Riding, ‘Riting, and Rodeo all part of annual pageant (VIDEO)

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

rodeo inside 7 — 2013 Ellis County Rodeo Princess Taylor Wiedenhaft and Rodeo Queen Jill Pokorny host the 2014 pageant Saturday at the fairgrounds.

Jill Pokorny, the reigning Ellis County Rodeo Queen, will turn over her tiara and duties to the new 2014 queen next Tuesday night.

Pokorny just graduated from Hays High School and will head to Kansas State University this fall to study biochemistry. Her horses will have to remain in Hays.

“I started working with horses in 4-H and participating in the rodeo pageant has made me a much better rider,” Pokorny said Saturday morning. “I’m also more at ease as a public speaker.”

Pokorny is now an Ellis County Rodeo Pageant committee member and plans to remain on it while in Manhattan.

Most appealing about the sport of rodeo to Pokorny is the “ability of a horse and rider to communicate in such a way it appears effortless, but it’s actually years of training and preparation.”

There are 13 contestants in this year’s pageant. One will be named Queen; a younger girl will become Princess. There are eight Little Miss participants.

Though the girls and their horses may be wearing a lot of “bling,” the three judges are looking past the sparkle, explained Pokorny.

“The pageant includes horsemanship and a written test on rodeo knowledge. The talent portion includes modeling of their pageant outfit, a memorized speech and answering an impromptu random question. After lunch, each girl does a personal interview with the judge panel.

“The winners will best represent Ellis County and the sport of rodeo for the next year,” said Pokorny.

rodeo inside 2 — 2014 Ellis County Rodeo Pageant contestants

The 2014 contestants are:
QUEEN: Logan Snyder-Smith Center
PRINCESS: Jaylinn Pfeifer-Ellis, Leigh-Ann Poe-Hill City, Mary Claire Towns-Ellis, Sarah Wasko-Hanston
LITTLE MISS: Cadence Dickey-Munjor, Eva Gaschler-Ellis, Callie Lane-Munjur, Lexie Macumber-Hays, Mirriam Towns-Palco, Cadence Warfield-Hays, Kylah Warfield-Hays, Cidnee Werth-Munjor

The judges’ results are scored by an off-site auditor.

rodeo inside 5 — Judges Shandra Maddix-Colby, Jake Renner-Pratt, and Lisa Jones-Ellis

No one knows who the winners are until they are announced July 15, the first of two nights of KPRA Rodeo action during the Ellis County Fair. The coronation ceremony begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the rodeo arena.