Queen title apt for involved girl

There is only one contender for Allen County Fair Rodeo Queen this year, but that doesn’t mean she’s a shoo-in.
Dallyn Beecher must still write an autobiography, undergo an interview with rodeo queen staff and complete tasks that demonstrate her prowess in horsemanship before receiving the crown, said queen selection chairwoman Angela Slocum.
“The rodeo people want that girl that is involved in the horse stuff and can handle a horse,” noted Fair Board Secretary Linda Garrett.
As part of the competition, Beecher must attend fair events, treat her horse humanely, dress in Western attire and run a reigning pattern supplied by the judges.
If successful, Beecher will receive — besides the title — an engraved belt buckle plus 10 percent of proceeds of all event tickets sold, Slocum said.
The ticket sale bonus comes from the fact there is no separate Fair Queen this year, Slocum said.
Last year, four girls vied for the nascent title of Fair Queen. They were selected by their 4-H groups.
To be crowned, the winner had only to sell the largest number of event tickets.
At the behest of numerous parents and others, rules were changed this year to make the contest more challenging. A separate rodeo queen was added with even more requirements. Perhaps, Slocum allowed, it was a bit too much.
But Beecher was undeterred. She initially signed up to compete for both titles.
Now, she’ll go it alone, against the judges, to see if she can become the monarch of the fair.
If she’s crowned, Beecher will participate in occasional events between this year’s fair and next, and help crown the 2011 Rodeo Queen.
Slocum also hopes she’ll meet with 4-H groups during the year to help refine the requirements for next year’s queen.
Beecher may just jump at the chance.
She has been active in 4-H since she was 7. She plans entries this year in sheep, steer, pig, goat, dairy cow, arts and crafts and photography.
“I cry over all of them,” she said of selling her livestock at the end of the fair. “This year I’m definitely going to cry when I have to get rid of everything.”
At 19, this is the last year Beecher can be involved in 4-H activities. “I’m going to miss it,” she said.
Beecher begins studies at Allen County Community College in the fall. From there, she plans to transfer to the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo., to major in animal science.
She’s had a lot of experience with the care of animals. At her father Dale Beecher’s farm in Neosho Falls, she keeps sheep, goats, steers and a pig. In Colony, at her mom Kim Beecher’s place, she has sheep, goats and two horses. She has another horse at her father’s girlfriend’s house as well.
She cares for them all on her own.
As a child, growing up on the farm in Neosho Falls, she also used to participate in rodeo events, she said.
She rode amongst barrels, poles and captured the flag. And she did goat tying — “That was fun,” she mentioned.
“Hopefully after 4-H I’ll get back into that kind of riding,” she said.
Judging of horsemanship skills for the Allen County Fair Rodeo Queen will be at 9 a.m. July 31.
Crowning of the rodeo queen is at 7 p.m. Aug. 3.

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