Area girls from Cooke, Grayson and Love counties will get the chance to be the first ever queen and princess for Rodeo Gainesville.
The Gainesville Riding Club will host Rodeo Gainesville during May 7-9 at the Gainesville Riding Club Arena.
Known as rodeo royalty, the queen and princess candidates will be judged on two separate divisions: tickets sales and a riding pattern.
Sixty percent of the girls overall score will be based upon their ticket sales, said Whitney Lemons, rodeo queen/princess coordinator. The other 40 percent, will be scored from a riding pattern the girls will be given before the rodeo.
“The riding pattern has not yet been released,” said Lemons. “We won’t release that until two weeks before hand, maybe even a week until the rodeo in order to give them a little bit of time to get familiar with it and to practice. At the same time, we don’t want to give the girls enough time to practice it everyday because we want to know how they work under pressure and on the spot.”
Queen candidates must be between the ages of 14-18 and princess candidates must be between the ages of 10-13, added Lemons. All candidates must have their own horse, have never been married or have any children and must have permission to compete from a legal guardian.
Prizes for the crowned queen and princess will include a trophy saddle and other prizes to be donated by local merchants such as a belt buckle and sash.
The girls will have six weeks to sell tickets, said Lemons. Ticket sales will begin Monday, March 28. However the deadline to apply for queen or princess has been extended through Friday, April 3.
Interested girls can receive an application for queen or princess at Landmark Bank in Gainesville, 1110 E California Street; American Bank in Whitesboro, 851 Highway 377 N; or by contacting Lemons at (940) 736-8059.
As part of the application process, Lemons said the girls will have to complete a short questionnaire to give the judges an idea of each candidate’s personality.
The winning queen and princess will get to ride nightly in the Rodeo Gainesville as part of the grand entry, said Lemons. Not only will they be featured nightly, but a special crowning will take place during Friday night’s performance. The girls will also get the chance to ride and participate throughout the year as Rodeo Gainesville’s queen and princess at other rodeos and parades of their choice.
While the competition should be taken seriously, said Lemons, the main goal for the queen and princess competition is to give area cowgirls a moment to shine and to have fun.
“We’re pretty easy going,” said Lemons. “We want to make it something that anybody can participate in. You don’t have to be in the horse industry as far as showing or having real high-end horses. We just want it to be something that someone who has a horse for every day riding can compete in and to give all the young cowgirls in the counties a chance to compete.”
Lemons, who was the Gainesville Chamber of Commerce Rodeo Queen in 2001, described her experience as rodeo royalty as a great honor.
“It is a great thing to be involved in and a great honor to hold,” said Lemons. “The best advice I can give to girls competing, I would have to say, is to just work your ticket sales and know your riding pattern. You just really got to work for it but it’s worth it.”
Local News
Rodeo Gainesville looking for queen, princess candidates
- Local News
-
-
League announces district realignment
The wait is over and the scrambling began early Thursday morning with the release of the University Interscholastic League’s biennial realignment.
-
Child advocate volunteers needed for court hearings
Recruitment continues from local members of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) North Texas.
-
Sister remembers her brother's good humor
Word of the sudden death of a well-liked seventh-grader at Gainesville Middle School has left students, faculty, and staff grieving.
-
Teachers, students anticipate new STAAR test
Teachers and administrators are preparing for the upcoming State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test.
-
Bridge widening begins
Bridge widening continues at Pecan Creek to prepare for the Army Corps of Engineers to expand and deepen the creek channel.
-
Officials mum about coach's suspension
CALLISBURG — Feedback from Callisburg ISD officials has been scarce regarding the suspension of high school basketball coach Randy Freeman on Jan. 10.
-
Community joins Chamber celebration
Tuesday’s 90th-anniversary banquet for Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce honored history and fed the masses in tall style.
-
Harlem Ambassadors face off against State Farm Hoopers
The international-acclaimed Harlem Ambassadors will face the State Farm Hoopsters at 7 p.m. Feb. 9 at the Gainesville High School Gymnasium.
-
Two-vehicle crash on California Street
A two-vehicle collision occured at 11:12 p.m. Wednesday at 1100 W. California St.
-
Cuts leave school programs in jeopardy
Results of a recent survey show that education budget cuts in Texas are doing damage that reaches into classrooms.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Prosecutors Close Armstrong Inquiry, No Charges
Sights and Sounds: Football Fans Pour Into Indy
NC Police: Mom Injects Chemical Into Baby's IV
Unemployment Rate Down to 8.3%
Komen Reverses Planned Parenthood Cuts
2nd Teacher From LA School Arrested on Sex Claim
Obama: Still Far Too Many Americans Need Jobs
GOP: Jobs Numbers Welcome, Can Do Better
Hiring Burst Pushes Jobless Rate Down to 8.3%
Fla. Man Adopts Girlfriend in Legal Battle
More Deaths As Egypt Clashes Continue
Raw Video: Prince William in Falklands
Past Complaint About LA Teacher Comes to Light
Egpyt Protesters Blame Police for Soccer Deaths
'Lucky' 9-Year-Old Receives 6-Organ Transplant
Raw Video: Michelle Vs. Ellen in Pushup Contest
Reaction Heated on Planned Parenthood-Komen Rift
First Person: Will Peyton Manning Stay in Indy?
Madonna Nervous About Super Bowl Halftime Show
Egypt Shaken After Deadly Soccer Riot
