What to Practice for a Rodeo Queen Interview
Being a rodeo queen is an executive-level job. There's an application, an interview, and real responsibilities waiting on the other side of it. So when it comes to prep, you want to treat it like you’re applying for a job, because you are. That means studying two things, in this order: The job and yourself.
Know the Job
When it comes to knowing the job, you want to know everything you can about the rodeo or association itself.
When did it start, and who started it?
Is it still held in the same arena?
Was it originally a livestock show or an auction before it became a rodeo?
Is it PRCA sanctioned, or does it fall under a different association?
Who is the president and vice president, and who is on the board?
Does the rodeo give back through events or themed nights, such as pink night, military night? Do they have some other special community opportunity, such as 4-H kids who work the grounds, proceeds that go to the local Lions Club or another nonprofit?
Rodeo is so good at community giving, and it's one of the best talking points you have. So if the event with the title you’re running for has something special, you want to know and highlight it.
Then get familiar with the schedule: the parade, the barbecue, pancake breakfast, the fair, any theme nights, finals night, and any other events. And genuinely ask yourself what you're excited for. That answer is what's going to make you a believable ambassador instead of a rehearsed one.
Sample host rodeo or association questions:
What do you know about the history of this rodeo?
Who is the president of this rodeo?
Who is the current Miss Rodeo?
Are there any theme nights we should look forward to?
Where can I buy tickets, and what time should I plan to arrive?
What other events are happening alongside the rodeo?
Give us a 30-second commercial for the rodeo. Have one ready, even if you’re never asked because you’ll know all of the logistics you’ll need to answer most event-related questions.
Know Yourself
Once you know the job, it's time to dig into YOU. Knowing yourself will bring a level or maturity and confidence to your answers—and life in general—but more importantly, in this context, it will help you answer personality questions.
What are your values?
What qualities make up your personality?
What are your favorite things to do?
Why are you trying to be a rodeo queen? (Not the answer you think sounds good, the real one!) Being a rodeo queen is a selfless job, and judges can tell the difference between a girl who wants the title and a girl who wants to do the work.
Sample personality questions:
Who is someone you look up to, and why?
If we asked your best friend, or your horse, what they love most about you, what would they say?
If you got to take a vacation anywhere, where would you go?
If you could be any candy bar, which one, and why?
What sets you apart from the other contestants?
A quick note on the wildcard questions: the candy bar type… Don't panic if you don't have a perfect, meaningful answer ready! Pick something and give a genuine reason. The judges aren't grading the candy bar, and they don’t know that you really prefer a Snickers to a KitKat. They're learning something true about you either way.
The Rest of It
This is where a lot of girls feel like they need to become a veterinarian overnight. You don't. You only need a working knowledge of rodeo association rules for whatever governs your contest (e.g., the PRCA, CPRA, NHSRA, NLBRA, etc.), plus the basics of equine science, such as common illnesses like colic, basic care like feeding, shoeing, and vaccine schedules, and tack, like the difference between a snaffle bit and a standard bit, or a barrel saddle and a roping saddle. Round it out with current events, both nationally and in your own town, especially in the couple weeks leading up to your pageant, and you’re all set!
Sample knowledge questions:
What are some common reasons a rough stock rider might be disqualified?
Describe your favorite rodeo event as if I were watching for the first time.
What is the most common cause of death in horses? (It's colic. You will be asked this one.)
What does T.P.R. stand for?
What do you vaccinate your horse for?
What kind of bit do you ride your horse in?
None of this needs to be encyclopedia deep. Judges are not going to ask you the exact dimensions of a roughstock saddle. They just want to see that you have a real, working knowledge of the sport and the animal you're representing it on.
One Last Move: Read the Judges' Bios
Judges usually aren't announced until right before the pageant, so don't spend the week before cramming equine science because you heard a vet might be on the panel. But once they are announced, take a few minutes to read their bios. A judge with a veterinary background is probably going to lean toward horse health questions. A former board member is going to ask about rodeo history. A judge with a business background, like me, tends to care most about whether you're a prepared, qualified candidate. Their bio is a hint, not a script — use it that way.
You can study the job and study yourself for weeks, and it'll only take you so far until you start saying the answers out loud in a real room, in front of real people. That part takes its own kind of practice. But get the studying right first, because it's the foundation everything else stands on.
Want more from Sydney and our other coaches? Sign up for the upcoming Project Pageantry Academy online clinics.
About Sydney
Sydney Butler is a fourth-generation Idahoan and Boise native who discovered horses young and built a career around them, competing in APHA and AQHA events and winning regional and world show awards before getting her start in rodeo queening through 4-H. She was Miss Teen Rodeo Idaho, Miss Rodeo Idaho 2018, and third runner-up at Miss Rodeo America. She's coached and judged rodeo queens across the country, including coaching a former National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA) Queen and judging the NHSRA and Wilderness Circuit Queen contests. Sydney holds an MBA and a bachelor's degree in communications from Boise State University and currently works as a corporate event specialist for TMN Events. When she's not working or traveling, she's outdoors with her dog, Cooper.
