Locals compete for Junior Princess

“I don’t know how many years I’ve been doing this (judging), but this might have been the most difficult year to choose the Junior Princess. It almost came down to a coin toss,” said Shawn Heyer with the Superior LIONS Rodeo Committee.

The competition to become the Junior Princess with the other royalty in the Go for the Gold Rodeo was held at the Felsted’s Riding Arena at the I-90 Lozeau/Quartz exit last week. 

“Mary Grace works with these kids in the 4H Horsemanship program so she knows them already,” Heyer said.  

Mary Grace Donally has been a judge for four years and she, too, was impressed with the contestants and their performances. 

“Just the two of us tonight,” said Heyer. “In the past we’ve had different people helping us but this year everyone is busy and it’s hard to get everyone together.”  

The three contestants were all from Superior High School and all skilled riders. 

“A lot of what we look for is horsemanship,” said Heyer. “How they handle the horse and how the horse behaves.  We sure don’t want to have an unbroke horse out there in the rodeo area.” 

Donally added that the reactiveness of the horse is important in this competition. 

“Putting the girls or other contestants or other LIONS club members at risk for injury is not at all what we ever want to have happen. We watch the horse as close as we judge the girls.” She explained what the next hour and a half would be like for everyone. “We have them go through 3 or 4 gates including a walk, trot or a jog and then a lope. Side passing too, because when the 3 girls come into the arena they are evenly spaced. And lateral motion could be difficult if a horse has never done it before.”

The royalty really doesn’t rehearse before the rodeo on their presentation of the colors and grand entrance. “The rehearsal night will be Thursday night when they make a lap around and get the jitters out,” Heyer said.

The crow’s nest at the rodeo fairgrounds arena is being rebuilt which is why they held the presentation at the Felsted’s Riding Arena. Heyer said, “When this competition is done at the fairgrounds, there have been more people making more noise, interstate traffic and clanging gates. The calmness of a horse is important.” 

Knowing all three riders, Donally added, “At least two of the horses are O-Mok-See horses, so they should be used to crowds and other commotion.”

Once the horsemanship competition was completed, one rider rode to the center of arena for a verbal test from the two judges, while the other two remained along the corrals. 

“We test the riders rodeo knowledge along with their showmanship because they will be representing the rodeo, the LIONS Club and the county so they have to be smiling, professional and dressed for the part. Filling all of the traditional roles rodeo royalty has always done,” Donally said.

Miekolani Ruthford, freshman. Josie Crabb, sophomore and Ava White, freshman were each poised and personable with the small crowd even though nervousness was running rampant inside each of them. The Rodeo Princess this year, Lanie Crabb, was the Junior Princess last year. And the Rodeo Queen this year, Rainier Acker, was the Rodeo Princess last year. It’s a three-year commitment as they simply move up the ladder and look for a new Junior Princess every year. The Royality Team makes appearances at community events and helps recruit younger girls to consider competing for the tierra. 

Crabb explained that as Junior Princess, she had an educational table on helmet safety during the fair. 

“Wearing a helmet while (horse) riding is my thing,” she smiled. Past community service have been fundraisers and last year a mini rodeo for kids was held with stick horses, a bouncy ball for a bull and some beginner roping.

Both the Rodeo Princess and Rodeo Queen will receive sterling silver tierras, made by Montana Silversmiths, which are donated each year by Lincolns $50,000,00 Silver Dollar Bar in Haugan. A new sponsor came on board this year with generous offerings as well. 

“The Montana Legacy Project are giving the gals silver buckles from the same place the crowns are made,” Heyer said. “They’ve given us some vests and shirts and custom handmade chaps that will belong to the LIONS and the girls will pass them down. These are beauties and you can see the 3 different titles on each one and cost $2,500 a pair.”

The two judges had the three contestants do another lap around the area as the decision to choose the Junior Princess had not been decided. 

Acker joined them and a couple of seasoned cowboys from the crowd joined the circle in the arena to see how they could help, and finally the announcement was made that Josie Crabb would be the Junior Princess in the Go for the Gold Rodeo during the Mineral County Fair the first weekend in August. 

Both Rutherford and Whites were strongly encouraged to try again next year as Acker shared that she was crowned Junior Princess on her second try.  

Tickets for the Go for the Gold Rodeo will go on sale about two weeks before the event.