• Interested young women and parents are all welcome.

Young women and parents interested in learning more about what it means and what it takes to be part of the Lincoln County Rodeo Royalty are invited to attend an information meeting on Friday, April 12 at 6:30 p.m. in the Afton Civic Center. This is an opportunity for folks to ask questions and become familiar with all things Rodeo Royalty.

LC Rodeo Royalty Coordinator, Ashley Luthi and royalty member parent, Carrie Dance, visited with Duke Dance on the SVI Radio Network to inform the community about the meeting and invite families to attend with all their questions.

“When people ask me how I got into this, [I tell them] it was baptism by fire,” said Carrie, mother of McKaty Dance, who has served as a Royalty member for two years now.  “McKaty came up to me one night when she was about 11 years old and asked if she was old enough to try out, and I told her I’d find out. I found out and [she tried out,] but I had no idea of anything that went into anything about it.”

While Luthi and other coordinators help along the way, parents may be interested in learning about the program, commitments and responsibilities before their daughters try for a spot with the Royalty. Carrie has decided to serve as a resource for other parents seeking the information they need to have their girls participate.

Luthi, who has served as Royalty Coordinator for three years explained that the Royalty members are very busy through the summer of their reigning year, participating in parades, rodeos, Mountain Man Days in Alpine, and are central to the events at the Lincoln County Fair each year in August.

“The Royalty also volunteered at the Star Valley Half Marathon last summer and our food pantry here in Afton,” said Luthi.  “Performing acts of service for our community is a very important role for our program, so we like to go and help them out there. They even went to Osmond Elementary Literacy Week and shared books with the kiddos.”

At the information night, Carrie and Ashley will discuss the basics of participation in the pageant, which takes place this year on June 1 at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds. This is the event where young women try for a spot with the Royalty. They plan to introduce the 2023 Rodeo Royalty and briefly review each aspect of the pageant, answering any questions and giving tips, information and resources that can help families make decisions and prepare for participation if their young ladies choose to try out.

“There’s no commitment to participate with this meeting – it’s for information purposes only,” said Carrie.  “If your girl isn’t quite old enough to try out yet, come anyway and learn about what would go into it when she gets to be old enough to try out. We’ll have refreshments and we are also working on putting together a packet for people to take home with them filled with stuff that I have learned and anything else that other people have learned to take home and have as a resource.”

“The royalty program has provided a lot of growth and positive impact for young women,” said Luthi. The contest consists of the girls presenting a timed speech on a certain topic on stage in front of an audience and judges. There’s an interview process where the girls have to know about rodeo and have equine knowledge. Not only are the girls judged on their speech and knowledge, but also on horsemanship. The girls learn public speaking and gain experience in doing interviews, which are skills they’ll use throughout their entire lives. They learn how to be leaders in their community and present and promote the sport of rodeo and the Great Western Way of life.”

Duke, who is McKaty’s father, shared his perspective on the pageant as well.  “As a parent, this is invaluable for teenage girls. It helps teenage girls come out of their comfort zone and do things they otherwise would never feel like they could do, plus the confidence it can build in a young girl, that kind of stuff is invaluable.”

Luthi has seen the growth in girls and has personally experienced the growth that comes through participation in the Royalty program.  “Just come hang out with us next Friday night. We’re going to have snacks and drinks and answer any questions that anyone has.  We just want to be a resource for people who are interested in getting their daughters involved.”