest scored rides including the number of points, year of the ride, location of the ride, name of the stock the ride was on and the owner of the stock.

Name the cowboy and horse featured on the statue outside of the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, CO.

What materials are the flank straps made from?

Describe the rope used in the bull riding event.

What protective gear may a contestant wear in the bull riding event?

What type of spurs are allowed to be used in each of the rough stock events?

Entering the Rodeo Queen Pageant

This article is the first of many that will appear on the new RodeoRoyalty.com blog.  We will be bringing back our former articles plus adding new ones.  All articles on this site may not be published on any other website or used in any type of notebook or other informational materials without the permission of the site owners.

Rodeo queens have been reigning over rodeos for many years.  Their role has evolved from a pretty girl on horseback to a "total package" public relations ambassador for the sport.  Entering a pageant and holding a title can provide many life skill experiences for today's young cowgirl.

In some areas rodeo queen pageants are a dime a dozen while in others finding one may be like finding the proverbial needle in a haystack.  The internet is a great resource and the RodeoRoyalty.com Yahoo! Group has a pageant calendar with contact information included.  The group can also be used to post a message to over 1,000 members about pageants in your area.  Many states that have a state pageant program affiliated with the Miss Rodeo America pageant often have local pageant information on their websites.  To find a list of those affiliates visit the Miss Rodeo America site.  There are also many pageant organizations with a presence on Facebook.

Once you have found a pageant to enter don't be afraid to make a list of questions for the coordinator.  The more you know going into the pageant the better prepared you'll be to compete for the title.  Also, while most coordinators do a really good job of sharing information about their program they are still human and don't always anticipate every question.  Here some questions you may start with:

• What are the dates of the pageant and what is the entry deadline?
• Will contestants stay with each other during the course of the competition or can they stay with family?  If they stay together are the hotel costs included in the entry fee?
• What type of clothing is required for the competition?  Will contestants be wearing jeans all of the time or will a dress be needed for a fashion show?
• Are horses provided for the horsemanship competition or do contestants provide their own, and if so will they trade horses with another contestant during the competition?
• What are the duties of the new queen once the pageant is over?  If travel is required who pays for it and is fundraising allowed?
• Will the title allow you entry into other pageants? (such as Miss Rodeo America or Miss Rodeo USA)
• Are ticket sales required and if so are they part of the final scoring or a separate competition and not part of the final score?

When contacting a coordinator it's important to make a good first impression.  If you call the coordinator remember that you are making a business phone call and speak politely and avoid stammering around. If you reach an answering machine simply say hello, who you are, that you are interested in the rodeo queen pageant and to please call you at this number.  It is helpful to leave your number twice for the coordinator and speak slowly.  Contacting a coordinator via email is also a business contact. Be polite, use good grammar and punctuation and be specific as to what you are requesting.  Include your mailing address and a phone number where you can be reached.

Once you receive the packet read through each and EVERY piece of information included.  I'm always amazed at the number of contestants who enter a pageant and have never read the contract that was included.  This is a legally binding contract and you MUST understand each and every part of it.  As you read through the rulebook and other information use a highlighter to mark important areas and write down any questions you have.  Do not be afraid to call the coordinator with any questions.  Good coordinators do not mind having to answer questions, but you may want to limit your calls or emails to one a day.

Seeking out former contestants, titleholders and parents for their advice is also a great way to have your questions answered.  They are a valuable tool with personal insight to the pageant process.  The caveat to this is to not base your decision on the words of just one person.  There will always be those who have a fabulous time each and every time they compete and there are those that almost always come away with a sour taste in their mouth about the outcome.  

The next step in becoming a rodeo queen is the submission of your application followed by your preparation.  Future articles will address applications, photogenic photos and each aspect of the rodeo queen competition.  Until then, best of luck to you as you pursue your rodeo queen dreams!

~ Bobbie

Current Event Impromptu Question Study Articles ~ 4/7/10

This week President Obama opened up the possibility of drilling for oil off the coastlines of the US.  The following five articles will help you study for the impromptu question and personal interview portions of your next pageant.

Offshore oil drilling might make environmental sense

Americans put energy over environment

Offshore drilling and Florida's Gluf: How much oil is there?

Chesapeake Bay Foundation responds to offshore drilling

Reaction mixed to President Obama's energy plan

The above links were current as of publication.  We are in no way responsible for any link which takes our readers to a site other than the original information linked as of the date of publication of this blog post.

Miss NFPB to be Selected in St. Joseph, MO

Rachel Burton
Miss NFPB 2009

The top twenty-five bull riders in the National Federation of Professional Bullriders will be rolling into St. Joseph, Missouri this coming weekend for the 2010 Federation Finals.  Four talented young ladies from across the US will also travel to St. Joseph to vie for the title of Miss NFPB 2010.

Coordinated by former Illinois High School Rodeo queen and Miss Rodeo Illinois Kelsea Walker Dodd, the pageant is patterned after traditional Miss Rodeo events and is open to contestants from all fifty United States.  Contestants compete in the main categories of Appearance, Horsemanship and Personality.  Each will ride an unknown horse in the horsemanship competition, present a speech about bull riding, interview with a panel of judges, take a written test over the NFPB history, rules, personnel and standings and will be judged on their photogenic qualities.

Irwin, Iowa cowgirl Rachel Burton will preside over the 2010 pageant. As the reigning Miss NFPB Rachel has traveled throughout the Midwest this past year to promote the NFPB at bull ridings, parades, rodeos, horse fairs and a multitude of other events.  She is a former Miss Teen Rodeo Iowa and has her eye set on obtaining the title of Miss Rodeo Iowa.  In January Rachel represented the Federation at the Miss Rodeo USA Pageant in Oklahoma City, OK where she earned first runner-up honors.

The winner of the title will be named on Sunday, April 11 during the Federation Finals awards presentation.  Follow along on the pageant's Facebook group to catch all of the action.

The Use of Riding Helmets in Rodeo Queen Pageants

What sets rodeo queens apart from mainstream pageantry is the emphasis on Western fashion and the need to demonstrate the ability to ride a horse well.  The cowboy hat is an essential part of these requirements and simply goes hand in hand with the cowgirl image.  No self-respecting queen would be caught wearing a riding helmet when on horseback, or would she?

In the "olden days" no one wore a helmet when riding except the English riders, and many of those helmets weren't much more than a velvet covered plastic shell for show.  In the past twenty years research and technology have advanced to show that wearing an ASTM approved riding helmet can be essential in the prevention of death and serious head injuries resulting from falls from horses.  Also in that time a new generation of riders have come about who are first generation equestrians who are used to wearing helmets while riding bicycles, skateboards, motorcycles and the like.  These new riders, along with their parents, find it odd that someone would put their child on a horse without some sort of protective head gear.  So as pageant coordinators and judges what do we do about this?  It is my opinion that helmets should be allowed to be worn during rodeo queen competitions and afterward during a titleholder's reign.

I know they aren't Western and the "Western" helmet that is currently on the market isn't very stylish but how can we say no to these young ladies who meet all of the other qualifications yet choose to wear a safety helmet while riding? Bullriders wear helmets, and mutton busters are almost always required to wear a helmet now, so how is a rodeo queen competition any different?  It really isn't. 

If you are a potential rodeo queen candidate who wears a helmet while riding don't hide the fact by competing in the pageant without one, but then wearing one during your appearances on horseback if you earn the title.  You're setting yourself up for some disgruntled coordinators and committee members.  Wear your helmet during the competition, making sure it fits well, your hair is pulled back neatly in a ponytail, and the straps are secured so they don't fly around during your ride. 

As coordinators and committees we want our titleholders to wear their crowns while making appearances and most crowns can't be worn on a helmet.  There are a couple of options to this dilemma.  The first is to forgo this requirement with the understanding that she does wear her banner (which, in my opinion, should be worn at all times no matter what, but that's going to be another post) and that as soon as the titleholder is off her horse she has her well-shaped Western cowboy hat and crown on.  The second is to require your titleholder to have a tasteful helmet cover over her helmet that a pin-on crown can be affixed to and then moved to her cowboy hat.

Judges cannot penalize contestants who choose to wear helmets while riding for the sheer fact they are wearing a helmet.  They can take away points in the appearance category during horsemanship if the helmet is dirty or ill fitting but not for simply wearing a helmet rather than a traditional cowboy hat.  Every major breed and event organization allows for the wearing of a helmet without penalization, including the National High School Rodeo Association and the National Little Britches Rodeo Association.

Last year I had an email conversation with a mother who's daughter was not allowed to compete in the local saddle club princess pageant.  The little girl, and her family, were devastated that their club was unrelenting on their requirements that all princess and queen candidates wear cowboy hats and were told that when the girl became a better rider and didn't need a helmet then she should compete.  The issue of wearing a helmet while riding isn't necessarily about ability as even the most accomplished riders take serious falls from their well trained horses that leave them on life-support (see story about USEF Olympian Courtney King-Dye).

The choice to wear a riding helmet during any type of equestrian event, rodeo events included, is a personal decision based on safety.  It is not our place to tell qualified rodeo queen hopefuls no, or to penalize them, simply because they choose to wear a helmet during a rodeo queen competition and afterward during a queen's reign.  Yes, the cowboy image is an important part of rodeo queen pageantry, but even more important are the life skills learned and honed by this type of competition.  How can we, as coordinators and judges, in good conscience keep these young ladies from benefiting from all that rodeo queen pageantry offers simply because they choose safety over fashion and tradition?  We can't, and we shouldn't.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Please note that helmets made for other sports such as skateboarding, bicycling, etc are NOT safe to wear while riding.  If you chose to wear a helmet yourself or if you choose for your child to wear a helmet it is essential it be an ASTM approved helmet for equestrian riding.  Falls from horses are much different in regards to height, speed and trajectory of the fall than falls that occur in other sports.  For more information on helmets please visit the safety section on the Troxel helmet website.

This article is written as an opinion to be discussed and pondered and in no way, shape or form should the information presented be construed as legal advice or information.

Current Event Impromptu Question Study Articles ~ 3/29/10

While American culture does not find the consumption of horse meat palatable it is considered a delicacy, and even a mainstay, in other cultures.  Through the pushing of animal rights activists the practice of slaughtering horses for human consumption was recently ended in the US.  Individual states are now looking into legislation to legalize the practice again.  The following five articles are linked for your information in order for you to prepare for not only the impromptu question portion of your upcoming pageants but also for the horsemanship portion.

Wyoming Governor enacts legislation to initiate horse slaughter

South Dakota seeks USDA horsemeat inspections

Of horses and heartbreak

Tennessee legislators have a novel answer to equine abuse: horse slaughter

Missouri house endorses legislation seeking bypass to federal ban on federal horse slaughter inspections

The above links were current as of publication.  We are in no way responsible for any link which takes our readers to a site other than the original information linked as of the date of publication of this blog post.

Pageant Coordinators - An Inside Perspective

The following article was submitted by Idahoan Jeanette Wilding.  Jeanette has experienced the gamut of rodeo queening including coordinating and judging pageants and supporting her rodeo queen daughter, Jana.  If you would like to submit an article for consideration please contact us through our email link.

Being a rodeo queen is a hard job. But, being a rodeo queen coordinator is equally as hard or often times much harder.

I watch my friends work long hours to put on a good and fair contest and then watch as the "political machine" goes to work. It's a job that no matter how much you do or don't do you will be attacked for something. Most coordinators that I know are also moms, have jobs, run businesses, have husbands, busy children, etc. RODEO QUEENING IS NOT THEIR LIFE!

They do it to serve and to give back to those that have helped them and or their daughters in the queen world. It is not a paid position. In fact, many of us have spent a lot of personal money on our contests to make sure that it all goes well. Money on packets, phone bills, awards, gas, etc. Not many rodeo
boards pay the coordinators. In fact, I haven't found any yet!

It all looks a lot easier from the outside in. There are usually many circumstances for the reasons that things are done the way they are done. Limited budgets, etc.  I preferred to spend my budget on the contestants and not on renting a place to have the contest or on travel for judges, so I did the best I could with the budget I had. I know this is still true with the coordinators today.

Coordinators are not always aware of opportunities for their queens for appearances, etc. Don't sit around and wait for your coordinator to schedule you. If you don't have a travel budget but would like to make appearances, check with your coordinator about scheduling things for yourself. Take some initiative on yourself as a queen and/or the mom of a queen.  Keep in touch with your coordinator, the phone goes two ways.

But moms, please remember that your daughter is the queen and not you.  This should be a learning and growing experience for both of you.  There are times when you do need to stand up for your daughter but for the most part you'll do the best job by staying behind the scenes.

If you think your contest could use some improvements then make the suggestion to the coordinator and not just gossip about it to everyone else. If you have a concern, contact your coordinator first!  Constructive criticism, when not given as a complaint, is always welcome.

I think we all have a common goal - to make the queening world a wonderful experience for young ladies and to promote the sport of rodeo. Don't get caught up in promoting anything else. It just makes it all look ugly to others.

Jeannette Wilding
"Nothing is a waste of time if it adds to the person you are."

Current Event Impromptu Question Study Articles

The following five articles are linked for your information in order for you to prepare for the impromptu question portion of your upcoming pageants. Each week I'll search the news for articles with a related theme.  This week's theme is texting and driving legislation.

Iowa House and Senate put finishing touches on texting bill

Driving-texting ban gains momentum

Most teens must disconnect phones on the road

New apps prevent driving while talking, texting on phone

U.S. bans texting by truck and bus drivers

The above links were current as of publication.  We are in no way responsible for any link which takes our readers to a site other than the original information linked as of the date of publication of this blog post.

Current Event Impromptu Question Study Articles

The following five articles are linked for your information in order for you to prepare for the impromptu question portion of your upcoming pageants. Each week I'll search the news for articles with a related theme.  This week's theme is healthy eating.

Pepsico to remove sugary drinks from schools

First lad to food makers: Hurry up on healthy food

Sony boss asks theater owners for healthier snacks

Gabourey's mom defends her size

FLOTUS to grocers: 'Step it up'

The above links were current as of publication.  We are in no way responsible for any link which takes our readers to a site other than the original information linked as of the date of publication of this blog post. 

Pageant Calendar and The Second Go-Round Update

On our previous site we had a public calendar that allowed people to post pageants and clinics.  It was not nearly as user friendly as we would have liked it to be so we are not going to be bringing that feature over to the blog.  However, we encourage you to join the RodeoRoyalty.com Yahoo! Group that does have a user-friendly calendar.  In addition to being able to post your events within the group you'll be able to meet over 1,000 rodeo queen enthusiasts from across the globe and share your information and ask your questions.

Click to join RodeoRoyalty

The Second Go-Round will be coming back in a new format with a new owner.  It is her hope to have it available on  April 1 but that date is not set in stone.  An announcement will be made here when the site goes live.  Please refrain from emailing me about this as this is all I know so I can't give you any other information.

Spring is finally coming and the snow is melting as we gear up for a busy summer and fall we wish you the best of luck pursuing your rodeo queen dreams.

~ Bobbie