Published: July 12, 2008 02:03 am            

PEOPLE PROFILE: Kelsey Baldwin, rodeo queen

PENDLETON — She’s a queen who wears a cowboy hat instead of a crown.

Kelsey Baldwin is the 2008-09 Miss New York State High School Rodeo Queen. She won her award last month, and it was the first time Baldwin competed in a National High School Rodeo Association event. And she also did well at a few other events.

Competing in the first New York State High School Rodeo last month, Baldwin took home top honors in breakaway roping and goat-tying and was named the All Around Cowgirl. She also won the Gist Silversmith’s Rookie of the Year, as this was the first she has competed at such an event.

“It was a lot more than I expected,” Baldwin said of the rodeo. “I’m excited now, but I was a little scared at first. New York didn’t have one (high school rodeo) before, so I was going to have to go to either Pennsylvania or Canada.”

On Friday, Baldwin will be heading off to Farmington, N.M., for the National High School Finals Rodeo. She will be facing off against other rodeo queens from 47 states, Canada and Australia.

The breakaway roping win was a big help for Baldwin in the overall rodeo point totals. In breakaway roping, a person has to throw a rope in a loop around a calf’s neck. Once the rope is secured, the roper signals the horse to stop suddenly, and the rope is tied to the saddle horn with a string. When the calf hits the end of the rope, the rope is pulled taut and the string breaks. The breaking of the string marks the end of the run, and the fastest run wins.

Baldwin was the only participant to catch the calf. She finished in the top three in most of the categories.

Baldwin said she will only be in the rodeo queen competition at the national event, as it is her first year. For the competition, she will have a personal interview with judges, will make a speech and answer impromptu questions. There also is a written test on the rules.

Part of the rodeo involves the “grand entry,” in which participants represent their states by riding in a ceremony. Baldwin will have a sash and a special pair of chaps to wear as the rodeo queen of New York.

Competing in local barrel racing clubs, 4-H Club and rodeo is how Baldwin originally got hooked. Barrel racing is when a rider goes on horseback around barrels in a course.

New York recently joined the National High School Rodeo Association, as the first state event last month drew participants from all over and some from Connecticut.

Rodeo can also help young people achieve other goals.

“What people don’t know is that rodeo is also an academic sport,” said Kelsey’s father Gary. “There are scholarships available.”

Rodeo is also a family thing, as Kelsey’s cousin, Tim, won All Around Cowboy a while ago.

Baldwin will be a senior at Starpoint High School in the fall. She would like to help spread interest in rodeo by drawing in and encouraging others to compete.

“There are younger girls I’m pushing to get involved,” she said.

Contact reporter Joe Olenick at 439-9222, ext. 6241.

        

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