Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Rodeo queens bring color, horse skills to Hailey

2013 Miss Days of the Old West contest is here


Eight girls and young women are riding their horses and showing their skills in the 2013 Miss Days of the Old West contest sponsored by the Sawtooth Rangers Riding Club.
    The contest has returned to Hailey Rodeo Park where the 66th annual Days of the Old West rodeo is entertaining thousands of spectators this week for three performances.
    In this year’s queen contest are these numbers: One for Senior Queen, one for Teen Queen, four for Junior Queen and two for PeeWee Queen.
    These contestants accompanied by the reigning royalty from last July are in town until the Independence Day holiday has run its patriotic course.
    Contest organizer Michelle Bobbitt of the Sawtooth Rangers has a knowledgeable crew helping out including the people making the final decisions.
    This year’s judges are Angela Cameron, Hunter Rasmussen, Kylie Walker and Vonnie Rasmussen.
    Here is the 2013 schedule:
Tuesday, July 2
    Poise and personality competition plus the interviews, 10 a.m. at Hailey Grange Hall. This year’s speech topic was: “What Does Independence Day Mean to Me?”
    Contestants wore prairie skirts or Western dress, with their hats, boots and belts. They answered impromptu questions and were interviewed individually.
    Freestyle horsemanship was performed as pre-rodeo entertainment at 6:30 p.m. prior to “Family Night,” which was the first of three Hailey rodeo performances. Royalty helped with cattle in the arena. Great ambassadors of the sport, they mingled with the public and signed autographs.
Wednesday, July 3
    Horsemanship competition at 10 a.m. at Hailey Rodeo Park. Freestyle horsemanship for Senior Queen and Teen Queen contestants will be performed as pre-rodeo entertainment at 6:30 p.m. prior to the second rodeo.
    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.
Thursday, 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 have their coronation at 6:30 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

2012 Hailey Senior Queen
    l Elizabeth Lockyer, 22, is the daughter of Richard and Silvia Lockyer from McCammon. Youngest of three children, Elizabeth is attending the University of Idaho in Moscow majoring in Animal Production with a minor in German. She is a sister of Gamma Alpha Omega Sorority.
    Last year in Hailey, she earned the high-point royalty saddle from the Sawtooth Rangers and captured the prestigious Freestyle Horsemanship prize. She swept the special categories, winning Poise and Personality, Photogenics, Speech and Horsemanship in the Senior Queen contest.
    “It has been a privilege and an honor to reign as Senior Queen and to represent the Hailey Days of the Old West Rodeo,” said Lockyer. “I have promoted the title ubiquitously. Since I am nine hours away at college, I have promoted the title in the Lewiston Roundup, the Riggins Rodeo and many more. I have traveled to Las Vegas, Nev., attending the Wrangler National Finals. I have made many memories on these travels.
    “Thank you Michelle (Bobbitt) and the Sawtooth Rangers Riding Club for putting on this wonderful contest and giving me a chance to shine and to represent the Hailey Days of the Old West Rodeo.”
    Elizabeth wished all the contestants good luck, and reminded them to have fun!
2012 Hailey Teen Queen
    l Mickenlie Baxter, 19, is the daughter of LeRoy and Vicki Baxter of Hansen. A sophomore at the University of Montana Western in Dillon, Mickenlie plans to earn a bachelor degree in biology there, and then move to Washington for veterinary school. She eventually wants to major in Equine and works at Churchill Downs where the Kentucky Derby horse race is staged. She recently started her own business called Cowgirl Crafts.
    Last year in Hailey, Mickenlie won Poise and Personality, and Photogenics in the Teen Queen class.
2012 Hailey Junior Queen
    l Kloie Pierce, 14, is a daughter of Jim and Karen Pierce of Jerome. Last year she won the Horsemanship contest saddle blanket in the Junior Queen class.
    Kloie enjoys playing club volleyball, participating in 4-H and, most of all, competing in rodeos and queening. She rides her faithful horse of 11 years, Oshie. The big paint has packed her through many trails, won her many awards and has become her best friend and companion. She said, “I am so thankful for the support of my family, my mom and dad, Jim and Karen, my twin sister Zoie, and my little brother Yogi. I’d also like to tip my hat to the reigning queen, Elizabeth Lockyer—a wonderful role model for me. She has taught me many positive lessons.
    “Thanks also to the Sawtooth Rangers and Michelle Bobbitt for putting on an award-winning rodeo and a phenomenal queen contest year after year. Come join the queens and the cowboys at the greatest ImPRA rodeo, now seven times running.”    
    This year, the Hailey Days of the Old West Rodeo won another “Rodeo of the Year” honor from the Intermountain Professional Rodeo Association (ImPRA). Rangers president Bill Bobbitt accepted the award Saturday, March 2 during the annual ImPRA Awards Banquet at Riverbend Ranch in Idaho Falls.
2012 Hailey PeeWee Queen
    l Bailey Cole, 10, is a Hailey resident who will be a fifth grader at Hailey Elementary. She is the daughter of Erin Cutler of Hailey and Robert Cole of Boise.
    This is Bailey’s fourth time in the Miss Days of the Old West contest. She was the 2010 and 2012 PeeWee Queen. Last year she won Poise and Personality, and Speech awards in her class at Hailey. Besides riding her horse, she enjoys 4-H with the Wild Riders, softball, Girl Scouts and camping with her family.
    She thanked the Sawtooth Rangers and Michelle Bobbitt for their support, along with trainers Heather McMahan and Sue Martin, her Nana and mother, her horse Fox, her riding buddy and mentor Conner Clark, and all the contest participants for their support and friendship.


2013 contestants
Senior Queen contestant
    l Mickenlie Baxter, 19, is the daughter of LeRoy and Vicki Baxter of Hansen. She graduated third in her class at Hansen High School, where she enjoyed being a member of the volleyball, basketball and cheerleading varsity teams. She was Student Body president. During her senior year Mickenlie earned the Idaho Dairymen’s Distinguished Student award. She rodeoed in District 6 of the Idaho High School Rodeo Association (IHSRA) and was the district queen in 2010-11. Mickenlie has been active in FFA, 4-H, Natural Helpers and Esteem Team.
    Last year’s Hailey Teen Queen, Mickenlie enjoys being very active and loves being part of the Hailey Days of the Old West celebration. She likes playing sports, going snow skiing, riding her horses and representing the great sport of rodeo.
Teen Queen contestants
    l Zoie Pierce, 14, is a daughter of Jim and Karen Pierce of Jerome. She has participated in the Miss Days of the Old West Junior Queen contest since she was nine years old. Her accomplishments in Hailey include a first runner-up finish in 2008. She was also a horsemanship winner in 2011.
    On horses since age three, Zoie has participated in horse shows, rodeos and queening. Her faithful companion through all these adventures has been her horse of 11 years, named Skoshie. Zoie and her little paint have won multiple buckles and awards together. She also participates in club volleyball and has traveled to many tournaments throughout southern Idaho.
Junior Queen contestants
    l Emma Elaine Flolo, 12, is a daughter of Jack and Julie Flolo of Hailey. She is an eighth-grade honor roll student at Wood River Middle School in Hailey. This is the fourth year Emma has participated in the Miss Days of the Old West queen event. Her favorite part is making new friends. Last July, Emma was the third runner-up in the Junior Queen contest. She won the Photogenics award for her group.
    Emma is a fourth-year member of the Hailey Wild Riders 4-H Club. She also competes in horse events at the Blaine County Fair in Carey. This is her second year of raising and showing pigs at the fair. Emma likes being part of her school choir and Wood River Volleyball club. She also enjoys playing Wood River and Storm basketball.
    l Conner Ann Clark, 13, the daughter of Larry and Noelle Clark of Hailey was the first runner-up of last year’s Hailey Junior Queen contest. She has a deep passion for all things “horse.” This is her fifth year riding with the Wild Riders Club that has become a second family. When she isn’t riding her own horse Murphy, she can often be found helping out at her 4-H barn, cleaning tack, sweeping the aisles and cleaning stalls.
    Conner Ann has tried the many different riding disciplines including Western Pleasure, reining, obstacle courses, jumping and dressage. She enjoys competing in ISHSA and 4-H shows on weekends. But the highlight of her summer is having the opportunity to compete for the Miss Days of the Old West royalty. She thanks the Sawtooth Rangers committee and all the volunteers for putting on an amazing rodeo.
    l Jessica Adams, 11, is a daughter of Jim and Shawna Adams, and Christi Ross of Hansen. She will be a sixth grader at Kimberly Middle School where she is involved in Student Council, soccer and an Idaho prep basketball team. Jessica is currently the 2013 Miss War Bonnet Roundup Duchess first attendant. She loves the sport of rodeo, especially barrel racing and pole bending. When she’s not in the saddle, Jessica loves being outdoors with her friends and family, and enjoys going hunting with her dad.
    l Kiffin Finn, 11, is a daughter of Jason and Tasha Finn of Rigby. She has competed in queen contests since she was seven. Kiffin loves to run barrels and poles, but really enjoys breakaway roping. She is very kind and would help anyone in need.
PeeWee Queen contestants
    l Kacie Anne Flolo, 8, is a daughter of Jack and Julie Flolo of Hailey. The third grader at Hailey Elementary School is participating in the Miss Days of the Old West contest for the first time. Kacie is a first-year member of the Hailey Wild Riders 4-H Club. She loves learning to ride and will be showing her first pig at this year’s Blaine County Fair. Kacie loves drama camp, running track and playing basketball. She is looking forward to riding with all her new rodeo queen friends in Thursday’s Mile Long Parade in Hailey.
    l Brilee Hirschi, 8, of St. Anthony in eastern Idaho is a daughter of Taelon and Melissa Hirschi. Their home is just outside the small city, with the sandhills and junipers right out their back porch.
    Brilee is entering the third grade at Parker-Egin Elementary School. She enjoys riding her horses, fishing with her family, playing the piano and moving cows out on the desert. One of her future goals is becoming a veterinarian. Her favorite song is “Black Betty,” and her favorite colors are blue and pink.
    She treasures the achievement of winning the princess title last Oct. 5 during the “Cowboys and Angels” Keely Lance Memorial Scholarship Rodeo at Rigby Rodeo Grounds. That’s because Brilee knows that her angel, Keely, is always with her—cheering her on.
    Former Hailey Days of the Old West Teen Queen Lance, 18, of Rigby, died Sept. 2, 2012 in a tragic truck accident in Jefferson County north of Idaho Falls. In 2008, Lance, then 14, was overall high-point winner and Teen Queen of the Miss Days of the Old West contest.




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