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Produced & Maintained by Idaho Mountain Express, Box 1013, Ketchum, ID 83340-1013 
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Copyright © 2002 Express Publishing Inc.
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For the week of July 3 - 9, 2002

Sports

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.

 


The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.