Let there be no
question-rodeo is Michelle Green’s first priority for 1994. “Rodeo isn’t here
for me. I’m for rodeo.” Said Green, who was crowned Miss Rodeo America 1994
during ceremonies Dec. 4h at the Flamingo Hilton during the National Finals
Rodeo in Las Vegas. Green, 22, 1993 Miss Rodeo Wyoming, competed against 9
other contestants for the crown. She was also awarded Miss Photogenic and Miss
Personality, two areas she said don’t come naturally for her.
“I feel my
strength is in horsemanship because it’s something I’ve done for years,” said
Green, born and raised in a small farm in Lander, Wyoming. “(Horsemanship) comes
naturally, much easier than speaking or modeling.” As the youngest of six
children, Green said her four older brothers who competed in the sport had a
large influence on her interest in rodeo. She has competed at the high school
and college levels in barrel racing, goal tying, and break-away roping.
“My interest in
queening stemmed from the rodeo,” Green said. “It was just an extra thing to do
to get involved, and something that in recent years I’ve taken more seriously.”
Green entered
her first contest in 1980 when she was 9 years old, and her first title came in
1982 when she was named Fremont County Little Britches Rodeo Princess. Green
went on to win the National Little Britches Rodeo Princess title in 1984.
Ironically, Green was first runner-up in the 1987 Wyoming State High School
Rodeo queen contest to Stacey Talbott, 1991 Miss Rodeo Wyoming and 1992 Miss
Rodeo America. What has Green learned from her 13-year rodeo queen career?
“It has
personally made me believe I don’t have to limit myself,” she said. Green will
take this year off from Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, where
she is a fourth year student majoring in special education and elementary
education.
“Whatever I get
out of this next year will be up to me,” she said. “I have a lot of control
over what doors will open up.”
Other winners in
the MRA pageant were Ashlee Her, Miss Rodeo North Dakota, first runner up;
Jennifer Jan Juhl, Miss Rodeo Iowa, second runner-up and horseman award;
Jennifer Hawkes, Miss Rodeo Utah, third runner-up; Deana Louden, Miss Rodeo California,
fourth runner-up; Shelley Burrows, Miss Rodeo Texas, appearance award; Miss
Rodeo Colorado, speech award; and Michelle Holliday, Miss Rodeo Oregon,
congeniality award.