A Grade 11 student from W. W. Brown School in Langham will gallop out of the chute at the biggest high school rodeo in the world next month.
Kalley Quam, who lives with her family on a farm in Division 8 in Corman Park, was crowned Saskatchewan High School Rodeo Queen at a competition in Maple Creek on May 25 and 26.
Her performance in five event categories, including horsemanship, impromptu questions, modelling, speeches and a written test, earned her the Rodeo Queen title.
That honour not only gives her the opportunity to be the official ambassador for the Saskatchewan High School Rodeo Association (SHSRA) for the coming year, it also punched her ticket to the 76th annual National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSFR) in Rock Springs, Wyoming July 14-20.
She’ll be representing her province as a member of the Saskatchewan National High School Rodeo team, going up against not only other competitors from across Canada, but also the top young cowgirls and cowboys from 44 American states, Mexico and Australia.
In all, there will be more than 1,700 contestants in the hunt for over $150,000 in prizes and $200,000 in added money; as well as more than $375,000 in college scholarships and the chance to be named an NHSFR World Champion.
“It’s very exciting,” said Kimberly Quam, Kalley’s mother, in an interview May 29. “Our family has deep roots in rodeo, chuckwagon racing and the whole western lifestyle.
“Kalley is a third-generation rodeo competitor. My husband Chris is a multiple event rodeo champion in Saskatchewan. Chris’s dad, Kalley’s grandfather, also competed in team roping and tie-down roping in rodeos over the years. Chris’s mom, Kalley’s grandmother, used to be a barrel racer.
“Kalley’s two older brothers are also successful rodeo competitors, so yeah, it’s a family passion for us.”
Kimberly said there will be about 34 families making up the Saskatchewan team contingent who’ll be travelling to Wyoming for the big rodeo.
“It’s a week-long event,” said Kimberley. “Kalley’s competition is early in the week, so she’ll be there for four full days of competition before the rest of her teammates arrive.”
After the NHSFR event in Wyoming, the Quam family will pack up their motorhome and four-horse trailer and hit the road for the Canadian High School National Championships in Brandon, Manitoba at the end of July.
Kimberly said her daughter is “honoured” to have been chosen as the Saskatchewan High School Rodeo Queen.
“Her role will be as an ambassador, to promote the association and the sport through community outreach,” she said. “She’ll be doing a lot of public speaking and public engagement.”
The Saskatchewan High School Rodeo circuit features events across the province in the spring and fall. Competitors earn points based on their placings in each event, and at the end of the season, the top four in each event go on to represent Saskatchewan at the national competition.
“We’re fortunate to be going to nationals this year,” said Kimberly. “We have a full team of competitors this year. I’m impressed with the calibre of youth competitors representing this province, and I think we’ll do well in Rock Springs.”
Additional information on the NHSFR is available online at https://nhsra.com/nhsfr/.