GREAT FALLS — On Saturday afternoon, the Miss Rodeo Montana Pageant took place at the Heritage Inn in Great Falls. The event ended with a coronation, as '2022 Miss Rodeo Montana' (Briann Grimshaw) and '2022 Miss Teen Rodeo Montana' (Allie Kuntz) passed their crowns to the new titleholders for 2023.
17-year-old Elle Bucher was announced as '2023 Miss Teen Rodeo Montana'
“This is something I have dreamed of since I was little," Bucher said. "This is my fifth year competing in pageant, and it really means a lot to be able to represent the state of Montana in a sport that I love so much.”
21-year-old Clancy Olson took home the title of '2023 Miss Rodeo Montana."
Olson stated, "I'm still a little in shock. I knew that I won originally in October, but it’s still a little bit of a shock that I actually won the title, and that I am ‘Miss Rodeo Montana’"
'Miss Rodeo Montana, Inc' aims to promote their western heritage in rodeo within the state of Montana by educating the public about the sport of Professional Rodeo, and the role of agriculture.
Their vision for each young woman is that they acquire a greater understanding of the world around them, improve self-esteem and self-confidence, along with gaining valuable life skills and opportunities for advancement of their personal and professional lives.
Miss Rodeo Montana, Inc. hosts an annual pageant to help select two young ladies: one for the title of Miss Teen Rodeo Montana (age 14-18), and one for the title of Miss Rodeo Montana (age 19-24).
In order to compete for one of those titles, the contestant must be knowledgeable about Professional Rodeo and general horsemanship. They also need to be well-informed of current events. On top of that, they must be able to share their love for the sport of rodeo and the western way of life in their own unique way.
When competing in the Miss Rodeo Montana pageant, there are four categories to which each young lady who vies for the title of Miss Rodeo Montana or Miss Teen Rodeo Montana are judged.
Those categories are horsemanship, appearance, personality, and projection/presentation, with each category being worth 25 percent of the contestant’s score. There are three judges who judge them during the entire length of the pageant, and each contestant has the same opportunities to be judged informally, in formal interviews, and other activities deemed appropriate by the pageant committee.
As for what’s next for these two newly crowned champions, they are ready to get out and connect with the rodeo community.
"Rodeo has been super important to me for my whole life," Bucher said. "I’m just incredibly excited to move around Montana and bring that joy that I find in rodeo to young girls who really want to step up there and step out of their comfort zone.”
Olson said, "I’m excited for all of the traveling, getting to see all of the kids, meeting new people. Also, being able to represent this great sport of rodeo, and everything that comes with it.”
Click here to visit the Miss Rodeo Montana page on Facebook.
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