Underneath the Hat

Mikyla Bagley: Former Rodeo Queen

A small-town cowgirl born and raised on a fourth generation cattle ranch.

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That's me.

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Naturally a tomboy, especially considering the three brothers and lack of sisters that constituted daily life.

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I began rodeo queening as a compromise with my mother, a dancer and cheerleader herself, who wished her only daughter would show enthusiasm for them too.

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Well, I didn't and I liked pretty much everything else.

Horses, cows, basketball, softball, you name it. If my brothers were doing it, I wanted to be doing it too.

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When I was 10 years old I had a friend who would barrel race and I started tagging along.

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My mom, supportive as she was (really she did support me no matter what) suggested that we try out for the local rodeo queen pageant together.

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When she said I would get to ride a horse I was all in.

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Since that first pageant, I have been competing in and involved with rodeo queen contests ever since.

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I've held top titles. Represented my home town rodeo, my university rodeo, and PRCA rodeo.

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Between clinics, private coaching, and A LOT of trial and error, I have come to understand not just how to win a rodeo queen title, but how to present my self with poise, confidence, and humility.

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I'm grateful for my mess ups and every year I had to be an attendant.

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They made every title all the more precious and taught me more about life and how to make it what you want it to be.

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I hope that my experiences and time in the rodeo queen world can benefit girls in their pageant pursuits, making the most of their title, and using the skills and experiences gained through rodeo queening for the rest of their lives.

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