New Teen Miss Rodeo New Mexico crowned

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link Staff photo: Brittney Cannon

The pageant lineup Friday afternoon at the Miss Rodeo New Mexico pageant was full of leather, fringe and glitz. Visiting royalty Miss Rodeo Washington and Miss Rodeo America asked contestants questions alongside Miss Rodeo New Mexico testing their knowledge of rodeos, real-life issues in both school and in the world.

Perhaps each of the Miss Rodeo royalty hopefuls started out as what newly crowned Teen Miss Rodeo New Mexico Kristin White described as the future of rodeo.

“Imagine this … A little girl with long braided hair and big pink bows, so proud of her brand-new boots,” White said in her speech Friday afternoon at the Miss Rodeo New Mexico pageant. “She watches the grand entry in awe of the beautiful cowgirls with their bright smiles and sparkly crowns, waving from their mounts as they race by. She was sure one of them looked straight at her — she knew that's what she wanted to be someday.”

But the rodeo queens embody more than just a pretty face and leather dress, Director Melanie Beum said.

“(The ideal Miss Rodeo New Mexico embodies) grace. She's got to be a horse woman. She's got to be able to ride,” Beum said. “She's got to represent the state and the sport of rodeo, so she's got to know rodeo, be able to talk about it, promote it and get kids excited about it. It's a lot more than just a pretty face and a leather dress.”

The whole purpose of the pageant, Beum said, is to promote the culture of rodeo, which all contestants did as they told old cowboy stories of their great great grandfathers and legendary horses, one allegedly with a birthmark resembling the Zia symbol on its hip.

The girls didn't just compete during the pageant. They also competed all week in horsemanship, appearance and personality, according to Judge Markie Oden, who is a former rodeo queen.

“Usually horsemanship is first and foremost; with rodeo queening, that's the most important category there is. Not only how to ride a horse but their knowledge of the horse, their knowledge of the rodeo,” Oden said. “All of the clothing they wear throughout the week (is judged), and personality is judged at every single event they go to.”

Oden said the girls have been judged since Tuesday non-stop, going to three to four events every day over the last four days.

White said she's been participating in rodeo pageants since 2012 and already has a few titles under her felt cowgirl hat. She's also a huge fan of barrel racing.

“Yes, I actually barrel race,” White said. “I love doing that. I love the thrill of going fast, and the family atmosphere rodeos give.”

“Miss Rodeo New Mexico and rodeo queening is something these girls do when they're very little, because they want to be pretty and ride a horse,” Beum said. “As they grow up, the pageants get more and more and bigger and bigger.”

Miss Rodeo New Mexico, Beum said, is the “premier pageant for the state of New Mexico,” and whomever the lucky cowgirl is to win the queenship also travels to Canada and around the country visiting other rodeos.

The winner is awarded a $1,000 scholarship as well, which is something Beum said she'd like to expand on.

“It's been my dream to get the sponsorship to increase that and also give our teen a scholarship,” Beum said. “Most of our teens are just finishing high school, so they're going to college. It would be nice to buy a book or two for them.”

And it's just that kind of support that makes the Western way of life in New Mexico thrive.

“Here in New Mexico, we eat, sleep and breathe the Western way of life,” White said in her speech. “It's not just about the thrill of riding the full eight seconds or roping those barrels — it's about being part of a community that cheers for each other and works hard providing for the people they love.”