Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Rodeo royalty brightens up the West’s best show

Miss Days of the Old West brings style to Hailey


Enjoying the 2009 Days of the Old West rodeo at Hailey Rodeo Arena last July is newly crowned Senior Queen Krystal Tracy of Hailey.

Last year's Days of the Old West Teen Queen Hunter Rackham, 14, said it best about this week's Hailey rodeo royalty contest and the rodeo itself over the Fourth of July.

She said, "The time has come, so sit back, get comfy and enjoy the best show in the West!"

And it's coming to Hailey.

Rodeo royalty contestants work hard for their day in the sun during Hailey's Independence Day celebration. They brighten the holiday with style, color, horsemanship and holiday beauty.

"Miss Days of the Old West" returns to Hailey Rodeo Arena this week where the 63rd annual Days of the Old West rodeo will entertain thousands of holiday goers.

Nine girls and young women will be riding their horses and showing their skills in this year's queen contest. And there will be smiles all around.

Michelle Bobbitt is the contest organizer for the Sawtooth Rangers Riding Club and she has a good crew helping her. This year's judges include Miss Rodeo Idaho Measha Gittins, Miss Teen Rodeo Idaho Keely Lance along with Lynn Ramm.

Contestants in the categories are: One for Senior Queen, three for Teen Queen, four for Junior Queen and one more for PeeWee Queen.

This weekend's schedule is:

Friday, July 2: Poise and personality competition plus the interviews at 10 a.m. at Hailey Grange Hall. This year's speech topic is: "Old West vs. New West." Contestants will wear prairie skirts or Western dress, with their hats, boots and belts. They'll answer impromptu questions and be interviewed individually.

Freestyle horsemanship performed as pre-rodeo entertainment takes place at 6:30 p.m. tonight prior to the first of three rodeo performances. The royalty will help with cattle, mingle with the public and cowboys and sign autographs at each 7:30 p.m. rodeo.

Saturday, July 3: Horsemanship competition at 10 a.m. at Hailey Rodeo Arena. The Intermountain Professional Rodeo Association (ImPRA) and Idaho Cowboys Association rodeo starts at 7:30 p.m. For each rodeo, contestants will wear show apparel and are required to pack flags on their horses.

Sunday, July 4: The royalty candidates will also wear their show apparel for the Mile Long Parade starting at 12 noon along Hailey's Main Street. They will help serve food and drinks at the post-parade barbecue and have their coronation at 7 p.m. as part of the pre-rodeo entertainment.

The Grand Entry and playing of the national anthem on the country's birthday will be a proud time for all.

Reigning royalty

2009 Hailey Senior Queen

Krystal Tracy, 19, of Hailey is the daughter of Tom and Heidi Tracy. She has lived in Hailey for 12 years. Krystal has always enjoyed working with kids and being a good role model for them. She will miss the queening competitions and friends she has made in the years ahead, but would like to thank all her family and friends for their support.

She was second runner-up in the 2008 Days of the Old West Senior Queen contest and won the title last July. She also held the title of 2006 Hailey Teen Queen. Krystal captured poise and personality, photogenics and horsemanship in her Senior Queen class at the 2009 rodeo.

Krystal is engaged to be married July 31 to Carter Stewart and is looking forward to being his wife. She will miss him when he is deployed to Iraq this fall.

She wished all the contestants the best of luck and urged them to never give up on their dreams.

2009 Hailey Teen Queen

Hunter Rackham, 14, is the daughter of Terry and Amy Rackham of Menan. A Rigby Junior High School ninth grader, she performs with the drama club and choir. She loves riding and training horses, camping, fishing and making people laugh.

Last year, Hunter swept Teen Queen special categories, winning horsemanship, speech, poise and personality and photogenics in addition to the overall high-point saddle. Here are excerpts from Hunter's Teen Queen farewell:

"This year has gone fast, so I guess it's true when they say 'time flies when you're having fun.' Last year I was thrilled when I received the title of Hailey Days of the Old West Teen Queen and won the beautiful Alamo Limited Edition saddle for high point earner. Since then, I have represented Hailey at the Miss Junior Rodeo Idaho Competition, ImPRA Queen competition and DNCFR Queen competition. I've blasted around the arena at several rodeos, belted out the national anthem at multiple functions, and rode in many parades.

"I'm privileged to represent such a great community. I'd like to thank all of the sponsors who have generously donated time, talents, and money to this event. Thanks to all those brave cowboys, cowgirls and stock contractors for putting on a great show. Special thanks to the Sawtooth Rangers, Michelle Bobbitt (YOU ROCK!!!), my family who haul my butt everywhere it needs to be (and kick it once in a while when I need it), and all my friends who tolerate my weirdness. To my fellow royalty—you're amazing!"

2009 Hailey Junior Queen

Ellie Mae Millenkamp, 12, is the daughter of Bill and Susie Millenkamp of Jerome. She won last year's freestyle horsemanship event in Hailey and also took the Junior Queen horsemanship prize.

Ellie Mae enjoys swimming, hanging out with friends, motorcycle riding and volleyball—but riding her horse The Patriots Lady is her most favorite hobby. Currently a member of Idaho State Horseman's Association, Ellie Mae has been showing horses for over five years. A seventh grader at Magic Valley Christian School in Jerome, she said she enjoyed the opportunity to serve as Hailey's Junior Queen and met a lot of awesome people. Ellie Mae thanked her family, Renae Stewart and Sarah Pierson for all their help—and she sent her best wishes to all of this year's contestants.

2009 Hailey PeeWee Queen

Alison Walker, 11, is the daughter of Jason and Cindy Walker of Fairfield. She will enter sixth grade at Camas County Junior High. Alison won speech, poise and personality, photogenics and horsemanship in her class at last year's Miss Days of the Old West. She has three brothers and one sister. Besides riding horses, Alison enjoys camping, fishing, volleyball and basketball. Her horse is a nine-year-old Quarter Horse gelding named Badger.

Alison said, "I would also like to thank the Sawtooth Rangers for making sure that this rodeo and queen contest are perfect! Rodeo fans I would like to thank you guys because you are what keeps the sport of rodeo going. I have had such a wonderful time representing such an amazing rodeo and community. I would like to wish all of the girls good luck!"

2010 contestants

Senior Queen candidates

Jayd Wartluft, 17, lives in Twin Falls with her mother and father LeeAnn and Trevor Tarter. She is active in sports and was the girls' varsity soccer captain for Canyon Ridge High School last fall. Jayd also competes in 6th District High School rodeo and has just completed her junior year in high school. Her favorite event is goat tying and she also competes in barrel racing and pole bending. She loves spending time in the mountains and riding her horses. Jayd thanked her family for all its support in her efforts. Last year, she was second runner-up in Days of the Old West Teen Queen.

Teen Queen contestants

Heather Skovgard, 16, daughter of Troy and Julie Skovgard of Kuna, just completed her sophomore year at Kuna High School. She is the reigning queen of District 2 Idaho High School Rodeo. Last July Heather was first runner-up in Miss Days of the Old West Teen Queen.

At Kuna High, Heather is active as a varsity cheerleader, boys' varsity basketball statistician and RESPECT mentor. She is a member of the FFA, National Honor Society, Rodeo Club, Science Club, competitive speech and debate, Stem Advanced Placement Program and Student Council. Heather is part of the Limelight Ballroom Dance Team, LEO LIONS Club, Girl Scouts and her church youth group.

She competes in Idaho Buckskin Association horse shows in Western Pleasure and Idaho Girls' Rodeo and the National High School Rodeo Association in barrel racing and pole bending. Her grandparents are Scott and Dorothey Skovgard and Mae & Crawford Newman. In her free time, Heather enjoys singing, dancing, reading, scrap booking, texting on the phone, shopping and decorating cakes.

Katey Martha Gutman, 15, of Salmon is the daughter of Loryhl Davis and Rick Gutman. The sophomore at Salmon High School has been District 1 High School Rodeo Queen. In 2009 Katey won third runner-up in the Idaho High School Rodeo Association queen contest. She is involved in FFA and Idaho Rural Outreach Program. Her previous titles include Challis Rodeo Princess and 2008 Salmon Stampede Rodeo Queen. She competes in barrel racing and pole bending.

Born in July 1994 at Gainesville, Fla., Katey is active in Parkour Martial Arts (the ability to get from Point A to Point B in the most creative way possible), weightlifting and training her horses to compete in rodeo and 4-H events. She enjoys hunting, hiking, fishing and horseback riding.

She also loves to compose and sing her own music. Her love of music has blossomed into an ability to play a variety of musical instruments like tuba, piccolo and just about everything in between. Katey would like to teach music to children after she finishes college. She is an active volunteer, helping out at Whitewater Therapeutic Riding during fundraisers.

Katey loves setting an example and supporting rodeo. She has said, "It's not the speed, it's the stride."

Lainey Owen, daughter of Elliott and Christy Owen, is a proud resident of Rupert, Idaho. She rides a beautiful and impressively bred Palomino mare named Pink. She enjoyed representing Oakley as a Teen Queen and Minidoka as a Senior Princess. She attends Minico High School in Rupert and participates in 4-H, FFA, Spanish Club and Health Occupations. She plans to become an obstetrician.

Junior Queen candidates

Kaylaa Lauretta Gutman, 13, of Salmon is the daughter of Loryhl Davis and Rick Gutman. She was first runner-up of the 2008 Salmon Stampede Princess (ages 11-13) contest. Kaylaa enjoys academics and has been "Student of the Year." Competing in the Junior Wrangler Division of High School Rodeo, she trains and rides her horses, in goat tying, barrel racing and poles. She loves music and is playing the fiddle. Kaylaa is active in 4-H and Yearbook and travels with her mom's company.

Hunter Rasmussen, 12, is the daughter of Todd and Vonnie Rasmussen of Hill City. She will attend seventh grade in the fall. Hunter has been Junior Princess of the Northside Showdown and was Miss Lil' Bit Rodeo Idaho for 2008-09. Last July she was Days of the Old West Junior Queen first runner-up and the speech winner.

Hunter is an honor roll student at Camas Elementary, recently awarded as a Blue Ribbon School. She loves volleyball and also enjoys track, basketball, water skiing and of course snowboarding. She competes in Junior Rodeo chasing barrels and poles and tying goats in the summer on her new buddy Rocky. Hunter also baby sits her little brother and cleans house for a friend to help pay for queening and rodeo. She thanks her parents for putting up with her and her brothers for listening to her speeches non-stop and tolerating her.

Zoie Pierce, 11, of Jerome, was the first runner-up in the 2008 Hailey Junior Queen contest and third runner-up last year. She is the daughter of Jim and Karen Pierce. She loves to ride her horse Skoshie on trail rides, and in horse shows and rodeos. She enjoys packing flags, meeting new friends at rodeos and playing volleyball. Zoie has been showing horses since the age of 3. This is her third year in 4-H. Her brother Yogi and sister Kloie are very special to her.

Kloie Pierce, 11, is the daughter of Jim and Karen Pierce of Jerome. She likes to play with twin sister Zoie and little brother Yogi. It's her second year queening. She likes riding her horse Oshie on trail rides and in horse shows and rodeos. She also loves playing volleyball. Kloie has participated three years in 4-H and enjoys the friends she has made.

PeeWee Queen contestants

Bailey Grace Cole, 7, is a Hailey resident who attends school at Hailey Elementary. She will be in second grade this fall. Bailey just started riding last winter when her Nana's horse hurt his foot—and someone light was needed to ride him. That was Bailey. Now she loves riding and her horse Paco.




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