OTHELLO — When rodeo queens congregate, what should they be called? That question came up at the Othello Eagles Lodge on Saturday night.

Is it a “royalty of queens?” A “grace of queens?” No, decided Ellensburg Rodeo Princess Clara Van Orman, the proper term would be a “herd of queens.”

In any case, there was a good-size collection of rodeo royalty turned out for the event, which saw Miss Moses Lake Roundup Mykiah Hollenbeck take her place in their number.

About 100 people came out for the coronation, which included dinner as well as a live and silent auction. The auctions raised money for Hollenbeck to be able to do some traveling above and beyond her local obligations, said Columbia Basin Rodeo Association Director Amanda Miller Morgan.

“We’ve had queens in the past go to Reno, or go to Calgary, or some of these really big fun rodeos. So a little extra money allows them to do that.” Miller Morgan said.

Miller Morgan said the queen program has a positive effect on the girls who participate.

“I think confidence is the biggest thing they get in the year. We’ve seen girls that are pretty shy and very reserved, and give them the year and by the end of the year they’re confident and they’re not afraid to speak, and they’re more sure of themselves. Like Emma (Gunderson), who was our emcee, she was one of those girls, pretty shy and quiet, and she really blossomed in those years as queen. It’s a real positive thing for these girls and I think they learn a lot about themselves.”

The ceremonies began with an invocation by CBRA member Buck Naff, who cited Philippians 3:14-15 with, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize.” Next, Hollenbeck was escorted by her dad Ryan to the front of the room, where she said a few words before being welcomed by a line of current rodeo royalty, including queens and princesses from Ellensburg, Newport, Cle Elum, Springdale and Sedro-Woolley.

After a turn drawing raffle prizes with Gunderson, who served as Miss Moses Lake Roundup in 2017, Hollenbeck was presented with her royal belt buckle by her advisers Miller Morgan and Jill Tonne.

The buckle was a bit of a surprise for Hollenbeck. “I didn’t know it was coming in last night,” she said in an interview Sunday. “It was supposed to be here in three more weeks. So I was kind of bummed I wouldn’t have my buckle for my coronation, but it came in the day before. And no one told me about it until they gave it to me during the coronation.”

As Miss Moses Lake Roundup, Hollenbeck will serve as an ambassador both for the sport of rodeo and for the Moses Lake community. She sees herself in the position of a role model for younger girls and children, she said.

“My platform for the year is ‘Don’t let anyone dull your sparkle.’ To me that means every girl, every person, has something that makes them them, and it’s their passion and makes them stand out from everybody else. I think that you shouldn’t give that up for anybody. Just be you and shine your light in this world.”