Today's rodeo royalty are often expected to be out and about during their reigns extensively promoting the rodeo they represent. It is their job to spread the word about their rodeo, the committee responsible for the event and the community that supports the program. The impression a titleholder makes during these appearances says a lot about them and can either make or break opportunities for future titleholders.
It is a privelage to be invited to attend a rodeo or other event. It's an even bigger privelage if you asked to attend the event and are allowed to do so. With this privelage comes a wide variety of responsibilities.
First and foremost you (and your parent(s)) must remember you are a GUEST and as a guest you do what you are asked and told to do by the coordinator of your visit. You must realize that as a guest you may or may not be the center of attention, especially if the rodeo you are attending has their own queen. It is not your place to make demands to carry flags, to have a queens run, to be in the arena to clear cattle or to do any other activity.
Every once in awhile a titleholder or her parent will not be pleased with what the queen coordinator tells them their responsibilities will be and they will go to others to whine, complain and weasel their way into getting what they want. This causes HUGE issues as feelings get hurt, people get placed in situations they shouldn't be in and the reputation of the queen program the girl represents gets a bad name (not to mention what is thought of the girl when she leaves).
Joyce Jensen is the coordinator of the Junction City (Kansas) rodeo queen pageant and has encountered a few frustrations with visiting royalty throughout her tenure. While most are just minor annoyances, others are cause for further action including not allowing titleholders from specific rodeos to attend future events. "When a queen asks to come to our rodeo and then complains about everything that we ask her to do, stirs up trouble with the other visiting royalty and then leaves early without so much as a thanks then I don't want that program back. It's also frustrating when queens call with less than a week to go before the rodeo wanting to attend with thier horses and expecting us to have stalls or pens for them. Our rodeo committee has enough to do already with final preparations that having to scramble to find more panels or stalls just adds to the stress of the event. We really like to have visiting royalty at our rodeo and queen pageant but I don't think they realize the amount of work it takes to coordinate their appearance on our end."
Many titleholders, especially when they are starting out, often have no idea about the amount of work it takes to coordinate visiting royalty. Andrea Lehman Morgan has been involved in all aspects of rodeo queen pageantry as a contestant, titleholder, judge and pageant committee member. Her current position is that of Visiting Royalty Coordinator for the Miss Rodeo Kansas Pageant held in Dodge City, Kansas. "When title-holders visit another rodeo, it's so very important for the ladies to reply promptly if they plan on attending. We have to make arrangements with the rodeo committee, multiple restaurants, the venues hosting events, and the places we are housing the girls. It makes everyone's job easier when queens RSVP on time and provide the requested information in a timely manner. I also wish they would fully read the information they are sent before asking me questions as I spend a lot of time answering questions that are already answered for them."
As a visiting queen you are expected to have your attention fully on the job at hand which means you MUST leave the boyfriend at home, he has no business being at an event with you. You are doing a JOB when you are out and about with your title. If you were working a shift at the local burger franchise or were working a nine-to-five job in an office setting would you bring your boyfriend with you? If you answered yes then you have a lot to learn about being professional.
And that is what being a queen is truly about. It is about being a professional who is gracious, flexible, responsible and appreciative of the work that goes on behind the scenes on her behalf. Act in a manner that has people raving, not ranting, about you and your title. By doing so you'll reap endless rewards and cherished memories that will last a life time.
