Amber Ezell

To say Amber Ezell has dreamed about being Miss Rodeo Wyoming her whole life would be an understatement. Her legacy predicted it.

Amber was born in 1989, two years after her mother Anne-Terri was crowned Carbon County Fair Queen, and the same year her aunt Barbie “Ezell” Miner served as Carbon County Fair Queen. Amber treasures a picture taken the same year, in which Miss Rodeo Wyoming (1989) Jane “Scott” Chambers is holding her.

“I have always dreamed of being Miss Rodeo Wyoming,” Amber recalled.

Although the road to the title has been paved with 4-H showing experience, and the crown of Woodchoppers Jamboree and Rodeo Queen in 2007, Amber said next week’s contest will not be easy.

To prepare for the numerous interviews, speeches and impromptu questions that will bombard her during the Miss Rodeo Wyoming contest, Amber has been studying current events at the local, national and world levels. She has buffed up on her knowledge of the political races, horse science and of course, rodeo.

Much like any queen contestant, Amber will don 11 different outfits throughout the contest. Some of the clothes were purchased, others were loaned by Lori Parsons, and yet others were constructed by Cheryl Munroe, according to Amber.

“Cheryl is making me a dress for next week’s contest as we speak,” Amber said on Monday.
The context includes a modeling segment, where the contestants are judged on appearance and poise, Amber said.

“The modeling and the speech are a major part of the contest,” Amber added.
Amber’s speech will be about Carbon County, as the speech topic is “Wyoming, or any part of Wyoming”.

Horsemanship is a significant part of the contest and Amber said she will be riding her own horse for the first round, she will then draw one of the other queen’s horses and two more rounds of horsemanship will ridden on the unfamiliar horse.

“We will run reining patterns during the horsemanship, one with a determined pattern and the other rounds are freestyle reining (rider’s choice of patterns),” Amber said.

Amber will also have to perform two different personal interviews, a written test, a dance routine with the other contestants and three rodeo grand entries.

The Miss Rodeo Wyoming contestants are required to stay in the dormitory at the Wyoming State Fairgrounds and are not allowed to have their cell phones during the week of competition, Amber added. Not to mention the contestants must be ready to compete each day by 5:45 a.m. The queen contestants must additionally pass a criminal background check, according to Amber.

While all of this seems like a lot to ask, Amber has had a year to prepare while she reigned as 2010 Carbon County Fair Queen.

“Over the past year I have learned how to work with people,” Amber admitted.

She also attended rodeo queen boot camp in Ogden, Utah, which Amber described as a “three-day crash course on everything you need to know about being a rodeo queen”.

“The camp has specialists in each area of a (rodeo) queen contest, and I learned a lot this year,” Amber said.

She also attended the Miss Rodeo Wyoming Clinic this past spring, in Douglas, and said it was similar to the “boot camp” only more “relaxed”.

Amber appreciates everyone who has helped her over the past year, but said she has her mom, Anne, to thank above all.

“My mom helps me with everything, and she will have to provide complete care for my horses ‘Play’ and ‘Easy’ next week while I am competing,” Amber said.

“My little brother helps a lot, too, and I really appreciate that.”

Amber will find out if she has what is takes to win the title of Miss Rodeo Wyoming during the coronation on Aug. 21 at the Wyoming State Fair.

“I am going to win, but if I don’t I am going to relax before returning to college (at Central Wyoming College in Riverton),” Amber said.