Sponsored by the Sawtooth Rangers Riding Club, the 2007 Days Of The Old West Rodeo will kick off at 7 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, July 2, 3 and 4, at the Hailey Rodeo Grounds. Since 1947, the rodeo has attracted seasoned cowboys and cowgirls to compete in bull riding, barrel racing, calf roping and the Miss Hailey Rodeo/Days of the Old West Rodeo Queen contest. Working rodeos is a dusty, hard, dangerous way of life and as such needs some sparkle and glamour. That's where queen competitions come in.
Winners of regional competitions go on to compete in larger rodeos for state titles of Miss Idaho Rodeo Queen and thence to the national arena.
The reigning 2006 Hailey Rodeo Queen is Kathy Rushton, Teen Queen is Crystal Tracy and the Junior Queen is Jessica Watts. They will each be in attendance for the rodeo and parade this year.
Crowns will be awarded in three divisions—Senior Queen, for a rider who is at least 18 years old by Jan. 1, 2008; a Teen Queen who is at least 13 years old by the same date; and a Junior Queen who is at least 8 years old by the same date.
Contestants will perform in a freestyle reining and horsemanship program as pre-rodeo entertainment each night.
The Poise and Personality competition, in Western dress or prairie skirt, will be held at the Hailey Grange Hall at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 3.
Horsemanship will be held at the Rodeo Grounds at 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 3. Contestants will also be a part of the Fourth of July parade in downtown Hailey on Wednesday, July 4, as well as the Button Barbecue in Hop Porter Park following the parade. At approximately 6:30 p.m. Wednesday before the finale, winners will be announced and crowned.
A Corriente saddle will be awarded to the Miss Days of the Old West high-point winner in several categories. Buckles will be awarded to winners in the three age groups.
Tickets for the rodeo can be purchased at all three Atkinsons' Markets in the Wood River Valley.
Here's a quick look at the competitors:
Nichole Dally, 12 - Junior queen contestant
She is the daughter of Dan and Shawna Dally of Jerome. She recently graduated from the sixth grade at Jerome Central Elementary School. Her hobbies include education, 4-H, rodeo, basketball, volleyball, church activities and camping in the mountains with her family. The Western way of life is important to her and "maintaining the lifestyle I love has always been one of my goals," she said.
Kimberly Wilbanks, 11 - Junior queen contestant
She is the daughter of Scott Hogue and Carla Wilbanks of Eden. She is going into the sixth grade at Valley Middle School. She enjoys basketball, volleyball, baseball, spending time with her family and friends and the "thrill of rodeo."
Hunter Rasmussen, 9 - Junior queen contestant
She is a resident of Hill City. She goes to school in Fairfield and enjoys barrel racing, football, trampoline, swimming, camping, gymnastics and playing the piano. Most of all she loves her horse Crazy Alice, a 17-year-old quarter horse, who she bought by herself from her grandfather. This is her first year to participate in the queen competition.
Amber Doramus, 15 - Teen queen contestant
She is the daughter of Dale and Dela Doramus of Filer. When she is not competing she is usually found in the pastures riding her horses or playing with her foals. She also enjoys trail riding with her friends and family, and showing the horses she's helped train. Amber also participates in dental and horsemanship clinics. She also rollerblades. When she graduates, Amber hopes to minor in computer or automotive technology and major in equine studies at the College of Southern Idaho.
Brooke Selisch, 15 - Teen queen contestant
She is the daughter of Kurt and Gayle Selisch of Hailey. She has been in love with horses since she was 2 years old. Her hobbies revolve around equine sports. She is a member of the U.S. Pony Club, and competes in show jumping, dressage and cross-country jumping. She is a member of the Wood River Rodeo team and participates in barrel racing, pole bending and in the queen competition.
Heather Skovgard, 13 - Teen queen contestant
She is the daughter of Troy and Julie Skovgard of Nampa. She just completed the sixth grade at Kuna Middle School. Heather enjoys singing and dancing. She is a member of the National Award Winning Limelight Rising Stars Ballroom Dance Team. Besides riding horses, she likes to decorate cakes, scrapbook and shop with her aunt Teri. She is active in Girl Scouts and plays fastball-pitch softball. She often sings the National Anthem at rodeos. Her dream is to become Miss Rodeo Idaho someday. In 2005, Heather was crowned Junior Queen and Miss Congeniality and for speech, horsemanship, poise and photogenic appeal.
Charlee Smith, 16- Teen queen contestant
She is the daughter of Church and Michelle Smith of Hooper, Utah. She attends Fremont High School and participates in high school rodeo and Future Farmers of America. She rides and competes throughout Idaho, Utah and Wyoming. She was the Hailey Days of the Old West Teen Queen in 2005 and feels that it was one of her most important titles yet. "Everyone that is involved with this rodeo has a real love for the sport and a real love fore their town," she said.
Ashley Rendahl, 19 - Senior Queen contestant
She graduated in May from Wood River High School in Hailey. She plans to attend Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa in the fall, where she'll study elementary education. She loves to run, play the flute, read and especially to ride her Arabian mare Zelda. She enjoys both Western and English disciplines.
Rebecca Aaronson - Senior Queen contestant
She is a Hailey resident who was born in San Jose, Calif., and started riding when she was 6 years old. Her family moved to Oregon in 1991, and she joined 4-H and Pony Club. She got her first horse when she was 12 years old and began competing in three-day events. "But always I've been a rodeo fan and cowgirl at heart," she said.
Rebecca graduated from Washington State University in May 2006, with a degree in psychology and criminal justice. She moved to the Wood River Valley in May 2006 to work as a therapeutic riding instructor at the Sagebrush Equine Therapeutic Training Center.
"This job has truly been one of the most rewarding programs I have ever been a part of."
To help pay the bills, she works as a waitress at the Pioneer restaurant in Ketchum, five nights a week.
In her free time, she rides with friends and spends time with her pound puppy, Token.
