The 12-year-old Johnstown Saddle Club Princess Hailey Frederiksen didn’t know that ten years after she met Miss Rodeo Colorado and Miss Rodeo America at the Rodeo America pageant, she would achieve her rodeo queening dreams and win both titles.
Frederiksen stated, “I looked at their faces, and I thought, ‘They are beautiful, intelligent, they can ride horses, and they’re cowgirls.'” “I thought, “How cool would it be to be one of them?”
On Dec. 5, 2021, her dream became a reality when she was crowned Miss Rodeo America South Point.
Frederiksen, a Colorado State University first-generation college graduate with a bachelor’s degree in animal science and a minor in equine business, was Miss Rodeo Colorado for two years before she assumed the role of the official representative of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.
Since then, she has been touring the country, appearing at rodeo performances, special events, and other educational activities to promote rodeo and agriculture.
Hailey Frederiksen Sometimes, we are compared to Miss USA and Miss America. Our talent is horses. The three main categories used to judge us are appearance, personality, and horsemanship. We usually start the pageant by learning how to ride horses. I have five wonderful horses at home, but you rarely see me riding my horse. So we do a horsemanship pattern. We then go into two interviews. One is a horsemanship interview; the other is a personality interview. We then do extemporaneous talking, in which we must prepare a one-minute-and-a-half speech in ten minutes. Additionally, we do modeling and impromptu questions.
What was your experience in competing for Miss Rodeo America’s title?
Crazy. Stressful. (Laughs.) Miss Rodeo America only gives us one chance to apply. We can’t compete for the title if we don’t win the first year. To win the title of Miss Rodeo America, you’re putting everything on the line for those eight days. I was confident that I had done everything I could. You know what? At this point, I completely trusted God and the things he had for me. He had treated me so well over the past two years that I knew he would take good care of me, provided I was willing to put in the effort.
How has your experience been since you were crowned Miss Rodeo America?
It was all about go, go and go. Only an hour after I won, my contract said to me, “So, are you okay with only being home around twenty days this entire calendar year?” This is a unique opportunity. Traveling from Florida to Washington has been a fantastic opportunity, and I intend to make the most of it.
Have you faced any obstacles this year?
My first Miss Rodeo Colorado win was not because I could not see myself as Hailey Frederiksen. They didn’t know me. It was vital for me to be myself during this whole process. Each of us is unique. It’s essential to show that. It was difficult to remember who I am, but it has been a learning experience.
As Miss Rodeo Colorado, you were an advocate of agriculture. How did you carry that message forward as Miss Rodeo America?
My platform is to be an advocate for agriculture. Weld County is where I was born. I grew up in Weld County, Colorado’s No. 1 ag-producing county. Having grown up in an agricultural community, it seemed natural to use that platform. There are many opportunities to speak at public forums. I take every opportunity to educate and talk about these topics.
What advice would you give the next Miss Rodeo America?
Being yourself and understanding that not everyone will like you is critical. You will meet many people with different opinions, especially in pageant systems. This is when you need to be okay with who you are.
What advice would you give young women interested in entering the rodeo scene?
Even if you only have a slight thought of applying for a title, I advise girls to do it regardless. You never know what might happen. … I have always said, “Winners are losers once they try one more.”
What are you planning to do after Miss Rodeo America’s successive crown?
This is my dream job. What’s my dream job? Next year, I’ll be moving to Oklahoma. Through Miss Rodeo America, I received more than $20,000 in educational scholarships. These funds will fund a master’s in agricultural communications at Oklahoma State University. *
