Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
The 2006 Sweet Home Rodeo queen is Brandee Horn.
Horn was the winner of a competition for the title on Jan. 28.
She, Larissa Bjornsen and Alysia Furman competed in horsemanship that morning and then participated in interviews. Following a dinner at Bing’s Kitchen, they presented speeches and answered impromptu questions.
Judges were Sweet Home Rodeo President Dick Coffin; Trisha Kem, who moved to the Sweet Home area three months ago and has been a lifelong participant in rodeo; and Amy Simonis, who owns and operates Brownsville Animal Clinic.
The official queen’s coronation will be held tentatively on May 20. Queen Holly Keesecker will officially crown Horn.
Furman was named first runner-up. Bjornsen was named Ms. Photogenic and Ms. Congeniality. She also received the horsemanship award and was named second runner-up.
Horn, a senior at Sweet Home High School, received the public speaking award.
“That was a shock,” Horn said to her mother immediately following the awards. She is the daughter of Bill and Tracy Horn.
Coffin predicted that Horn will make a good queen with “her personality, her speaking ability.”
She worked hard for the award, David Kem, a member of the rodeo committee, said.
“I was shocked,” Horn said. “The other two girls did awesome. I knew going into it they were good girls and good riders.”
Halfway through tryouts, she was sure it was one of the others who would be queen, Horn said.
Horn credited hard work for her success.
“I worked really hard for it,” Horn said. “I studied every day. I rode my horse every other day.”
She reviewed her rodeo terms and speech every night before bed, she said. “I wanted it really bad. I know it’s tons and tons of responsibility.”
Those responsibilities include primarily promoting the Sweet Home Rodeo, Horn said.
On top of those responsibilities, she also will ride in the rodeo arena during the rodeo in a variety of duties.
Horn said she wants to expand rodeo attendance.
“You see little kids,” she said. “You see older people” but not teens.
When she goes back to school, she wants to invite all her friends out, Horn said, and then she hopes they’ll have a good time and fall in love with the rodeo the way she did.
Horn was a “late bloomer,” she said. She didn’t start riding or getting into rodeos until about six years ago.
She always liked horses, and one day she decided she wanted to take lessons, Horn said. “I fell head over heels in love with horses.”
The folks who taught her to ride introduced her to rodeos, and she has loved those ever since.
“I was a city girl,” Horn said. “I didn’t like getting dirty,” but that all changed. Last year, she thought about trying out for the rodeo court, but she was so busy she didn’t have the time to devote to it.
This year was different.
“I had the most time to give to the job,” Horn said. “What better way to top off your senior year?”
Horn’s speech stressed individuality, a trait possessed by almost everyone involved in rodeo.
“I truly believe that in order to achieve true happiness in yourself as an individual, you must find your own path toward an ultimate goal that allows you to grow and shine rather than worry about the expectations of others,” Horn said in her speech. “It’s easier said than done…. Today, young people especially, are pressured by the media and society to look and act a certain way, as well as have certain material possessions.
“A precise, ideal mold has been created for both men and women. Those who do not fit seem always to be under the scrutiny of others. This, unfortunately, causes most to be hesitant to be an individual and eventually stray from their path and settle for ordinary….
“Thank goodness, however, for organizations such as the Sweet Home Rodeo, which supports the individuality of its contestants who just so happen to share a similar goal as well as experience the same triumphs and frustrations on a day-to-day basis. You see individuality everywhere in a rodeo….
“Stick to your path and embrace what makes you who you are. Know yourself, pursue and hold tight to your dreams and do not settle for average. Be extraordinary.”
“There’s no mold for a rodeo person,” Horn said afterward. “You don’t have to be born into a horse family to fall in love with this. You don’t have to be anything. There’s something for everyone.
“After reading this article, ya’ll better come to the Sweet Home Rodeo.”
The rodeo is scheduled for Sportsman’s Holiday, the second full weekend of July.
Horn wanted to thank her mom, “who is at everything,” she said. She also thanked her riding instructor, Priscilla Karr, who taught her to ride and sold her horse.
Without her, Horn said, she would not be doing this.
Horn also said she wanted to thank “the other girls too. They’re really awesome” and helped her through the process, each with their own strengths: Bjornsen and her horsemanship and Furman with her “bubbly” personality that makes her comfortable talking to anyone.