Laramie native and Miss Rodeo Wyoming 2022, Madelaine McElwee, prepares for the Miss Rodeo America 2023 Pageant with a send-off event.
During this event, McElwee gave an exclusive sneak peek of what her wardrobe will look like for the national competition. There were also silent and live auctions to help raise money for McElwee’s trip along with food, a bar, and a costume contest.
The event was held at Alice Hardie Stevens Center in Laramie on October 28. The event was open to the public and gave McElwee an exciting start as she prepares for Las Vegas.
“There are so many amazing events throughout the eight days I’m going to be at the Miss Rodeo America Pageant where I get to represent my state, the sport of rodeo and my lovely hometown as well.”
“I think I’m most excited for speech, since public speaking is an amazing skill. It’s a skill that I’ve definitely gained a lot of experience with throughout my time as Miss Rodeo Wyoming,” McElwee said.
In between costumes, a live auction was held with items like a bottle of whiskey signed by Brody Cress, a National Finals Rodeo (NFR) contender from Wyoming, a weekend trip for four to a private cabin in the mountains, homemade quilts, and other unique items.
During the showing of each of McElwee’s outfits, Holly Kennedy, one of the coordinators and a former Miss Rodeo Wyoming in 2013, asked her one question about her, much like what happens at a pageant. On the sixth outfit, Kennedy asked McElwee what she wants people to know about rodeo queens.
“‘Queens are a very public thing, right? It’s probably the biggest part of our job but there’s a couple things that I think people tend to forget about rodeo queens. We aren’t just glitz and glamor, we have a lot of written tests, most of us have gone to college, maybe not me but you know, it’s not just beauty, it’s brains as well,” McElwee said.
“When I look at a rodeo queen, I don’t just see that rodeo queen or even the crown she is wearing and maybe what she’s accomplished, but rather what she represents,” McElwee said.
As a surprise for McElwee when she arrived at the event, Ashley Baller, Miss Rodeo Colorado 2022 and Hazel Homer-Wambeam, Miss Wyoming 2022 and also a Laramie native, made a surprise visit to the celebratory send-off.
Baller and McElwee will be competing against each other for the Miss Rodeo America 2023 title but it is nice to see them being supportive of each other.
Other royalty such as Laramie Jubilee Days Queen and Princess for 2022 joined the party along with Miss Rodeo Wyoming Lady-in-Waiting, Riata Beck. Beck will be the next Miss Rodeo Wyoming when McElwee’s reign expires.
The pageant will be held from November 27 to December 6 in Las Vegas. The announcement of the pageant winner will be during the NFR performance that night.
