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."
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