Coe wins Eastern New Mexico Fair queen honor

Roosevelt County Fair Queen Adrienne Coe was crowned queen at the Eastern New Mexico State Fair in Roswell earlier this month.

Coe, an Elida High School senior, was among three other girls from Chaves county competing for the crown, of New Mexico State Fair Queen, to represent the 13 counties neighboring New Mexico.

The ENMSF is a smaller version of the Albuquerque State Fair. The ENMSF Queen is a coveted position because it’s a steppingstone to the Miss Rodeo New Mexico contest which is held in Clovis during the month of July. The representative crowned Queen in the Clovis fair is invited to contend for the Miss Rodeo of America in Las Vegas, Nev., which is a future aim of Coe’s.

She said the ENMSF competition was much like the Roosevelt County Fair and the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque, but the free time pattern competition was a little different than previous demonstrations.

“We usually ride our own horses when completing the free patterns, but in this particular event, we rode our competitor’s horse,” said Coe. “It was nerve racking because the horse I rode, called Reckless, was a roping horse and he was much quicker than my original horse.”

Coe was graded based on her performance and knowledge of horsemanship and her speech and personality.

Excited about her win, Coe said this experience is different from any other she has had because it’s the largest title she has ever won. Unlike her title for Roosevelt County Fair Queen, Coe had to top three other girls competing for the same crown.

Pleased with her daughter’s performance, Donna Tivis said Coe has grown immensely in her self confidence and poise because of this experience.

“I have watched her go from someone who was unwilling to stand in front of someone and talk to being able to stand up and deliver a speech with confidence,” Tivis said.

In winning the crown, Coe received a saddle, bridle and belt buckle along with a $1,000 gasoline card to help pay for the expenses that accompany the Eastern New Mexico’s State Fair Queen’s travel responsibilities.