Now accepting for 2024

Are you the next Miss Ponoka Stampede?

Ponoka Stampede Rodeo Queen Application 2024
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MEET MISS PONOKA STAMPEDE 2023

Kaylee Shantz is a 22 year old residing on a family farm northwest of Rimbey, Alberta. A place that keeps her based, grounded and provides a firm foundation to pursue her equine ambitions. She’s traveled all over Alberta to compete in a variety of horsemanship pursuits, both western and english.

Team sports such as hockey, lacrosse, ringette and soccer, were also passions of Kaylee’s out of the saddle. She loved the sportsmanship, leadership and perseverance that came with competitions. To become more involved in her community, she returned to the Rimbey Rodeo Exhibition Association to take the reins as the Rimbey Rodeo Royalty coordinator. This allowed her to further her communication skills, volunteer her time to give back to the rodeo she started with and help other girls develop their skills.

Kaylee aspires to a career in Psychology, with a focus on child psychology, development and therapy. Her hands-on knowledge in the health care field, through different certifications, such as Health Care Aide and Occupational First Aid Level 3 will help round out her knowledge base.

Kaylee is incredibly passionate about how the sport of rodeo brings the community together to share in an exhilarating experience. The Ponoka Stampede holds a very special place in her heart, as this rodeo is where her family started their legacy. From her great grandfather, Lloyd Shantz, starting the wagon races (with a flag) to his brother in law, Tom Dorchester, driving his team after the flag drops, her family has deep roots in the sport of rodeo, which helped encourage her love for the western lifestyle.

The annual celebration of our history and heritage at the Stampede has made it an integral place that creates memories to last lifetimes, opportunities to see old friends and embrace new ones. As Miss Ponoka Stampede, Kaylee is looking forward to representing the rodeo most dear to her family’s hearts and sharing what makes it so special.

history

Along with countless new attractions such as Canada's largest midway, dances, and much more the Ponoka Stampede committee decided to invite participants to vie for the honor of becoming the first Rodeo Queen in 1948, with Bertha (Santee) Courser receiving the coveted crown.

Many former Ponoka Stampede Queens over the years still live in and around the district, have married and settled down to raise their families, but are still very much involved in the great and growing sport of rodeo. The list includes:

  • Mary Ellen (Jones) Wilson 1956
  • Jean (Dodds) Twa 1959
  • Sheila Stickney (Koller) 1966
  • Shannon (Boles) Howorko 1984
  • Cheryl (Robson) Daines 1985
  • Lynnette (Scott) Galloway 1986
  • Shelley (Houston) Dyrland 1987
  • Colleen (Bexson) Coleman 1988
  • Rhonda (Hartman) Miller 1989
  • Tracy Crawford 1990
  • Angie (Lundgren) Andersen 1991
  • Karen (Black) Skeels 1992
  • Michelle Williams 1993
  • Jessie (Randles) Scott 1994
  • Diana (Davies) Austad 1995
  • Jody (Bougerolle) Leach 1996
  • Brook Robertson 1997
  • Karina Tees 1998
  • Kim Hughes 1999
  • Nadia Content 2000
  • Bobbie Jo Sauder 2001
  • Brianna Ernst 2002
  • Mandy (Angelveldt) Dux 2003
  • Cody Jo Lawes 2004
  • Crystal Albers 2005
  • Nichole Campbell in 2006
  • Shelby Simmonds in 2013
  • Katy Lucas in 2014
  • Ashley Akkermans 2015
  • Jadey van der Vlis 2016
  • Michele Greer 2017
  • Alicia Erickson 2018
  • Naomi Akkermans 2019
  • Mackenzie Skeels 2022
  • Kaylee Shantz 2023
Young ladies of Ponoka and districts are encouraged to become involved in the excitement and camaraderie of the search to find the next Miss Ponoka Stampede!

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