April showered me with rodeos and new friends as I traveled 4 states in 30 days.
I started the month off by visiting the bougee-est horse facility I have ever been- the World Equestrian Center in Ocala FL! What a dream come true, it was like Disneyland for equestrians and I was walking around wide eyed and star struck. It was a spur of the moment trip taken with my chap sponsors, the Wynns, that turned into one of the coolest experiences I have ever had. Sunnie Dee Wynn had a booth at the Premier Horse Sale so we manned the booth and I was even allowed to open the sale by carrying in Old Glory on one of the sale horses. Did I also mention I got to drive the prettiest Gypsy horse around WEC? Oh yah, first time driving a cart too. Check out the pics below to see how that went! From there I met up with my dad in Tennille GA. We got there a few days before the rodeo where I worked and he spent his days fishin’. Don’t worry, I also got to fish some of the beautiful lakes in GA but we were both unsuccessful in catching anything for dinner, darn! After fishing, sponsor visits, and speaking at youth groups, it was time to rodeo. My dad got to be a rodeo dad for the first time and even got to man the gate for a couple events. Quinonez’s will jump into any task that’s needed to be done! This was the first time I got to fly the LARGE flag too; I could physically feel the weight of the responsibility this flag carried. It flew proudly in that arena and it’s still my favorite task at the rodeo. While most of the time I spend driving from rodeo to rodeo, sometimes I travel in the sky. This was true when flying out to Wapakoneta OH to meet the one and only Sarah Kelsey of Rhinestone Lipgloss. She’s a fabulous sponsor of the MRUSA organization and a true believer of Rodeo Queen’s missions. While visiting her, I got to experience the Equine Affair in Columbus where she had a booth. I also ran into my old friend Pat Parelli! After a day of dazzling ponies and earrings, it was time to create some of my own. Hours later in the studio, several pairs of earrings, necklaces, bolos, and hair ties were designed and I cannot wait to see the master’s work their magic. After catching the latest flight, it was back in the HumbleBee (yes I named my truck) to drive to back to back rodeos in South Carolina and Georgia. Both rodeos were two day events and I couldn’t have asked for a better time. So many people at both rodeos said it was their first time attending one, and honestly I love that! They all seemed to be having a great time and if they had a question or concern about something we talked about it and solved the problem! I even got the sweetest message after a rodeo. I met a guy visiting from California, my birth state, and we had a great discussion about rodeo and it’s larger effect on the population it touches. After the performance he DM’d me and expressed how he’s Jewish American and was so proud to see the colors fly, accompanied by our national anthem, and followed by a prayer. He said he was so proud to see the rodeo community still believe in and love our nation. THIS is why I do what I do.
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“On the road frequently traveled.” This statement would be the summation of my March.
We kicked things off with Rodeo Houston where myself and several other girls were chosen to participate in the Armed Forces Appreciation Day. As the decedent from a long line of military members, it was a great honor to be able to celebrate and acknowledge our great men and women of our services. The Marine Band from Louisiana kept things jammin’ and we all boot scooted and boogied with some Texas Line Dancing. Next it was time to keep it close to home, in more ways than one. Industry Texas and the Girl Scouts of Central Texas welcomed me as I spoke with Scouts about the importance of taking care of yourself inside and out to become the best you possible. I love giving back to an organization that I’ve belonged to for more than 20 years! Each girl explored their unique dream or ‘rhinestone’ and we chatted about ways we could set ourselves up for success to achieve that dream! That gave me less than a week to pack for 3 months of being on the road! I needed more time! Ok just kidding, two days later I was all packed. Thanks to Scouting and belonging to a military family, I can *almost* pack with my eyes closed. The pines of Alabama gave me a warm welcome and so did Lauren. We cranked out sponsor packet Thank You’s (over 100 of them) in two days! We ate some delicious seafood, said hi to old rodeo friends, and practiced our gun handling and safety to round out the visit. I was so excited for what was next, because it was time to attend my first IPRA rodeo of the year- Brunswick GA’s Rodeo at the Beach! Two days of action packed rain and mud excitement. My boy Blue (a double bred Hancock) was steady through it all. The Exchange Club of Brunswick and Stambaugh Aviation have been hosting this rodeo for 12 years and it just gets bigger and better each year! It may even be about time they start running their own queen contest (it is an IPRA sanctioned rodeo after all). If you’ve been following Miss Rodeo USA for any amount of years you will know the end of her time in Brunswick concludes with a beach ride. The Stables at Frederica provided amazing trail guides as myself and several lucky raffle winners rode horseback through the sandy beaches. A fun fact about me is I love exploring new disciplines and horse breeds so of course I had to ride the 17HH Belgian/Quarter Horse Cross. I like big drafts and I cannot lie! With a few days of down time and some much needed sleep it was time to relocate to another part of GA to visit with our beloved Wynns. As perpetual chap sponsors and leather workers they have an amazing leather shop. I even got to model a pair of vintage MRUSA chaps! After a few days we headed out to Ocala, Florida for the Ride the Wave Premier horse sale. There were so many beautiful horses with varied talents. It was my first time driving a cart and my first time carrying the American flag at the World Equestrian Center. If I could build my dream barn, it would be a WEC replica! The Southeast has been nothing but Peaches to me. See you down the rodeo road in April and keep keeping your nose to the grindstone so you can keep your eyes to the rhinestones! January 14th, 2024 is a day I will never forget. So many thoughts raced through my head as I heard my name over the loudspeakers, saw the formers rush forward, heard the crowd cheer, and knelt down as the Black Hills Gold Diggers crown was placed on my hat to be worn by its second Queen ever.
It is still unreal that, “Kaelanne Quinonez is your Miss Rodeo USA 2024” was announced as I took my first lap around the Lazy E Arena adorned in a new crown, sash, belt buckle, and chaps. My cheeks hurt so much from smiling and I knew this year would be a special one. The year of preparation, the incredible support from my family and friends, and giving it my all the week of the pageant led to this moment. I knew as soon as my name was called that I was ready to serve the Miss Rodeo USA organization, the IPRA, and to be the best ambassador for rodeo and western I could be. So what did that year, and those character defining moments during the pageant look like? The year of preparation took an enormous amount of studying in all aspects and as someone who just finished their Master’s degree, it took that much studying and more. Equine science, rodeo history, hot topics in agriculture, world events, and rodeo rules are just a few subjects I needed to know inside and out. You have to know not only the facts, but how to answer them, and what’s even harder, how to answer the questions when you have no idea what the answer is. So what else was there to study? Just horsemanship, modeling, hair, makeup, and interview skills. After all of that, you get less than 168 hours to prove you know your stuff to the judges, fans, and yourself. Every year you hear contestants say ‘it was a tough year’ and ‘I wouldn’t want to be in the judges’ shoes’ and this year was no exception. I was fortunate enough to know half the girls competing at this year's competition, and it WAS a tough competition! Each girl brought their own strengths and sparkle to the stage; I’m humbled and blessed to have gotten to know each of them very well. The week of the pageant will have you form strong bonds, made only stronger by the late night bus conversations, early morning hair sessions, and random giggle hysteria brought on by lack of sleep. At the end of that week, after awards were handed out, pictures were taken, hands were frozen (yes, we had an ice storm the last couple days of the pageant and the wind chill was making the temps in the negatives!), I don’t think I can say I was tired. Instead, I felt empowered, motivated, and ready. Promoting the western way of life, being a role model for the younger generation, and celebrating the roots of the American west and rodeo have always been a passion of mine. This year as Miss Rodeo USA 2024, I feel blessed to have an outlet and opportunity to do all these things and more for our community. This year has already been off to a fantastic start, first with taking sponsor photos with Sherry Smith, then on to planning rodeos and coronation celebrations. By the looks of my calendar I will be on the road for nearly the whole year, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Looking forward to meeting each and every one of you rodeo fans this year! Miss Rodeo USA 2024 Kaelanne Quinonez |
AuthorYour favorite boujee vaquera, Kaelanne is excited to represent the IPRA and all things western this year. Comment and read her blogs to follow along her journey! ArchivesCategories |