Frank J. Buchman

Cowboy • Horseman • Writer

Miss Rodeo K-State Looks To Busy Schedule Spreading Rodeo Story To All

“I’m still so excited and planning what all I want to do to share everything there is about the great sport of rodeo, and of course the great opportunities at Kansas State University.”

Newly crowned Miss Rodeo K-State Brooke Wallace claimed, “My adrenaline has finally subdued, but there’s so much to do now that the rodeo is over, and I can move forward promoting our sport.”

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Brooke Wallace, Solomon, left, was crowned Miss Rodeo K-State as a highlight of the recent K-State Rodeo in Manhattan. Miss Rodeo K-State 2015 Allie Dwyer bestowed the crown. Cheyenne Ferguson, Abilene, right, was first runner-up for the title. (Photo by Amber Thompson.)
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Before the third performance of the recent annual K-State Rodeo, newly crowned 2016 Miss Rodeo K-State Brooke Wallace made her official queen’s run immediately following coronation in front of a packed Weber Arena on the Manhattan campus. (Photo by Amber Thompson.)
coronation[1] Serving as advertising chair for the K-State Rodeo Club, Wallace has been doubly busy in recent weeks assisting with coordinating the club-sponsored annual K-State Rodeo during the past weekend, as well as preparing for and competing in the four-performance rodeo’s queen pageant

“All of the numbers aren’t in from the rodeo, but everything really went smooth as far as I was concerned. We had great crowds. Weber Arena was overflowing Saturday night despite a K-State basketball game going on at the same time,” Wallace said.

A lifelong horse enthusiast and horse event competitor, Wallace served as the Junction City Rodeo Queen last year spreading the “good word” about rodeo as she traveled the state representing that group at public engagements.

“I knew I wanted to be in the Miss Rodeo K-State pageant as soon as I came to college, and it was sure a dream come true being crowned before Saturday night’s performance,” said Wallace, a junior in fashion design from Solomon.

Runner-up for the Miss Rodeo K-State title is Cheyenne Ferguson, a K-State freshman from Abilene. “It was so neat being in the pageant with Cheyenne, because we’ve competed in horse shows against each other for so long,” Wallace noted.

It’s no easy trail to be selected as Miss Rodeo K-State. Candidates participated in horsemanship competition including “queens runs” and carrying flags. Then, there was written testing, before the cowgirls modeled their Western outfits, presented speeches about rodeo and responded to impromptu questions.

Riding in the grand entry and being introduced at the first two rodeo performances, the candidates assisted with moving livestock during the shows.

Coronation preceded the crowd-packed third performance Saturday evening as 2015 Miss Rodeo K-State Allie Dwyer, a senior, passed her crown to 2016 Miss Rodeo K-State Brooke Wallace.

Royalty didn’t get to go reign in a soft queen throne, but rather kept right at work horseback assisting with the evening rodeo and continued through Sunday afternoon’s short-go-round finals.

During pageant ceremonies, Wallace had ample cheering section of sorority sisters, classmates, rodeo and horseshow friends from throughout the Midwest, and most important of all family. “I’m so fortunate to have such great support from my family, and they were all there to see the coronation,” Wallace appreciated.

“My dad Mark, sister Sierra, grandma Jane Wallace, and aunt Sara Prochaska all are involved closely with horses and have been so helpful to me in everything I’ve ever done my entire life,” Wallace appreciated.

Over riding the excitement, Wallace was saddened: “I only wish my mom Julie could have been here in person. She passed away a couple of years ago, but I’m confident she was proudly watching down from above.”

To be a cowgirl requires a horse, and a queen needs a top mount. “I rode Blondie, a horse my family raised and trained, and she just did everything anyone could expect from her,” Wallace said.

The eight-year-old Palomino and white Paint, out of a mare called Flashy, who the family had raised, trained and shown as well, was all decked out in tack matching that of her rider.

“Of course with my major in fashion, I’m very conscientious of how everything in my outfit coordinates and balances with the color of my horse and my riding equipment,” Wallace said.

Especially unique to this pretty cowgirl, Wallace makes many of her own outfits. “I really got interested in clothing design and construction in my high school family and consumer science classes,” she said. “I’ve made several of my own outfits and plan to make most of them in the future.”

However, Wallace is animate in crediting other family, too. “Aunt Sara also designed and made a lot of my outfits and the matching tack. She makes Western apparel and equipment for a lot of riders throughout the Midwest,” Wallace said. “Of course, my grandma Jane, sister Sierra and other family also help with coordinating the outfits.”

With a new crown, the hard work has just started for 2016 Miss Rodeo K-State. “I’m already booking engagements at rodeos and other Western events throughout the Midwest,” Wallace said. “I’m anxious for interested committees to get in contact with me right away.”

Wallace is just not a pretty cowgirl on a pretty horse. She’s claimed horse show awards in nearly every horse event at some time or other, since before elementary school, and looks to further competition, while barrel racing in jackpot events and rodeos throughout the Midwest.

Additionally, the pretty cowgirl is anticipating additional queen pageants. “It’s hard to foresee the future too far, but I would like to compete for the Miss Rodeo Kansas title, and then Miss Rodeo America. I think they’re both in my reach. By putting in the extra work now will make those two goals very attainable.”

Even longer term, Wallace looks to a career following her college major. “I’ve always been interested in fashion, especially Western clothing, so that’s what I’d really like to do. Even though, I’ll probably have to start on the lower level working for a Western clothing firm, I can envision designing Western outfits sometime for a major company, or even on my own.

“I’ll definitely always been involved with horses and promoting the great sport of rodeo,” Miss Rodeo K-State Brooke Wallace assured.

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