SIKESTON — Four rodeo queens representing communities across Missouri are taking part in the 74th Annual Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo, which continues through Saturday, Aug. 8.
Miss Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo Madison Fetters of Sikeston; Junior Miss Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo Hailey Yeager of Farmington; Miss Teen Rodeo Missouri Miley Phillips of East Prairie; and Miss Rodeo Missouri Madison Goetz of Springfield opened Rodeo Week on Aug. 1 by riding in the parade from the Sikeston Kindergarten Center to downtown Sikeston. The parade was followed by the first round of mutton bustin’.
Yeager, who is in her first year competing for a queen title, said fellow queens and rodeo participants have helped her learn the role.
For Fetters, the rodeo carries personal meaning because she grew up attending it each year. She said the rodeo includes barrel racing, bull riding, roping and bucking-horse events during four nightly performances. Mutton bustin’ is also held each night, with finals set for Saturday.
Goetz said she most looks forward to opening the nightly performances as the queens also make entries during the rodeo and sign autographs each night of the rodeo.
Phillips said mutton bustin’ is her favorite event because it can introduce young children to rodeo and agriculture.
The queens will also hold an autograph session from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, at the Sikeston Rodeo Museum in downtown Sikeston.
Concert entertainment is scheduled after each night’s rodeo performance. Tucker Wetmore performed Wednesday, while Blake Whiten was scheduled Thursday and Hudson Westbrook for Friday while Braxton Keith and the Mexican OT are scheduled Saturday. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday performances were sold out, while few tickets Thursday remained available as of early Wednesday.