Rebecca has always loved horses and the western way of life. Since she mounted that little paint horse "Charlie" at age two, she was hooked. From that time on I suppose I always knew that the rest of us would take a back seat to animals of every persuasion.

Now, Rebecca isn’t your typical cowgirl, or perhaps she is the exact persona of the new 21^st Century Cowgirl. She didn’t grow up on a ranch and her grandfather wasn’t a champion cowboy. She grew up in a career military home. She was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and had lived in seven states before she was ten years old. She knows first hand the sacrifices of those who serve our country, and the trials that their families must deal with on a daily basis.

One tour of duty would prove to be a very difficult time for our family. Attached to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 74, Tom (Rebecca’s Dad) would be away from us for most of the next two and one half years. Including seven months during Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and Operation Provide Comfort.

We were then transferred to Puerto Rico when Rebecca was nine years old. Roosevelt Roads Naval Air Station was known for having one of the finest horse stables in the military. We purchased several horses during our tour there and joined the riding club on base that traveled the island competing in horse shows and rodeos. Often the announcements were in Spanish and Rebecca would have to listen very closely to know when she was to ride. Before we left the island three years later both Rebecca and her brother would be island champions (Age group and All Around).

After three years on an island we had quiet a culture shock when the Navy assigned Rebecca’s Dad to the Surgeon Generals staff in Washington, D.C. Rebecca began to take riding lessons in Quantico, Virginia. She trained with some of the best in the country. She learned quickly the skills of English equitation, hunter jumper, cross country, dressage, and everything that would prepare her to be eligible to compete for the Quantico Three Day Event Championship. At the tender age of fifteen she overwhelmed the much older and experienced competition to win the title. I can still see her drawing the jumping course in the dirt with a stick, going over the requirements in her mind.

After our tour in Washington it was time for my husband to retire and time to go home to our small farm in Alabama. Rebecca quickly became involved with many extracurricular activities and she began to turn into a beautiful young woman. During her junior year of high school her English teacher encouraged and even insisted that she enter the Sr. Miss Limestone County Rodeo (ages 15 – 17) pageant. Rebecca had never been in a pageant before, and wasn’t sure what to expect. She knew how to ride, she knew about horses, and she knew about rodeo. I told her to smile, be herself, and answer the questions to the best of her ability, SHE WON! She was hooked and her rodeo queen career had begun. In a short time she would hold other titles and in March 1999 she would become only the second young woman from north of Birmingham to win the 41^st Miss Rodeo Alabama title (sweeping all major categories of the competition).

Rebecca’s dream was to be Miss Rodeo USA.  Each year the young woman who holds the title is a very special visitor to our rodeo and Rebecca enjoyed meeting the girls over the years and hearing the stories of the competition and how they had dreamed of wearing the crown. She began working in January when we returned from the Miss Rodeo America 2000 pageant and she made the decision to give it one more shot. She prepared for the Limestone County pageant, it was important for her to represent her hometown rodeo when she went to Oklahoma. She knew if by some miracle she could win, it would be great for our rodeo committee, which has worked so hard for many years to make our rodeo one of the IPRA best.

She worked tirelessly and she left no stone unturned. I could see the little girl that had sat on Charlie, I could see the little girl who was called to the arena in Spanish to ride, I could see the young woman drawing the jump course in the dirt, I could see her dream coming true. She traveled to IPRA rodeos all over the country, from Alabama to Arizona. She shook hands with many, meeting the cowboys and cowgirls that she might someday represent. She rode countless horses, designed her wardrobe for the competition, memorized the IPRA rulebook, studied the Media Guide, etc.

One week before the pageant everything was ready including Rebecca. A calm came over her with just a few days to go before we left for Oklahoma. I said to her, "How can you be so calm, I am falling apart." She looked at me with the most adult look I had ever seen on her face and with all the conviction in her heart she said these words, "I have done everything humanly possible I know to do to be Miss Rodeo USA, and it is simply in God’s hands now." I thought to myself that as a parent I had done something right, that she was the most confident, beautiful and gracious person I had ever met and she was my daughter. I also knew that she had what it took to go on in life and be a complete success, no matter the outcome in Oklahoma.

During the pageant she was very confident and relaxed. She performed well in every aspect of the pageant and she was consistent throughout the week. Then during coronation, Howdy White said these words; "Ladies and Gentlemen I give you the young lady that will represent you during this next year, Miss Rodeo USA 2001, Rebecca Passion."  She is a true role model and a true American. She is the absolute picture of what can happen if you dream the impossible dream and work to make it come true. It fills my heart with joy when I watch her sign an autograph for a child that looks starry eyed at her. She smiles and asks for the name, then writes with her sharpie, "Rope your dreams!" and makes a heart followed by her name.

Susan Self-Adams  - Miss Rodeo Louisiana 1987
April 2001

It’s easy to be happy when you win a title or contest. All you have to do is smile, wave, maybe cry a few tears of joy and accept all the congratulatory hugs and ‘best wishes’. After all, that’s where a queen is supposed to be good. But how do you react if you’re a runner-up or an ‘also ran’?

Although I’ve only won two titles, they were nice ones – Miss Topps (a regional queen covering the Ark-La-Tex), and Miss Rodeo Louisiana. With both, I got to travel countless miles and meet many new people while doing something I love - riding horses. I’ve been involved in almost every aspect of pageants for over 20 years, competing, emceeing, judging, coaching and entertaining, both in rodeo and Miss America-type contests. In these years, I’ve seen the entire spectrum of behavior from the girls who didn’t win the crown.

I was a spectator at another pageant. After the crowning, I went up to a young woman who was a runner-up to tell her that I had been pulling for her. In front of numerous people, she went off on me! She had it in her mind that I hated her, and if I was anywhere near when she was competing, she could not win. I was so embarrassed for this girl. Not only did she make a complete fool of herself, but by voicing her opinion in the open as she did, she managed to degrade the judges, the director and the entire pageant. How may you ask? She stated in front of everyone that she could not win if I was present. This made it appear that the director had no control over her pageant and the judges could be easily influenced. She could not have been further from the truth. Having previously judged this girl, I honestly thought that she would have made a wonderful queen. She just had the unfortunate experience of going up against someone that was a little stronger in most areas of the competition.

At a recent pageant, a runner-up was such a poor loser that she wouldn’t even get near anyone. I’m not exactly sure of her reasoning on this. My guess is that she came into the competition expecting to win without doing anything. What she didn’t plan on were other contestants that had actually studied everything from current events to horse anatomy. She was clearly the best rider, but she couldn’t answer a single question about her horse and very little about her equipment. She had defeated herself by not preparing.

When I coach someone, one of the first things I tell them is, "Give it your all, and you’re a winner, whether you get the crown or not." And, "If you don’t win the title, be the first one to congratulate the winner." The most important part of this is to earnestly mean it when you congratulate her. You may have had a bad horsemanship run, fumbled your speech, blown your interview, or you just may not have been as strong overall as the winner. Don’t get all down about. Learn from it! Think about where you could improve and work on it. Watch videos of the contest and study the strong and weak points of yourself and the other contestants. When you think you’ve studied and practiced all you can, study and practice some more!

Some of the best examples of gracious non-winners I’ve ever encountered have been at the Miss Rodeo Louisiana pageants. When I was competing, the girls helped each other out, even doing some last minute studying together before the interviews. If you had a horse or equipment problem, there was another contestant willing to help you. This not only made the pageant fun, but it helped that you got to know each other a little better.

I’ve actually had young ladies tell me that I have no idea how hard it is to congratulate someone who just beat you. I certainly do! I’ve been a runner-up and an ‘also-ran’ in many more pageants than I’ve won. If you want to talk about smiling on the outside while your heart is breaking on the inside, I’ve been there!

Probably the most stressful, yet exciting time of my competitive life was at the Miss Rodeo America Pageant in December, 1987. I was competing as Miss Rodeo Louisiana, and the outgoing MRA, Suzy Gillard, was from Louisiana, so I was going to have to blow away the competition to even be considered. At that time, the coronation was held at Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas. All 44 contestants were on the stage as they called the Top 10. From where I stood in the semi-circle, the girls were lining up across the stage in a straight line from me. In the excitement, I lost count of how many had been called, and couldn’t see how many were already there. Just when I was about to panic, my name was called. I was the tenth one! I had become good friends with two other girls during the week, and all three of us had made the Top 10.

All ten girls ran another round of horsemanship, then went back onstage for impromptu questions and the naming of the runners-up and MRA. They didn’t call out five women to step forward as the Top 5, but rather started with the 4^th runner-up out of the ten and worked their way up. The first name called as 4^th runner-up was mine. My heart was crushed. I smiled, stepped up and waved, and took the spot on the stage reserved for that position. One of the hardest things I’ve ever done was holding my composure right then. When there were six girls left, both of my friends were still there, so this meant that either could be named as MRA or just be proud to have made the Top 10. When Kelly Dilka was crowned Miss Rodeo America 1988, Melissa and I were among the first ones to congratulate her. Even though we were both extremely disappointed not to have won, we were truly happy for Kelly.

I received some really nice awards at the coronation banquet and my mother won the raffle saddle. And yes, that night back in my room, I cried my eyes out. But rather than get upset on not being named MRA, I chose to take pride in what I did achieve. I still have a beautiful silver buckle and wonderful memories.

If you don’t win a title, don’t blame anyone else. You can be a sore loser and show your backside by criticizing everyone and everything at the pageant, or you can be a gracious non-winner. Even though you may not have won the crown, you’re still a winner for having experienced the competition. Cherish the memories you made at the pageant. Don’t dwell on where you may have messed up, but look for areas in which you could improve. If you have a complaint, put it in writing, nicely. You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

Most judges will be happy to do a little critique for you, but check with the pageant coordinator first to make sure it’s okay. The way you approach it will determine how willing people are to help. "Why did you pick her and not me?" is probably not the best way to start a conversation. However, if you begin with, "I was wondering if you could help me by telling me my strong points and also those areas in which I could improve", most judges will gladly comply.

Anyone can be a gracious winner, but the true winners and losers come to light when they’re not crowned. Handling it with class or trash is your decision. Remember, you are a winner if you give it 110%!!!

The Role of a Rodeo Queen Mom

Beckie Dysart
Mom of Susan Dysart - Miss Rodeo Kansas 2001

Like a good photographer a good competitor has to be focused.  Susan has been able to remain focused during her six titles by making a plan, striving to reach goals in that plan and altering the plan when she fell short of a goal.  My job has been to help her stay focused and to offer suggestions, but not to design the plan.  Together we can write a speech but she is the one that develops it and presents it.  I sew many of her outfits after she selects the material and designs the creation on paper.  I can research rodeo statistics and answers to questions but she develops her own study methods and learns the material.  Long hours down the road to a horse show or rodeo are often passed studying and practicing.

I've also been there for Susan as she traveled during her titles.  Several of her titles have required her to travel with her horse.  A mom or a traveling friend (a responsible one) is needed on these trips.  When I am there to care for the horse, Susan is free to meet with rodeo committees, work a plan with the announcer or stock contractor, and to rush off to sign autographs.  She knows the horse is being properly taken care of while she carries out her queen duties worry free.  

Being a photographer in reality is also a task for a queen mom.  Many photo opportunities occur with queens being the main subject therefore someone has to follow her with the camera to help fill those bulging memory albums.  At some pageants the album is actually judged.  Queens traveling alone often miss someone snapping pictures for them.  A video is also a valuable tool for the queen to learn from as well as a method to preserve memories.  Susan views and reviews her pageants to evaluate her weaknesses, improve her speeches, alter her clothes, change her wave and to study her competition.

All good photographs are developed from negatives so help your daughter develop her 'negatives' into a pretty picture.  Learn from experience.  If your plan goes wrong, think fast, find a solution and laugh about the experience later.  A negative judge can motivate you to try harder at the next pageant.  A negative competitor can be an example you never want to copy.  A negative experience at a pageant can be the reason you alter your plan and aim your goals towards a more organized pageant.  Use your lens to zoom in on and focus on reality.

When you and your daughter arrive in town for a pageant find the nearest Wal-Mart and map the directions from there to your motel.  You might need to make a few rush trips!  A good queen mom has a dozen safety pins hanging from her purse, band aids in the purse, hat pins in her pockets, a hole punch in the camera bag and duct tape in her suitcase.  Don't forget the truck either!  Fuses and flashlights are under the road maps in the glove box and all the tire changing tools are in place too.  Make a list in advance and check it when you pack.  And don't forget the film!

My most valuable experience as a queen mom has been organizing my own pageant.  It makes me understand the role of a coordinator or a pageant committee.  I truly appreciate the efforts people donate to organizing a pageant.  It also makes me less tolerant of a pageant that needs improved.  My second most valuable experience has come from judging.  I have learned a great deal viewing pageants from other angles - including this one:  DO NOT PESTER THE JUDGES!  Research a judge before a pageant but do not try to visit with them at the pageant.  I have witnessed moms following judges and even knocking on their motel doors!  

A queen mom should help her daughter prepare for the pageant, help get her to the event and then she should assume a secondary role.  You can provide encouragement, lend an ear when she needs to vent, and throw in some with when she needs to smile but stay behind the camera.  Your daughter generally knows when she falls short in a division so the last thing she needs is to be told she is falling short.  Help her to shake it and focus on the next division.

Your daughter does not need to be perfect to be the queen she just needs to earn the most points at that pageant.  A good pageant will give you a chart of their point system or give you the score sheets.  Be a coach, make a plan, and aim your daughter's talent towards the division you know she can earn the most points in.  A mom that nags and lectures needs to pose for the camera once in awhile and realize that the spotlight is harder than it looks.

Nothing brings you and your daughter closer than to share her disappointment.  Nothing is great than to share your daughter's happiness when she wins a title.  Do your job behind the camera and down the road you will zoom your focus in on the smile on your daughter's face as she is crowned queen.  Be proud as you've helped create and capture a lasting memory while staying behind the camera.

Good luck in your role as the rodeo queen mom!

How many times have you looked in the mirror, and discovered that the person you feel like is quite a bit smaller than the person you see there? I have done this. There comes a time in the life of a Rodeo Queen contestant when she must take a long, hard look, and decide weather or not she likes herself for who she is. The answer to that question is one that will determine your success as a Rodeo Queen. If the answer to that question is NO, then you have set yourself up to be defeated right there. If the answer is YES, then you will have a bright future as a Rodeo Queen. You see size is not what really counts in a Rodeo Queen contest. What really counts is how confident you are in yourself and how you look. Comparing yourself to the waif of a contestant sitting next to you will set you up to fail.

This is the deal. Judges DO NOT pick Rodeo Queens based on their waistline alone. A Rodeo Queen has confidence in herself, and displays it to the world. She says, with her actions, "Hey WORLD, I am here, I am beautiful, and I am ready for YOU!". A large girl who excels at speech, riding, communication, and friendliness, will win over a petite, fair, girl with no skills. I am a rather large girl at only 5'3" and 175lbs. No matter how hard I try, I will never be a size 3. It will not happen. How, then have I won two Queen titles, and the Horsemanship title at the State level? I have tried for three titles, and I have won three titles, and let me tell you, there were some VERY tiny girls competing against me. The answer is this: I have learned to love myself for who I am. I have looked in that mirror, and I have decided that whatever anyone else sees, I will see who I am and accept me for me.

I do have some words of advice for girls in the plus-size category. The first, and most important one is: DRESS TO FIT YOU!!!!! I have seen many girls who thought they should wear two sizes smaller, convince themselves that they can and try to squeeze into it for competition. This looks tacky! Wear clothes that fit you and you will look better and be more comfortable. DO NOT WEAR LIGHT COLORS!!!! Light colors make things look larger. This is not to say that you must wear straight black for every competition, but wearing darker colors will tend to slim. Also, light colors on the top and bottom of a dress and dark in the middle will create the illusion of a smaller waist. DO NOT WEAR SHORT STYLES!!!!! Short jackets and short skirts are very cute on slender girls, but on larger girls, the only make you look larger. Try longer suit-type jackets with attractive trim, and long straight skirts. Above all, decide to like who you are, and believe in yourself. There is no reason that a girl of ANY size should not be Rodeo Queen if she possesses the talent to hold that title, let myself be a living example of this! So remember, you radiate the confidence that you feel, and if you have no confidence in yourself, it will show!

It's hard to believe that it’s been ten years since I was crowned Miss Rodeo Nebraska and nine since I was Miss Rodeo America! As I look back, I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything! Pageantry has changed a lot in the last ten years. I had some coaching, but never had the chance to go to a clinic. When I was Miss Rodeo Nebraska, I made my own schedule and travel arrangements, had very little financial help, and the only people that went to Las Vegas were my parents, family and state director. In addition to my duties as MRN, I had a full time job as a news reporter for a television station. In Nebraska, all of that has changed. In 1992 some very concerned people came together and formed the Miss Rodeo Nebraska Association, which has increased the support tremendously for the queens since its inception.