Local Rodeo Queen contestants are dusting off their cowgirl hats for the 66th Annual Elks Queen Kickoff and Auction, set for May 2 at the Elks Lodge, 1309 N. Bradley Road, in Santa Maria.
The contest went on a hiatus for the first time ever last year because not enough contestants threw their hats into the ring. This year, however, there are three local women vying for the title: Lindsey Serna, representing the Santa Maria Elks Lodge; Vanessa Rodriguez, representing the Guadalupe Kiwanis Club; and Jennifer Coyne, representing the Young Ranchers and Farmers of San Luis Obispo County.
The three contestants started campaigning and selling rodeo tickets for $1 each on April 17. Rodeo Queen chairman Marc Rodriguez said the winner will be selected based on a point system. Approximately 60 percent of the points come from the number of tickets sold. The remaining 40 percent is determined based on community involvement, school involvement, grade point average, and public speaking ability.
At the Elks Rodeo Kickoff and Auction, the contestants will fulfill their public speaking requirement by telling the crowd a little bit about themselves and the organizations for which they’re fundraising.
“The Queen contest really brings the community together. That’s why we fought so hard to bring it back,” chairman Rodriguez said.
And if everything goes well, Rodriguez said there could be as many as eight candidates for next year’s contest.
The kickoff is the start of a six-week campaign and marks the introduction of the 2009 Elks Rodeo Princesses. The event will start with cocktail hour at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $8 each and are available at the Elks Rodeo office inside the Elks Lodge or by phone at 925-4125.
This article appears in Apr 30 – May 7, 2009.