Helpful Site for Rodeo Queen Moms

There has been a lot of interest on the helpful tips and information we post about rodeo queening.  I came across a site that is extremely helpful for this event.


The site is Rodeo Royalty.  There are great articles on appearance, horsemanship and interviews.


Hope this helps the queen moms.  


www.rodeoroyalty.com

Rodeo is Life Changing: Encourage others to participate!

By Kelli Jackson - Miss Rodeo America 2010

When I am asked how I began competing in rodeos, I enjoy answering that I am a first generation cowgirl. I have had a horse since I was born, but I didn’t competitively ride. That all changed with an invitation from family friends to attend a local rodeo. As the old cliché goes, “the rest was history.”


Without that invitation, I believe that my life would be drastically different than it is now. I would not have had the great memories, friendships, and life-lesson benefits of being a competitor in the National High School Rodeo and National Little Britches Rodeo Associations; I also probably wouldn’t have become Miss Rodeo America. That stark realization—that one little invitation changed the course of my youth and young adulthood—inspired me years ago and still inspires me today to be a spokesperson for the sport of rodeo.


As we seek to market our local rodeo associations to new competitors, the media, and the spectator masses, the task can seem a bit daunting. I encourage you to think about the “basics.” Below are a few practical tips of how to promote your local rodeos and encourage youth growth that I employ as I travel as Miss Rodeo America.


To grow your association, invite local families to join your organization. Discuss the benefits of membership—whether it is fellowship, good competition, or whatnot—with other parents and encourage them to join. When the new families attend the rodeo, send your children over to greet the newcomers. A hello from your son or daughter will go a long way with the “new kids.”


To further your spectator base, ask local radio stations and television stations to air news coverage or free advertising about your rodeo. Call their business office and explain that you’re a family-oriented non-profit and would like to see if they could advertise for your rodeo in their upcoming community events section. Better yet, ask if they’d like to attend the rodeo and provide coverage and interview local contestants.

Lastly, take a second to stop and remember the benefits that your children are receiving as part of your local rodeo organization. Rodeo is like any other sport in the aspect that it can instill confidence and responsibility in your children; however, it is also one that promotes family togetherness and what I like to call “All-American Values.” I know the tips to “call the radio station” and “invite a friend’ sound a bit basic, but the basics build a strong rodeo association.

As you begin the spring rodeo season, and I encourage you to ask the other parents, “How did your kids begin competing in rodeos….?” Enjoy hearing each others’ unique first, second, third, and so on generation rodeo stories and use them as your promote your rodeo association in the future.

Happy Trails!

Hair Care Tips for Rodeo Queens

by Kendra Sagers

If you normally blow dry and use hot curling tools every day, try and give your hair a break during the summer month. Consider letting your hair air dry or take time out from curling. Hair braided when wet will air dry into beautiful waves.

When the summer heat is hottest contain potential frizzies by wearing your hair up in a knot, bun or braids. Also, it is good for your hairs if you leave it wet, apply a leave in conditioner, and then braid it. It helps it stay moist and healthy.

Be careful using shine products to control frizzies. They often contain silicone and can coat your hair after just a few times. This will make only make the problems worse in the long run and can make your hair harder to curl.

Be religious about your trims. Make sure you have the ends trimmed every 6-8 weeks during the summer months. When your ends are fizzy, it’s a sure sign that they are either damaged, split or both.

Hanging out in the sun without protection for your hair and scalp is the worst thing you can do. Use leave in hair products with SPF protection when you know you will be in the sun if you are unwilling to wear a hat.

Always try your hair style at home before you try it at a contest.

If your hair is hard to curl, remember it will curl better if it is a bit dirty. Don’t wash your hair directly before you curl it if you can help it. At least let it air dry with some product such as moose in it for it to take a curl the best.

My favorite product for a super hold on "Queen Hair" is Aussie Instant Freeze. Only use this to set your hair for the final look, as it will not curl or change much once it is sprayed.

Rodeo Queen Clothing - Painting Jeans Part 2

What you will need:
1) Acrylic Paint
2) Textile Medium
3) Soft Bristled Paint Brushes
4) Dimensional Fabric Paint (optional)
5) Paper Towels
6) Paper Plates (Styrofoam or Coated)
7) Toothpicks
8) Permanent Marker or Sewing Marker

There are many ways you can get a pattern. Some of them are:

Hand Drawn (not an option for some of us)

Coloring Book Pages

Online

Scan the Pattern on Your Shirt and then Print

Step 1 Layout Pattern

You want to layout the pattern on your pants. For example, if you are using a large flower, layout out several copies of the flower so you can make sure it fits well on the pants. You need to know where each flower is going to go before you start with the permanent marker.

Note: If you are only doing one leg, do the right leg. This is the leg people will see when you go through the arena to do your queen wave.

Step 2 Outline Pattern

With a permanent marker, draw or trace your pattern.

Step 3 Color Matching

You need to find colors to make the colors in your shirts. Always shake your paints well before starting. To mix paints start with your base color and slowly add in the other color until it matches your shirt. Make sure that you stir your colors really well.

Paint Tips: If the paint is too thin, pour some out and let it air dry. If it is too thick, you can add water to it.

Step 4 Painting

Once you have the color you need, you can start to paint. You should start from the bottom and work up. Also start from the center, go to the outside, and fill in the rest. It may take 2 coats. So be sure to let the first coat dry completely. If you are paints a thin shirt to match, be sure to put some cardboard under it. Be sure to get a lot of paint in the seam.

Step 5 Finishing Touches

You can use dimensional fabric paint to give added interest to your painting. With dimensional paint, do not brush.

You can also use glitter gel. Be sure to get some gel coming out of the tip before you try to apply to pants.

Glitter can be used. You can put fabric glue and then put glitter over it. Be sure to let the glue dry completely. Then shake off the excess glitter.

We will do another post about additional embellishments.

Step 6 Sealing

Let the paint dry for 24 hours. Then iron the pants to seal the paint.

Hints:

It does not have to be perfect. No one will be that close.

If you can find textile medium, add it to the acrylic paint. It makes blending easier. Acrylic paint will work without it.

Rodeo Queen Clothing - Painting Jeans Part 1

There are a lot of things you can do with an ordinary pair of jeans when you are competing in a Rodeo Queen Contest. You can take a fantastic shirt and paint some jeans to complete an outfit. It is a lot less expensive than buying a full Rodeo Queen outfit. You don’t have to spend a fortune to look amazing!

Here are some great examples of pants that were painted to match their tops.

Here is a great pair of black jean painted to match a black top.

Here the leaf pattern is just painted on some regular blue wranglers.

Here is a pair that was painted free hand for Hawaiin night.

Here is one that got out of control. Painting paints, shirt, boots and belt to match.

Look for the next post for the step by step to painting jeans.

Rodeo Queen Clothes Tip

by Edna Hancock

If you have ever wanted to be a rodeo queen you know that you need colorful wrangler jeans. When we started out I was told to just dye them to match the shirt. Alot easier said than done....but with a little practice you can be GREAT at it.

I have found that if you order from Dharma Trading Company http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/3796-AA.shtml?lnav=dyes.html I got better dye matches and they get the order to you quickly. The colors shown on the website are a really close match to what the actual color is. They will send you instructions on how to mix and the legnth of time that the clothes need to stay in the dye vats.

I have also learned that you should probably order the extras. The soda ash fixer and the synthrapol detergent. You should also use gloves. (I didn't have any when I dyed the purple pants and my hands were that color for a few days.) Also you need A LOT of white washclothes . I use these to make sure the color is that exact color that you want. It actually is alot of fun and now I LOVE to dye pants to match the shirts.

So You Want To Be A Rodeo Queen(Part1)

By Kendra Sagers

Nearly every little cowgirl wants to grow up to become a rodeo queen. I was no different, and for that matter neither is my daughter. The world of rodeo queening, and it is a whole new world, is an exciting one. Glitz, glamour, and all eyes on you in the arena or on stage. Who could blame a little girl for having a dream like this? Certainly not me. Dreams are great, but what do you do when your aspiring rodeo queen wants to put her dreams in to action. Just the thought can leave many rodeo moms running scared. I know, remember I am one. So many questions come to mind. How do we get started? Where do we find contests? How do we know which contests to enter? How do we prepare? And, probably the scariest question of all, how are we going to afford it? Don’t worry; there are answers to all of these questions and more. In fact, you can compete in MAJOR rodeo queen contests and, if you are creative, you don’t even have to sell major body organs on eBay to do it. While each of these topics could, and soon will likely be, a topic in and of themselves let me start by giving a short version here.

The first step is to take it one step at a time. First, how old is your daughter? Your daughter’s age may determine what contests are available to for her to compete in. If your daughter is very young, let’s say under 9 or 10, I would start by looking at local and 4-H type contests. Many of these are horsemanship only contests. Your daughter is already interested in horses and if you are a rodeo mom she probably already has a horse so the battle is nearly over. In fact, no matter the age of your daughter I recommend that you find one of these low key kinds of contests to begin with any way. This way you will be able to get a better feel if your daughter really wants to be a rodeo queen or just likes the idea of it all. Also, it is important to keep in mind that being a rodeo queen at any level is a lot of hard work. So make sure you have this conversation from the start.

One of the best places to find contests to try out in is to talk to other rodeo queens. Don’t be afraid to walk up to any current queen and ask for information. They had better be friendly and willing to help, after all that is their job. There is no better place to get information than from the people who are doing what you want to do.

Once you have decided on a contest to enter, I suggest you contact the coordinator and get the rules as early as possible. The more time you have to prepare, the less stress you will be under. You can not fully prepare until you know what you are preparing for. Once you have the rules, simply follow them. Don’t try to tweak or stretch them, just follow them.

One of the best ways to learn what to prepare for is to attend a contest and watch. Go in to the contest with an open mind, even if you know one of the girls trying out. Watch and see what catches your eye. What looks right? What looks wrong? What stands out good or bad? And then, did your opinion agree with the judges? If so, you are probably on the right track. If not, you may want to talk to the judges and see if they can tell you what they saw that you didn’t. (Talking to the judges may also be a good place to find help for your daughter.)