Jamie Mendoza was officially named the ‘Miss Rodeo Top O’ Texas Pageant Director’ this year to help revamp the pageant to the capacity it once was. Mendoza herself has participated in the Miss Rodeo and Miss Rodeo Teen events in her teen years. After taking up horse riding her 6th grade year, Mendoza began competing.
“I asked my dad to let me run in this pageant, and he said yes,” Mendoza said. “I ran in the Miss Teen when I was younger and I got runner up in 2000 and 2001, but won the pageant in ‘02.”
After winning the teen division in ‘02, Mendoza ran and won in the Miss Top O’ Texas Rodeo Queen. In previous years, like when Mendoza participated, the pageant was split into two categories, for teens and adults.
“We no longer divide the competition, like when I was in it,” Mendoza said. “We now run it all as one, with an adjustment in age limits, but I feel it’s better this way.”
All contestants, ages 14 to 20, will compete against each other equally in a four part event. The four events to win are ticket sales, appearance, a style show and horsemanship.
“The ticket sales are exactly how it sounds, when I ran I won ticket sales because I went door to door to get people to buy tickets from me,” Mendoza said. “The other levels are exactly what they said, appearance is based on your presentation of yourself, and looking professional. The next judged event it a style show, where contestants will be dressed in a western dress and give a three minute maximum story on their hometown.”
The contestants will be judged by three unknown and unnamed judges to keep the competition fair and unbiased. The information to sign up will be available on the Top O’ Texas Rodeo associations website within the coming days. The sign up fee is set at $100 and the deadline for sign ups is June 1st.
“I want the girls of Pampa to get involved in this,” Mendoza said. “When I was younger and competed there was so many girls to go up against and it made it that much more exciting. I would like to host a meeting once we have girls applied so that they can come and see what it’s all about and pick up entry forms if they need them.”
The contest does require a minimum of four girls to sign up for it to be put into production. The rodeo this year will take part on August 11th and 12th, with the annual rodeo parade on Saturday the 12th.
“One of the best benefits of being in this is you make so many friends from all over,” Mendoza said. “You get more knowledgeable about rodeo and what it’s all about. But on top of all that, you get the experience of it. I ran twice before I won, but the experience alone was what kept me going and trying year after year.”
At this point in time, Mendoza and her board are working towards being able to offer scholarships to winners. But participants still receive goody bags from western stores all across the panhandle.
“When I ran, and it’s still the same, you get clothing from all over and jewelry,” Mendoza said. “I got a duffel bag from Cavenders that I still use today, along with the saddle I won. My daughter rides it today.”
Flyer’s will be circulating around town in the coming weeks, and the forms for rodeo queen will be out soon on the Top O’ Texas Rodeo Association website.
