The Wyoming Miss Rodeo Pageant hopes to attract female contestants through skills gained from competition

The Miss Rodeo Wyoming pageant crowned its 2023 winner on August 18 to showcase the state’s rodeo scene at events across the state and on the national stage. The annual event has been a staple of the Wyoming State Fair for years and, for many, celebrates and represents the sport of rodeo and the western way of life.

The first Miss Rodeo Wyoming, Marilyn Scott Freimark of Cheyenne, was also the first winner of the Miss Rodeo America pageant, held in Casper in 1955. Since then, three other Wyoming residents have achieved the title.

This year, three competitors competed for the title.

“When I was younger, I rodeoed and this is just an opportunity to really show what Wyoming is and who our community is and represents,” said Reata Cook, 21, Miss Sheridan WYO Rodeo.

Cook and the others began preparing for this competition as long ago as Crystal Myers, who held the title in 2007. Now Myers is the pageant’s national director. She understands the preparation and effort that goes into competing for the title.

“I mean, most of them have been preparing for over a year for this pageant, so the rodeo knowledge that they need to know, the riding that they need to know, the current events, the public speaking, they have to give an impromptu speech, which you have 10 minutes to prepare,” she said.

Myers added that they are ultimately looking for a title winner who will represent the state well, which includes competing for the Miss Rodeo America title in Las Vegas. But she said things have changed over the years, leading to a decline in the number of women competing.

“In the ’90s and early 2000s, we would have seven, eight, nine contestants,” she explained. “I’ve narrowed it down a little bit, okay, quite a bit, and now we’re going between three and probably six riders. We had one year where we only had one competitor.”

She added that they discussed why this was the case and what they thought could be done to promote the pageant and its benefits for young women. Emphasizing life skills such as public speaking and building self-confidence are just two of the aspects they try to pass on to future contestants.

“There aren’t that many people that are involved in that western lifestyle, so we’re really trying to promote what these contestants and young ladies can get out of being Miss Rodeo Wyoming,” Myers said.

But this year’s contestants realized there was something bigger than themselves in the competition for the title of Miss Rodeo Wyoming.

“Ever since I was little, I’ve always wanted to support rodeo and be the person to help and educate people about the sport,” said Jordan Lutz, 21, who grew up in Jackson.

Competing in rodeos and showing horses at the state fair in addition to holding several rodeo titles starting at the age of eight are part of her past experience with rodeo and agriculture, although she said she is a first-generation cowgirl. She recently held the title of Miss Historic Rodeo in Jackson Hole before deciding to compete for the title of Miss Rodeo Wyoming.

“I grew up with Desiree Bridges, who was Miss Rodeo Wyoming 2014, so she was a big role model in my life and I always looked up to her. And when she won, I was like, ‘This is where I want to be when I’m around her age,'” she added.

Alexis Wheeler, 20, is from Laramie and was crowned Miss Laramie Jubilee on New Year’s Eve last year.

“While I was doing my Laramie Jubilee Day thing, I was just meeting all these state queens and I thought it would be an amazing experience to try out for a state queen,” she explained. “Even if I don’t get it, it will be a great pageant experience.”

After a long day of competition, the three hopefuls waited to see which one of them would be crowned.

“And now for the suspenseful moment we’ve all been waiting for,” spokeswoman and former Miss Rodeo Wyoming 1994 Lori Toman said of the event. “Introducing the young lady who will be reigning Miss Rodeo Wyoming for 2023. Please help me welcome Miss Riatta Cook, Sheridan WYO Rodeo Queen.”

A stand full of spectators cheered and cheered Cook.

“I was very surprised,” Cook said. “I think me, Alexis and Jordan were very, very close. We were all great riders and all I could see, of course, personal interviews I didn’t get to see, but we all excelled in our riding, our speech, our personality and our looks. And I was really surprised when I won. I couldn’t have done it without those two girls challenging me, pushing me all week.”

Cook will now go on to compete at Miss Rodeo America in Las Vegas, Nevada from Nov. 27 to Dec. 4, which is held in conjunction with the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The last Miss Rodeo Wyoming to win this title was in 1994.