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closeFriday, Aug. 22, 2008
Miss Rodeo America enjoys frequent stops at fairs with rodeos
By Mary Hopkin, Herald staff writer
Amy Wilson's gold tiara sits squarely on the rim of her black felt hat, its amethyst ovals catching the sunlight.
She wears it and her Miss Rodeo America sash whenever she's on duty, which is often since being crowned in December at the 53rd Annual Miss Rodeo American Pageant in Las Vegas.
Since then, she's racked up the frequent flier miles and visited dozens of rodeos throughout the U.S.
It's places like the Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo, where she's been hanging out since Wednesday, that she likes best.
"It's really fun to come to the events that have both the fair and rodeo," said the 22-year-old from Colby, Kan.
The event reminds her of hometown fairs where she participated in 4-H.
"I grew up on the back of a horse," said Wilson, a tall blonde with a wide smile and easy-going personality.
She showed horses and got into doing junior rodeos as a kid. In high school, she also participated in rodeo queen pageants.
In 2007, she was named Miss Rodeo Kansas, opening the gate to the Miss Rodeo America pageant -- a weeklong competition where she competed against 27 other cowgirls for the title.
The young women are judged on horsemanship, a personal interview, speeches and their photogenic qualities.
"It's like other pageants -- without the swimsuits, but with horsemanship added in," she explained.
And the girls don't get to ride their own horses during the competition -- they draw horses owned by stock contractors.
That's a big part of the preparation for the job, however, said Wilson, who only gets to ride her own horses on the rare occasions she's home.
This year, she'll appear at more than 100 rodeos and travel about 100,000 miles.
As Miss Rodeo America, Wilson is an ambassador for the sport she loves. She does interviews, helps in the timed events of the rodeo by clearing stock out of the arena and signs autographs.
She even participated in Wednesday's Kiddie Parade at the fair.
Thursday morning she meet the fair board and rodeo organizers. Today she's off to Bremerton and then on to Ellensburg.
"It's the best job in the world," she said. "I've made friends all over."
Wilson, who has an associate's degrees in agri-business and communications, plans to return to college after her year as Miss Rodeo America. She wants to pursue a career in broadcasting and become a TV broadcaster for professional rodeo.
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