CLERMONT COUNTY, Ohio — A Clermont County 4-H member is representing Ohio this week in the National High School Rodeo Association’s queen contest, held alongside the National High School Finals Rodeo in Lincoln, Nebraska, according to the Clermont County Agricultural Society.
Abby Herren was named Ohio’s representative for the national contest, the agricultural society — which operates the Clermont County Fair — said in a post to Facebook.
The National High School Finals Rodeo runs July 19-25 at the Sandhills Global Event Center in Lincoln, drawing more than 1,500 competitors from the 47 state and provincial associations that make up the National High School Rodeo Association, along with contestants from Canada, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand, according to the association.
To reach the national contest, queen candidates first must win a state or provincial title, under the association’s rules. The national queen contest, run by the association’s Queen Committee, scores contestants on a written exam covering the rodeo rulebook, a horsemanship pattern, a personal interview, modeling and a two-minute speech, and an impromptu question, along with a Miss Congeniality vote cast by fellow contestants. Contestants also carry their state or country’s flag in the rodeo’s grand entries.
Under the association’s conduct policy, the national queen serves as a representative of the organization during her term, making official appearances on its behalf.
Ohio fields its own contestants through the Ohio High School Rodeo Association, which says its mission is “building educated rodeo athletes with impeccable character” across its high school and junior high divisions.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Clermont County Agricultural Society (Clermont County Fair).