Ranch Hand to Rodeo Queen

Ranch hand to Rodeo Queen

A cowgirl with red lipstick, big curly hair, pretty horse and a smile as bright as the rodeo arena lights: welcome to the life of a rodeo queen. 

Now this same girl carrying flag and meeting fans, she also carries water buckets and enjoys quiet moments in the barn.

As a rodeo queen I have learned so much about rodeo, life and myself! I've learned that I can accomplish anything I want to. I went from just being just a ranch hand in central Oklahoma to a proud rodeo club queen and then going onto win Tulsa State Fair Rodeo Queen.  

My daily life consists of feeding horses, checking calves, riding fences, riding barrel horses. I'm not a beauty queen, it's braids and old Wranglers on the daily. 

But when the weekends roll around, the lipstick and bling come out! 

Here's my top ten favorite things, tips and moments about my rodeo queen season:

10: Meeting new people and kids! 

I enjoy getting to talk to fans and other contestants. You get to teach people about this amazing sport! And you get to learn the history of each rodeo you represent! 

9: The clothes! Oh gosh, it gets crazy fun! My go to favorite things are Panhandle Slim button ups, and Wrangler jeans! I also spend a lot of time customizing my clothes and dresses! My best advice on clothes is make sure they're fitted right, and you have a lint roller on hand at all times! Starch & iron too!!!

8: Makeup tricks and tips: 

Invest in GOOD lipstick or lip stains! Find your favorite colors and stick to them!

Don't go too crazy on foundation on your forehead, or else your hat will forever have makeup on it. 

Eyeshadow should be light and fun! Color can be okay, just make sure to always blend it!

Mascara, mascara, and more mascara! Or if all else fails like it does for me most days, get some nice short fake lashes! They add a lot and look amazing for pictures!

Contouring kits are a good investment too!

HAIRSPRAY your makeup on! It sets it on your face and that way when you're all weighed down with your clothes and hat and its 104* out your face doesn't melt completely off. 

7: Public relations! 

From queening I have learned so much about speaking in public, keeping a happy face, and learning to handle some tricky situations in public! The first time I spoke on stage I think I was shaking so bad the fringe on my dress was swaying! 

I learned the best things to do are SMILE, find a focus spot in the crowd to calm yourself for a minute and stay happy! For impromptu questions during a pageant, always answer your question in the most polite and honest way. 

6: Rude comments: 

I learned how to handle some crude behavior in a more lady like manner. During selling tickets, meeting fans and say you have a rodeo dance, you will have to handle some not so pleasant situations. I personally had an experience this summer selling 50/50 tickets where a few guys were making crude comments on my body and the other girls. I had to learn to politely handle that situation, when the normal side of me really wanted to throw a punch. I told them thank you for buying tickets, to enjoy the rodeo and to please leave the fellow rodeo queens and I alone the rest of the night. The worst thing you can do is make rude comments back.

5: A whole new level of horsemanship!

I've learned quick that queening requires more horsemanship than most people know! You have to be able to control a 1200lb animal at a fast speed while carrying a flag. You have to ride that horse through entries, use it as a pivot horse, maybe even help push cattle. Now remember, you're doing all this in full queen attire, its most likely hot, maybe raining and you have to put on a wonderful show! I spent a week of queening at the 69th Worlds Largest Amateur rodeo on a stallion I had barely been able to ride for a few weeks ahead of time. By the end of that week, that horse had become my best friend! We learned more together than you can imagine. From the fact that chuck wagons are indeed scary, to learning that standing still for pivot spots can be hard! 

My queen horses are always taught three things right off the bat: Basic reining (if not full reining training) which is amazing for your horsemanship patterns. 

Then they are taught to carry a flag, and they learn to stand still no matter what. They get rode through anything and everything possible. This horse will be your best friend more so than any of your fellow queens. He or she is what helps you the most win your titles and makes you the cowgirl you are.  Don't expect perfection, remember it is a horse, not a robot. Things will scare it, things will scare you. The first parade might feel like the end of the world, but after a while your horse will figure it out.  

I also recommend finding a good horsemanship coach. I was lucky enough to grow up on a riding team and to live with amazing horse trainers who have enforced good horsemanship skills into me.  Find a coach that shows horses, and enjoys teaching you. If you're coach and you don't get along it will cause drama or fears you don't need. 

Now always spoil your horses after a day or night of work! I am a huge supporter of bathing, massage and of course cookies after a long time at work for your four legged partner!

4: HAIR:

Oh my lanta, rodeo queens and their hair can get crazy! Many girls go full out with extensions and all! I personally have long enough hair that I don't use them. 

My hair advice is simple; 3 to 5 layers of curls, a good teasing comb and Aquanett! I personally use a wand curler, and swear by it!  If your hair doesn't take a curl well, invest in hot curlers and some Got To Be Glued Hairspray! 

Don't forget for horsemanship patterns to pull it back into a pony, I keep a few sparkly clips to put over my hair bands once it's pulled back to add a little elegant touch. 

3: Friendships through queening!

I have met my best friends through rodeo, and mostly queening! The friendships you will make might last a month or a lifetime, but are all worth it! My closest friend I met queening, and we now are roommates together! You learn team skills when you're all carrying flags, or selling tickets! You'll have endless giggle fits over silly things, and you'll also shed some tears together. This summer I ended up having a heat stroke during a rodeo and all my fellow rodeo queens were amazing and waited around the ambulance until I was calmed down. They put up my horse and all gave me hugs, THAT is why I am thankful for queening. They put some faith in me that not all girls are evil scary creatures! 

2: Might as well just get it over with and cover it now, HATERS!

 Oh my lanta you will have those too. From the ropers giving you hell for wearing white jeans on a horse, to mean comments online. The best thing you can do is ignore them, and smile! You don't need to go to their level, stay positive and carry on doing what you are supposed to. Haters need to be your motivators. Someone might not like your horse, your hair, your smile, whatever. That is their opinion and we are all entitled to our own. Don't let them sink you down. 

1: My favorite queen moments: 

Granted there are too many to list them all, but I LOVE getting to meet all the fans and kids! With queening there is a lot of dances and getting to dance with the kids is a favorite of mine! Watching them smile as you walk up and ask them to dance is the best! I also love introducing kids to my queen horse, having a little girl tell me she wants to be a rodeo queen someday because I inspired her is the neatest thing in the world. 

I also love proving to myself I can accomplish something. I love those hours spent practicing my horsemanship patterns, bathing and caring for my horses. I love sitting there putting rhinestones on a new shirt, and laughing as I glue my fingers together.  I love watching the American flag wave as we sing the national anthem. I love being able to sit on my horse and pray before every ride, thankful for the days of rodeo. I strive everyday to be the best I can be to inspire others to chase their dreams. Whether you want to be a rodeo queen or a pilot, don't give up!