Chelan County Fair to crown first rodeo queen

The Chelan County Fair and Rodeo is gearing up for an exciting change in 2024 as they prepare to crown their very first Rodeo Queen in November.

Applicants will compete in the Nov. 12 pageant at the Tillicum Riders Club House in Cashmere.

Organizers hope to make the pageant an annual event, showcasing and honoring local young women with an enthusiasm to compete for the title.

“Our rodeo is now sanctioned with the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association or PRCA, so we are hopeful that having a rodeo queen out promoting our rodeo at other events will draw more attention to the Chelan County Fair and Rodeo,” said Kristen Mattson, a member of the Chelan County Fair Board and the Chelan County Rodeo Queen Committee.

To be considered, applicants must be between the ages of 17 and 23, attending high school or recently graduated, a resident of either Chelan, Douglas, Okanogan, or Grant counties, have riding and horsemanship skills, and have attended a mandatory orientation on Oct. 30.

Prospective queens will compete in several segments including personal interviews, horsemanship skills, modeling presentations, speech delivery, and impromptu questions.

A panel of three judges will evaluate contestants in these categories.

Mattson said the judges are looking for someone who is proud to represent the Chelan Fair and Rodeo.

The 2024 queen will be presented with a variety of awards, sponsored items, and royalty accessories to be worn during the year of her reign. She will participate in a year of community events, public speaking, parades, luncheons, and rodeos while serving as a goodwill ambassador for the Chelan County Fair and Rodeo.

In the past, the Chelan County Fair had two local young people, known as Ambassadors, who represented the fair at speaking engagements before and during the annual fair. However, in 2024, the Ambassador positions will be reduced from two to one. The Rodeo Queen and Ambassador will work together to promote the fair and rodeo.

Mattson hopes the new queen shares her knowledge with the community to help people better understand the sport of rodeo and can serve as a good role model for little girls.

“Rodeo has always felt like family to me,” she said. “Everyone who I’ve met through rodeo have become good friends; they are always willing to lend a helping hand when needed. My hope is the rodeo queen is a conduit for sharing that rodeo family and experience with our community.”

The 2024 Chelan County Fair is scheduled for Sept. 5-8.

Quinn Propst: 509-731-3590