Phenomenal is the word Stampede Queen Cheyenne Shoults uses to describe her year so far representing Williams Lake and Stampede.
“I can’t believe the year is already halfway over,” Cheyenne says. “It’s been amazing. Everybody has been so incredible.”
She says the highlights of her year have been the opportunity to ride in grand entries and help out at rodeos, meeting people, and especially the time she visits with children.
“I have four younger siblings at home myself and I just love children,” Cheyenne says. “The amount of people I have met is phenomenal.”
Soon after the Williams Lake Stampede in July Cheyenne joined about 20 other rodeo queens and princesses at the Calgary Stampede. The visiting royals didn’t ride in the grand entries but they enjoyed attending the events and getting to know each other.
“It was my first major event with other queens. I worried about fitting in but everyone made me feel so welcome,” Cheyenne says. “The girls were all awesome. We had a lot of fun.”
She said she became good friends with Australia’s Rodeo Queen Latoya Wards, and the royals from Airdrie, Queen Emily Marston and Princess Katie Hlushak.
July 18-20 she also attended Billy Barker Days and then the B.C. Rodeo Finals in Quesnel Sept. 16-18 where she rode on the grand entries and helped to move calves out of the arena during the roping events.
“It was pretty fun for me going to Quesnel twice,” Cheyenne says.
In August Cheyenne joined rodeo queens from around Canada and the U.S. at the rodeo in Omak Stampede in Washington.
“There were about 30 of us participating in the grand entry each day,” Cheyenne says.
One of the highlights of the trip was meeting Miss Rodeo Canada Samantha Stokes and Miss Rodeo America Katherine Merks. She worked with Katherine at the rodeo moving calves to the end of the arena during the roping events.
“That was pretty cool,” Cheyenne says.
Going to the Canadian Rodeo Finals in Edmonton on Willie Crosina’s bus tour was also a thrill, she says.
“Willie Crosina has so many stories about rodeo and life in general,” Cheyenne says. “He has an amazing spirit.”
She was also impressed with the girls vying for the Miss Rodeo Canada title.
“All of the girls who competed for Miss Rodeo Canada were absolutely awe inspiring girls,” Cheyenne says.
Between being on the road during the summer and working full time at Canadian Tire for several months in the fall, and now part time, Cheyenne has managed to fit in several volunteer activities.
She helped out as the Cariboo Chilcotin Child Development Centre’s Princess Ball in October, presented ribbons and medals at the CNC figure skating regional championships held in Williams Lake Jan. 21/22, and sold 50/50 tickets at the Stampeders’ game on Sunday.
She is looking forward to visiting elementary students in local schools this spring and to helping out at the 27th annual Williams Lake Indoor Rodeo set for April 21, 22, 23.
Cheyenne is also spending some of her free time training her four horses.
She competes in barrel racing, show jumping, and rides in local rodeo grand entries on her seven -year-old mare named Dream.
Cheyenne will be among the barrel racers competing Saturday, Feb. 11 at Eagle View Equestrian Centre.
She competes in jumping events in Prince George and Salmon Arm and trains in show jumping here with Anthony Lothian.
“My little sisters are learning to ride on Dream. Whenever I have lessons with anybody I put them on Dream,” Cheyenne says of her horse’s ability to adapt to whatever is asked of her.
Cheyenne is also working with two-year-old Xena, her up and coming barrel racing horse, who won’t actually start training in barrel racing until she is four years old. Xena was bred in Merritt by Karen Coldwell, and purchased from Simmone Fowler, at Diamond 7 Performance Horses in 150 Mile House.
Cheyenne is also working with her five- year-old rescue horse, Luna, who was pregnant when she took her in, and now has a six- month- old baby Romeo.
“My little sister Sarah named him Romeo because he is so affectionate,” Cheyenne says.