Independence Day
royalty makes its bow
2002 Miss Days of
the Old West contest
The
candidates for the 2002 Miss Days of the Old West royalty have been
announced by the Sawtooth Rangers Riding Club—and once again, they
comprise a talented group.
Ten
candidates are getting ready to dress their best and impress the judges
with their riding ability. The annual contest is held during the Days of
the Old West rodeo in Hailey.
As an
added touch during this year’s 55th annual Hailey rodeo, the
great-granddaughter of the man who coined the named "Days of the
Old West," will compete in 2002.
Wood
River Middle School student Felicity McGraw, 11, will compete in a rodeo
princess contest for the first time.
She is
the great-granddaughter of the late Tiny McGraw, a legendary local
blacksmith who came up with the name Days of the Old West in a contest
over a half century ago.
This year’s
royalty candidates will compete Wednesday, July 3 in horsemanship at 9
a.m. at Hailey Rodeo Arena. The tea (speeches and interviews) starts at
3 p.m. next Wednesday at Hailey Grange Hall.
The girls
will ride in Hailey’s Mile Long Parade Thursday, July 4 and serve food
at the Button Barbecue after the parade. Then they will compete in the
three rodeos—Thursday through Saturday, July 4-6.
This year’s
royalty will be revealed at the July 6 performance.
At the
coronation, the overall high-point winner will receive a saddle from the
Sawtooth Rangers Riding Club, complete with matching breast collar from
Wood River Equine Hospital.
Each
winner in the Queen, Teen Queen and Junior Queen contests will be
awarded an engraved silver belt buckle donated by Sawtooth Auto Sales
and US Bank.
Contest
coordinator for the ninth consecutive year is Michelle Bobbitt of
Bellevue.
Reigning royalty
2001 Hailey
Senior Queen
Allyson
"Ali" Swan, 19, is the daughter of the late George Swan
and Becky Swan, of Twin Falls. She is the reigning Miss Teen Rodeo Idaho
2002—the third straight year that a Hailey queen has won that honor.
A Twin
Falls High School graduate, Ali is currently a Lifestyle Management
major at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. She hails from Three
Creek, Idaho, where she learned hard work, dedication, responsibility
and rodeo’s true roots.
The
reigning Hailey queen enjoys dancing, playing the piano, cheerleading,
knee boarding, skiing and hanging out with her Weber State friends.
She won
Senior Queen poise and personality, speech and horsemanship at the 2001
Hailey rodeo.
A
Wrangler All-Star rodeo co-captain as a high school student, Ali
competed in high school rodeo for four years in barrel racing, cow
cutting and breakaway roping. She was first runner-up in the National
High School rodeo queen contest.
"During
those four high school years I learned that rodeo and the people in
rodeo are my second family," said Swan, the 2001 Idaho state high
school rodeo queen.
2001 Hailey Teen
Queen
Morgan
Anselmi, 15, is a Shelley High School student who lives in Idaho
Falls with her grandparents Tom and Leslie Williamson.
She is
active in the school choir, the Renaissance Club, National Honor
Society, 4-H and FFA. Morgan has competed in high school rodeo in
barrels, pole bending, goat tying, cow cutting and queen contest.
She
enjoys water and snow skiing, fishing, singing and dancing.
Morgan
won Teen Queen poise and personality and horsemanship at Hailey last
July.
2001 Hailey
Junior Queen
Kali
Jo Hess is the 14-year-old daughter of Mike and Sheree Hess of
American Falls.
She will
be a ninth-grader at American Falls High School where she is active in
volleyball, basketball, soccer and the Honor Society.
Kali Jo’s
other interests include 4-H (horse, beef and swine), piano, snowboarding
and queen contests.
Last year
at the Hailey rodeo, Kali Jo captured Junior Queen poise and
personality, speech and horsemanship.
She
wishes all the contestants lots of luck and thanks the community of
Hailey for its generosity and support.
Senior Queen
candidate
Bekki
Fayle is the daughter of Curtis and Shannon Fayle of Salmon. She is
majoring in Equine Science and Communications at the College of Southern
Idaho in Twin Falls.
Bekki is
active in rodeo. She is a permit holder in the ICA and IMPRA and will
hometown in the PRCA this year. She also enjoys jackpots and 4-D
competition. She previously held the title of PRCA Salmon Rodeo Queen
and is currently the IMPRA Custer Stampede Queen. She will be ending her
reign in July.
Teen Queen
contestants
There
are six candidates in this hotly-contested class.
Tricia
Lynn Crump is the 14-year-old daughter of Edie Richardson and Doug
Crump of Pocatello.
She is a
freshman honor student at Pocatello High School where she maintains a
3.95 GPA. Tricia is active in soccer, volleyball, basketball and track.
She is a Junior Princess in Job’s Daughters Bethel 32.
Tricia
has participated in fund raising projects for Shriner’s Hospital and
H.I.K.E. And she is active in several community service projects.
She is a
team leader in the Riding High 4-H club, working hard to improve her
riding and training skills. Her hobbies include riding her horse, sports
and socializing with friends.
Cassi
Ann Rushton is the 14-year-old daughter of Boyd and Barbra Rushton
of Bellevue.
She
enjoys riding horses, rollerskating, rodeoing and spending lots of time
with her friends and family.
Cassi
would like to wish all the contestants good luck and to everyone a happy
Fourth of July, and to say, "after the 9-11 attacks, the beauty of
freedom has been re-established in my mind and heart."
Caitlin
McGuire, 16, is a daughter of Leon and Linda McGuire from Jerome.
She will be a junior at Jerome High School.
Caitlin
served as sophomore senator on the student council. She played varsity
tennis and was 2001 Senior Champions Rodeo Queen.
She works
part time at Choate’s Family Diner. Caitlin loves dance, swimming,
tennis, her dogs, weight-lifting and rodeo. Her future goal is to be an
elementary school teacher.
Stephanie
Jorgensen, nicknamed "Princess," is the 16-year-old
daughter of Lori and Bryan Jorgensen of Blackfoot.
She
recently completed her sophomore year at Blackfoot High School, where
she took honors classes in biology and English. At school she was the
president of the FFA, a member of the VICA, Rodeo Club and the
volleyball team.
This year
was her first year to join the 4th District High School Rodeo club and
she said she "had a blast." Princess competed in barrel
racing, pole bending and queening.
Stephanie’s
hobbies include breaking colts, riding her horses, helping her mom coach
a volleyball team, camping, fishing, hunting, trail riding and welding.
She is also a member of the Horse Flies horse 4-H club and the Last
Chance Lamb and Steer 4-H club. When there is time, she will hang out
with her friends.
She would
like to go on to college, be on the rodeo team and get a Vet Tech degree
specializing in Equine dentistry and chiropractics.
Jaclyn
Bruhn, 17, is a daughter of Monte and Anna Bruhn of Filer. Jaclyn is
a junior at Filer High school and is representing the sixth district.
She is
active in FFA, FCCLA, 4-H and rodeo. In high school rodeo she competes
in goat tying, barrel racing and pole bending. Jaclyn also likes team
roping and breakaway.
Last year
in Hailey Jaclyn was the Teen Queen first runner-up and winner of
freestyle horsemanship.
Since she
was 11 years old, Jaclyn has been training horses—she has now trained
five colts. In her free time she likes to ski, go shopping and hang out
with her friends.
Jaclyn
hopes to pursue a career in equine chiropractory or sports medicine. She
hopes to see everyone at the rodeo the Fourth of July.
Melinda
Markin is a 16-year-old junior at Wood River High School in Hailey.
She is a member of the National Honor Society and is the president of
her junior class, as well as a member of the school basketball,
volleyball and tennis teams.
Melinda
has been actively involved in the community as a volunteer teen
facilitator for the youth Circle Group at Wood River Middle School and
in the Interact Club. Her other interests include 4-H, horses, and
downhill skiing.
Junior Queen
contestants
Jentry
Perkins, 13, is a daughter of Keith and Shelley Perkins-Booker and
Kip Perkins of Hailey.
She will
attend Wood River Middle School this fall as an eighth grader. An honor
roll student, Jentry also played on the school volleyball team.
Last year
in Hailey, Jentry was Junior Queen first runner-up.
She
represented Blaine County as its Junior Princess and placed as the first
runner-up at the Miss Junior Rodeo Idaho pageant 2001. This year she
placed second in the pole bending competition.
Jentry is
a member of the Sawtooth Rangers Riding Club and enjoys spending time
daily riding and caring for her horses as well as spending time with her
friends and family.
She
invites everyone to the Days of the Old West Rodeo and wishes all
contestants the best of luck!
Felicity
McGraw, 11, is a student at Wood River Middle School. Her parents
are Gary and Jenny McGraw of Hailey.
This is
Felicity’s first time competing in rodeo princess competition. She is
active in the Equine 4-H group and is a beginner barrel racer and pole
bender. She loves to swim, snowboard and ride her horse Gizmo.
Felicity’s
great grandfather, the late Tiny McGraw, was a legendary blacksmith well
known throughout the Wood River Valley. He was known to trade many goods
and trinkets he hand-crafted in his blacksmith shop with the Native
Americans traveling through Hailey on the Union Pacific Railroad. In a
contest held 50 years ago, Tiny named the "Days of the Old
West" Rodeo.
The love
of rodeo has traveled many generations in Felicity’s family.
Kassie
Willie is the 13-year-old daughter of Dale and Tricia Willie of
Pocatello and the granddaughter of Dale R. and Donna Willie. She is an
honor roll student at Hawthorne Junior High School. Kassie is a graduate
of the G.R.E.A.T program and is also a D.A.R.E. graduate.
Kassie
was the 2001 DNCFR Princess Queen and Miss Jr. Rodeo Idaho 2001.
Her
hobbies include snowboarding, dancing, singing, 4-H and riding and
spending time with her horses Major and Luck Spirit.