RodeoRoyalty.com

Excuse me...who are you?

The role of most modern day rodeo queens is that of promotion of the rodeo they represent and the education of the general public about the sport of rodeo.  The more you are out and about and seen by the general public in your crown and banner the more people become aware of the rodeo you represent.  Oh, wait, what banner?

This past weekend I picked up a copy of my favorite magazine "Cowboys and Indians".  I began to flip through it quickly like I always do to get an idea of what's inside.  As the pages were running through my fingers and my eyes were getting a taste of the gorgeous furniture, incredible artwork and gotta-have-in-my-closet boots that I would later savor, a rainbow of colors and the glint of rhinestones captured my attention.  I just had to stop to check this visual stimulant out a bit more.  What a treat it was to see Miss Rodeo Texas Teen, Miss Rodeo Austin and Miss Rodeo Austin Princess out doing their jobs of promoting rodeo. I knew this before I even read the photo caption because they were proudly wearing their banners to identify themselves. (Congratulations by the way to Courtney Elliott, Grace Crews and Kitsy Tuck, you all looked fabulous!)

That wasn't the case earlier this year when I was looking at a group of photos of queens at an event posted on Facebook.  Not a single one of them wore a banner and the photos did not have a caption to identify the titleholders.  Many of the photos were from a distance so if you did not know the girls or recognize their custom crowns you would not have known who they are.  They were not representing their title to their fullest ability.

I'm not sure when it came into vogue to not wear a banner but truth be told without it you're just some chick with a rhinestone tiara or hunk of metal on her hat.  Yes, custom crowns generally do have your title on them but in order to read them you must be up close and personal.  Banners are usually much easier to read from a distance and many people are too intimidated, shy or just not able to get up close to see "who" you are.

Rodeo queen banners traditionally are worn from the right shoulder to the left hip and do not wrap fully around the titleholder.  Banners can be attached at the shoulder in several ways including safety pins under the banner, brooches and custom pins on top of the banner and with heavy-duty magnets.  Magnet pins are often used to adhere banners to leather garments or double-sided carpet tape can also be used. Most queens place the hip end of the banner either inside their pants or they wrap the end around their belt.  One advantage to tucking the end into your pants while riding is that in the event your banner is caught on the saddle horn it is more likely to pull out and not tear your blouse. 

When wearing your banner with an open vest or jacket pin the top to the outside of the garment and then tuck-in or wrap the end of your banner around your belt under the open jacket.  If the jacket or vest are closed keep the end out of the jacket.  It may be possible to take the end of the banner and tuck it under the hem of the jacket and then pin it to the jacket lining.

Archer Monograms in Twin Falls, ID provides many of the banners for local, state and national titleholders.  When ordering a banner for your pageant take into account the length of the title's name and the height of the wearer.  For instance, a standard queen banner is about 30" in length.  Once when ordering banners for a pageant I used to coordinate the "Miss" done in small letters on the top of the banner followed by "United Rodeo Assoc." in the larger letters down the banner.  However, when the titleholder tucked the banner in the "oc." was cut off from "Assoc.".  Not really the title we wanted to promote!  For a princess or junior queen this size is over half their overall height so it's nearly impossible for this age of queen to properly wear the banner.  Archer can vary the size of their banners to meet your needs and they can make banners in a rainbow of background and thread colors to match your outfits.

Banners should always be clean and wrinkle free.  If your banner becomes stained during an appearance spot wash it or use a handy stain remover to take out the grime.  Once home have your banner dry-cleaned or hand wash in a mild detergent, hang the banner to dry and then press with a warm iron. 

When taking promotional shots for your title it is acceptable, and often preferred, to not wear a banner in head shots especially if your outfit has intricate detail.  However, this is not true if you do not have a custom crown that can be easily read in the photo (and it can be difficult to photograph crowns).  If this is the case a banner should be worn and the photographer should take the photo from a distance that allows the majority of your banner to be seen.

Your job as a reigning titleholder is to proudly represent your title.  Wearing a clean, pressed and properly placed banner is an integral part of doing your job.  Best of luck to you as you pursue your rodeo queen dreams.

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.

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.

To tuck or not to tuck?

Recently on the RodeoRoyalty.com Yahoo Group Ashley asked the following question: "...I have noticed some girls are wearing their jeans tucked into their boots that are the same color of their jeans.  What do you think of this trend?"

Kim suggested she look at the manner in which Kelli Jackson, former Miss Rodeo Mississippi and reigning Miss Rodeo America 2010, dressed during the pageant and to take notes of how she had dressed.  Her suggestion to do this was based on her opinion that the judges may have not liked the look since Kelli had won appearance and the title and had not tucked her jeans in.  Kim also noted that the winner rarely does anything too trendy in Vegas and that the classics win.  Others were of the opinion that it may not have been appropriate for the competition or that the outfit wasn't necessarily the right outfit to pull the look off.

I have to agree with all of the responses.  This is a look, like most fads, that comes and goes.  It was a look that was popular in the late '70's and into the '80's when manufacturers were making incredible tall dress boots that were fit to be shown off.  It can be a fun look but as with any look there is an appropriate time and place for it.

If you are considering attempting this look you need to consider what this will do to your overall look. 

• Depending on your figure and the overall outfit you are wearing tucking your pants into your boots may make you look shorter and squattier than you are.  Step back and take a good long look at the overall effect, take a picture or two to evaluate how your figure is changed by doing so and ask others what they think of the look.
• Your pants should fit well and not have a lot of bunchiness at the top of your boots.
• Your boots must be very clean and in good condition from the bottom of their soles to the boot pulls.
• Remember the old adage "less is often more".  If you already have a lot going on with your other accessories then adding more in the form of really loud boots may be detrimental to your overall look.

Tucking your pants into your boots can be a fun way to show your individualism.  Just remember the setting and how it affects your overall look before taking the risk.

Best of luck to you as you pursue your rodeo queen dreams.

~ Bobbie