Sisters girl is Jefferson County Rodeo Queen

Sisters teen Lindsay Soliz has been named Jefferson County Rodeo Queen.

Soliz, 17, will be a 2013 graduate from Redmond High School, with hopes to be on the livestock or meats judging team at Chico State University, where she will major in ranch management. 

Lindsay has always had a passion for animals. She began showing horses in 4-H with her rescue horse, Dodger. With performing events from showmanship to drill team, she has gained a greater understanding of how to train, handle, and care for her animals. 4-H and FFA has given Lindsay so many opportunities, this last year she traveled with the Redmond FFA Meats Judging Team across Oregon and California, where she toured meat-packing plants and competed in judging competitions.

Lindsay spent 2012 representing Jefferson County Fair and Rodeo as their princess, where she traveled to several rodeos and numerous parades across the state.

The 2013 princess is Maddie Smith, a 17-year-old senior at Summit High School. She has been a part of the Deschutes County 4-H Horse Project for seven years, four of which she has served as the club's president. She uses her Arabian mare, Ruby, for performance and a quarter horse mare, Tessa, for gaming and cow-working. 

Every year on the second Saturday in October tryouts are held at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds for the following year's fair and rodeo court. The contestants are judged on their equestrian abilities, their knowledge of Jefferson County, the sport of rodeo, equine sciences and current events both locally and nationally. They must give a memorized 2- to 3-minute speech on a determined topic and then are asked a series of impromptu questions so show their personalities and knowledge of a variety of topics.

The panel of judges also conducts personal interviews with the contestants to better get to know them and their personalities. Appearance, grace and poise are also judged.

On February 9, the fair and rodeo court will hold its first ever Coronation Fundraiser. It takes a substantial amount of money to represent Jefferson County with the amount of travel these girls do. The organization hopes that the community will support them by coming out to enjoy the evening. There will be a tri-tip and chicken dinner, no-host bar, live and silent auctions, a dessert dash and a Mr. Jefferson County contest.

For more information call Tanya Cloutier, court advisor at 541-977-2100.