Fair board messed up queen event

Dear editor:

I was so happy to see the return of the Elmore County Fair and Rodeo Royalty in conjunction with the Daniel Dopps Memorial Rodeo.

Shannon Jones of Glenns Ferry needs to be commended for a job well done. As the queen coordinator she worked tirelessly to bring this competition back to our fair and rodeo. She drew competitors from all over the Southern Idaho as well as getting sponsors to provide prizes and advertising for competition.

The Elmore County Fair and Rodeo Board also needs to be commended also for supporting this competition.

The first Miss Rodeo America pageant started Aug. 13, 1955. The Pendleton Rodeo crowned their first queens in 1910. Rodeo royalty has been a part of the rodeo for over 100 years. Rodeo royalty are wonderful role models for our children as well as spokespersons for this wonderful sport and our community.

It is just a shame that the Elmore County Rodeo Committee (sub- committee of the Elmore County Fair and Rodeo Board) didn't support her efforts and that the standing royalty was not allowed to fully participate in the rodeo held during fair. The coronation was held an hour before the rodeo started on Friday night when spectators were arriving to attend the rodeo. I know that on the first night of the rodeo there is usually a lot of "slack" riders and thus create time constraints. My question is: Why couldn't the coronation be held on Saturday night? Could it be that the Elmore County Rodeo Committee position was that "rodeo queens have no business in our rodeo?" And to say that the Rodeo Committee was unaware of the queen competition is ridiculous.

Kelly Rodgers, Glenns Ferry