For the week of July 2 - 8, 2003

Royalty adds color to Independence Day rodeo

2003 Miss Days of the Old West contest

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The Sawtooth Rangers Riding Club has announced the candidates for the 2003 Miss Days of the Old West royalty.

As a group they are attractive, talented and determined to do their part in the promotion of rodeo.

Nine 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.

They will be judged by a knowledgeable group including Jamie Chatburn, 2003 Miss Teen Rodeo Idaho, and Amanda Kent, 2003 Miss Rodeo Idaho. Other judges are Lorraine Wilcox and Linda Anderson.

Chatburn, a 5-10 multi-sport athlete from Declo, played on last winter’s College of Southern Idaho women’s basketball team.

As an added touch during this year’s 56th annual Hailey rodeo, the great-granddaughter of the man who coined the named "Days of the Old West," will compete again in 2003.

Wood River Middle School student Felicity McGraw, 12, is a great-granddaughter of the late Tiny McGraw, a legendary blacksmith who came up with the name Days of the Old West in a contest over 50 years ago.

This year’s royalty candidates will compete Thursday, July 3 in horsemanship at 9 a.m. at Hailey Rodeo Arena. The tea (speeches/interviews) portion starts at 3 p.m. Thursday at Hailey Grange Hall.

The girls will ride in Hailey’s Mile Long Parade Friday, July 4 and will help serve food at the Button Barbecue after the parade.

Of course they will take part and play big roles in the three Days of the Old West rodeos—Thursday through Saturday, July 3-5 at Hailey Rodeo Arena. And the winners will be revealed at the July 5 show.

At the coronation, the high-point winner will receive a saddle from Sawtooth Rangers Riding Club, complete with matching breast collar from Wood River Equine Hospital.

Contest coordinator for the 10th consecutive year is Michelle Bobbitt of Bellevue.

 

Reigning royalty

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2002 Hailey Senior Queen

Bekki Fayle is a daughter of Curtis and Shannon Fayle of Salmon. She just completed her sophomore year at Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario, Ore. She will receive her Associate Degree in Agriculture this fall at TVCC before transferring to a four-year college in 2004.

At TVCC, Bekki was a member of the rodeo team competing in barrels, breakaway roping and goat tying. She enjoys rodeo, baseball and of course apple pie. Her family and friends have always been a big part of Bekki’s life.

Before being crowned Miss Days of the Old West last July, Bekki held the titles of PRCA Salmon Rodeo Queen and IMPRA Custer Stampede Queen.

Bekki won Senior Queen horsemanship, Miss Photogenics, personality and appearance and speech last year in the Hailey contest.

 

2002 Hailey Teen Queen

Melinda Markin is a 17-year-old senior at Wood River High School in Hailey. She is a member of the National Honor Society and is vice president of next year’s senior class, as well as being a valuable member of the school’s basketball, volleyball and tennis teams.

Recognized as an Idaho Top Scholar for being in the top 10% of all students in the Gem State, Melinda has also been a member of Business Professionals of America. She is treasurer of the Interact Club and of her horse 4-H Club. In fact, Melinda has been in 4-H for nine years She’s also interested in downhill skiing.

It’s been a wonderful year representing Hailey’s Days of the Old West Rodeo, she said.

Melinda won Teen Queen horsemanship at Hailey last July. She was also the overall high-point winner, receiving a Tex Tan saddle from the Sawtooth Rangers and matching breast collar from Wood River Equine Hospital.

 

2002 Hailey Junior Queen

Kassie Willie is the 14-year-old granddaughter of Dale R. and Donna Willie of Pocatello. She was an honor roll student at Hawthorne Junior High School and will be a freshman at Pocatello 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 Miss Jr. Rodeo Idaho 2001 and has also been DNCFR Princess Queen.

Her hobbies include snowboarding, hip hop, spending time with friends and riding her three horses. She is active in 4-H and reining competitions.

Last year at the Hailey rodeo, Kassie captured Junior Queen speech and horsemanship and was voted by contestants as the winner of freestyle horsemanship.

 

 

2003 contestants

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Senior Queen candidates

Kaitie Swan is the 18-year-old daughter of Bekki Swan and the late George Swan. She is a 2003 graduate of Twin Falls High School. There, she was very active in school activities including high school rodeo and cheerleading.

Kaitie competed in cutting and queening in high school rodeo. She held the title of Sixth District rodeo queen. In addition to winning the Hailey Miss Days of the Old West Junior Queen title in 1999, Kaitie has earned a number of other queen titles. She loves riding her horse, being outdoors and mixing it up with family and friends.

 

Shayne Krasowski is the daughter of Dennis and Mary Krasowski of Salmon. She just completed her freshman year at college in Lewiston, where she is interested in pursuing a career in nursing.

Shayne participated in high school rodeo in team roping, breakaway roping, barrels and poles. She was the Salmon River Rodeo Queen in 2000.

 

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Teen Queen contestants

There are four candidates in the hotly-contested class.

Cassi Ann Rushton is the 15-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."

Last year in Hailey, Cassi won the Teen Queen personality and appearance contest. She was the first runner-up in the event.

 

Ashley Baird, 16, from Boise, is a member of the National High School Rodeo Association. She competes in barrel racing, pole bending and goat tying. She is working on her roping skills so she can compete in team roping and breakaway roping next year.

Ashley previously held two queen titles and welcomes the fresh opportunity to promote Hailey’s Days of the Old West and also the PRCA rodeo.

Her interests include shooting the wild rapids of the Salmon River, jet boating in Hells Canyon, and riding ATVs in Idaho’s deserts and along the Baja 500 trail in Mexico.

Upon completion of high school, Ashley plans on attending Boise State University to pursue an education in public speaking and marketing. She hopes to have a career representing a national rodeo sponsor.

 

Kelsie Maloney, is the 15-year-old daughter of Dave and Melissa Maloney of Kuna. She will be a sophomore at Kuna High School. Her younger siblings are D.J. and Emmalie.

As a freshman at Kuna High, Kelsie was actively involved with the Treble Choir and on the 2002-03 Yearbook Staff. Recently she tried out and made the 2003-04 junior varsity cheerleading squad for Kuna. She has been invited into the National Honor Society and is currently enrolled in an accelerated math program.

She enjoys taking family vacations, camping, being outdoors, visiting relatives, cheerleading, being with close friends and spending time with her horses Pocos Flyer Jet and Cookie’s Comet. She is active in the Idaho Girls Rodeo Association, the Ten Mile Riding Club and the IPOAC.

Kelsie’s previous awards include Idaho Girls Rodeo Association Junior Queen in 2002 and Ten Mile Riding Club 2000 Princess.

She would like to go to college on a cheerleading scholarship and study Pre-Medicine with the goal of getting a degree in dentistry, and eventually of becoming an orthodontist.

 

Alesha Lee, 16, is a daughter of Shane and Sheila Lee of Hazelton. An honor roll junior student at Valley High School, she is also a cheerleader. She is listed in "Who’s Who in America."

Alesha enjoys rodeo, queening, snowboarding, camping and dance. On the Fifth District high school rodeo circuit, she was second attendant for 2002 and 2003. She was Miss Champions Rodeo Camp (CRC) queen in 2002.

 

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Junior Queen contestants

Felicity McGraw, 12, is an eighth-grade student at Wood River Middle School in Hailey. Her parents are Gary and Jenny McGraw of Hailey.

This is Felicity’s second year competing in rodeo royalty competition. She is active in the Equine 4-H group and is a beginning barrel racer. She loves the outdoors, music and riding her horse.

Felicity has a very special compassion for all animals. After high school she would like to pursue a career in the veterinary field, specializing in equine medicine. She dreams of world peace—and for a halt of abuse to innocent animals.

Last year Felicity was second runner-up in the Junior Queen contest at Hailey.

 

Whitney Summers, 12, from Nampa, loves her horses and the sport of rodeo. Besides competing in barrel racing and pole bending, she maintains a 4.0 GPA in school. Whitney enjoys dancing, running, volleyball, skiing, 4-H, sewing and shopping.

 

 

Krystal Tracy is a daughter of Tom and Heidi Tracy. Krystal’s love for horses started at the young age of six, when she had her first riding lesson. The more she learns, the more she loves to ride. Her favorite event is barrels, because she likes to go fast.

This will be Krystal’s second competition for junior queening. She earned the honor of Miss Congeniality at the Champions Rodeo Camp and is looking forward to being part of Days of the Old West!

 

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