For young equine ladies in Mineral County there’s an opportunity every year to become part of the Rodeo Royalty for the Superior LIONS Go for the Gold Rodeo during the Mineral County Fair.

The process begins in late winter, but last Wednesday evening at the Superior Rodeo grounds, the closing three contestants had their final exam. Each said she was nervous, but all were poised with confidence. Family and friends were in the grandstands and that’s where the anxious tension was felt.

Kodi Kelly, Rainier Acker and Lanie Crabb were competing for Junior Rodeo Princess. Young ladies make a three-year commitment for the titles they will hold. The winning candidate for Junior Rodeo Princess will receive $50 cash and a $50 gift certificate from Mountain West Co-Op (CENEX) to help defray the cost of her outfit. Plus, a custom handmade sash from world renowned sash maker Wendy Russ.

And finally, a genuine silver crown, made by Montana Silversmiths. Actually, both the Rodeo Princess and Rodeo Queen will receive new crowns for their new positions and all three are donated by Lincolns Silver Dollar Bar, in Haugan.

Each contestant rode their horses performing the same maneuvers displaying different gates, flag carrying and coming to a complete stop in the center of the rodeo grounds.

Shawn Heyer with the Superior LIONS and Mary Grace Donally had the tough task of choosing what they felt was the best candidate and made the announcement that Lanie Crabb would be Junior Rodeo Princess for the 2022 Go for the Gold Rodeo. Applause for all three at equal levels during their individual performances and at the announcement of the winner was evidence of community-togetherness where there may be a winner, but everyone is a champion.

“I’m pretty excited and glad I get to represent Superior for one of the biggest events of the year. I’m very grateful for this opportunity,” smiled Crabb.

Heather Haskins, 15, is the reigning Princess as she moves up to Queen making this her last year as Rodeo Royalty. But her work isn’t done.

“This year it looks like we are going to have a booth next to the 4-H Building,” she said. They won’t be selling corndogs, tacos or ice cream, however. “We’ll have handouts for young girls and talk with them about what we did to work our way into our positions.”

Bailey Hansen, 15, is the Junior Rodeo Princess moving up to Princess this year and Queen in 2023. As far as Royalty-duties, she said that she was involved in making a Tobacco Free video through the Mineral County Health Department.

The process of the judging was explained by Donally.

“After reading the girls essays, which were all great, we asked them to tell us about themselves and their horse. Then a series of questions of rodeo events and horse etiquette. And then what I was looking for during the horsemanship demonstration was having them have their horse walk, jog and lope in both directions. And there is a differentiation between a jog and a trot.”

Donally spent time with the two other contestants explaining it in detail along with other protocols so that they can work on it and enter again next year if they so choose to do so.

The barrel racing event for the rodeo this year is under the direction of Darby Haskins, but she was unavailable for comment. However, her cousin, Heather, said it will be exciting, for sure!

“Darby will make a post about it (on Facebook). You run a clover leaf pattern in the fastest time that you can.”

She went on to explain that under 19 seconds is darn good and the patterns are different sizes. “

It varies with the size of the arena. We have an egg-shaped arena (Superior rodeo grounds) that’s not very big. But Ronan is super small and tight, so the route has to be stretched out into a weird shape.”

Haskins explained that you train your barrel racing horse on different sizes and lengths in fields, but it is always a cloverleaf patter. This way, you are both prepared for almost any layout that you compete in as practice runs are all but nonexistent. E

ntry fee money is awarded to the top performers in the Open Class with "experience" as the reward for everyone in the Time Only competition. And it’s a big event at the Superior LIONS Go for The Gold Rodeo on the Thursday evening of fair week.

“I feel that it is getting more and more popular, so more and more people come to compete. At the bare minimum, I’d say there will be 50 competing but more than likely it will be over 70,” Haskin predicts. “I’m not sure what the entry fees for each class will be, but Darby will have that in her post,” she laughs.