Miss Wyoming High School Rodeo Queen

When you go to Newcastle for high school rodeo how can you not resist driving an extra hour to sight see? I had a blast with my mom at Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse, making my first trip to South Dakota! A huge thank you to Tripp, Frankie, and Emeree for helping me with flags too 🇺🇸

Hope everyone had a Happy Mother’s Day weekend! This week we wrapped up Gillette High School Rodeo. I want to give a huge thank you to Paisley, Frankie and Tripp for helping with flags, and an extra special thank you to my mom for being my biggest fan and supporter. I’m so grateful to have her support through everything I do!

As we approach state entry deadlines, we also approach the deadline to submit Wyoming High School Rodeo Queen applications. I’m happy to answer any questions and provide information!

What a busy season it’s been already! With Rock Springs and Big Piney behind us, we have lots to look forward to. From my first pole run on Harley, to my friend Lea getting to see her first rodeo coming from Switzerland, to taking my horse Harley to prom, all while coming home each night to finish shearing, there’s never a dull moment. I’m so thankful for Gradie, Ryley, Olivia, Emeree, Frankie, Cierra, Madi, and Tripp for being so willing to help with flags.

Disney on ice? Close, but no. How about rodeo queens on ice 🧊? Last night I teamed up with the Red Desert Roundup Rodeo Royalty to bring the greatest sport on dirt to the ice at the Miners vs Spudkings hockey game!

I want to give a huge thank you and recognition to Wardell Trucking. My aunt Kris (pictured above), her husband Mike, and my cousins Rex and Sam have been a huge support since the beginning of my Queen career and I’m very thankful for them. My aunt Kris was the outgoing Green River Valley Cattlemen’s president this year, and I am a proud member of both the Green River Valley Cattlemen and Cattlewomen’s organizations. I was fortunate to be able to help at the cattlemen’s banquet in Big Piney this year as well!

Over the past few years I’ve been super blessed to know Slater Jones and her amazing family. They’re one of my gold sponsors, and have helped me tremendously on my journey to Nationals. Recently, Slater launched her book “Mabel Makes Her Mark”, an adorable book about the journey of Mabel learning how to make her mark, as Slater did. Thank you for all your support, and we’re so proud of your accomplishments!

The NHSRA mission is all about preserving the western heritage and family bonding. Ranching and farming embodies this more than anything. My grandma is one of my biggest icons; she’s a mentor, role model, leader, and humors us with her own Baxter Black comedy. Today, my 96 year old grandma had the honor of receiving the Green River Valley Cattlewomen Lifetime Member Award. Throughout her years, she and my late grandpa have been inducted into the Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame, been lifetime members of the Green River Valley Cattlemen, received the Ranch Couple of the Year Award, she has been inducted into the Wyoming Ag Hall of Fame, and honored as the Heart of Agriculture recipient. At the luncheon today, one of my sponsors, Trevor Erickson with Rancher’s Insurance, was a speaker, and I’m so grateful for his support, and that of my family who was there with us today.

Here’s a little bit of the Wyoming High School Rodeo history 📕(Dustin Martinson is our latest National Director, pictured below). This, amongst the other associations, was published in the NHSRA 75th anniversary history book. It was brought to attention that Phil may not have served in that time frame, so if anyone has any clarification we’d love to hear!

A special thank you to Dixie Huxtable, Wyoming High School Rodeo
National Director 2007-2025, and now WYHSRA Board treasurer. It was an honor to reign as queen and get to know her during her final year as National Director. Dixie
was raised in Douglas, WY on her family’s ranch. She is the only daughter in a family of 3 boys. She started her High School Rodeo time in the early 70’s.
She was following in her mother Norma’s footsteps. Norma competed in the National Queen Competition in 1952 in Helena, MT.
She came home with the sportsmanship award. Dixie competed in all the girl’s events, including the queen contest, and in her local contest won the ‘Miss Congeniality’ portion of it. Dixie never made it to Nationals, but her youngest brother did in 1977 & 1978.
Dixie went along for the ride and fell in love with the National event. She was a member of the Douglas local committee that hosted the National High School Finals in the early 80’s.
Dixie became a member of the Wyoming High School Rodeo Board in 1987 as their State Secretary. In 2007 she became Wyoming’s National Director and became a part of the National Queen Committee. She served on that committee from 2007-2025 and was a co-chair of the committee for several years.
She also co-chaired the budget & finance committee and served on several other committees including the rules committee, and now the scholarship foundation committee.
Dixie served as the Wyoming High School Rodeo Queen chairman for several years and has helped organize and judge local competitions in the past, both in Wyoming and South Dakota.
When not on the rodeo trail, Dixie works as an elected county official. She is currently serving Converse County as their County Assessor, a position she has held since 1999. She was awarded the 2025 Higginbotham Award at midwinter meetings as well. Thank you Dixie, for your service to this great industry.