Contest Eligibility:

• Each contestant must be within the age of 18-25.
• A copy of each contestant’s Birth Certificate must accompany the entry application.
• The entry application, which includes a waiver of liability, must be signed by the contestant.
• Each contestant must be a citizen of the United States of America and a legal resident or Student in the states of South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Montana, or Wyoming.
• Each contestant must not be/have been a parent and /or pregnant, married, or divorced.
• Each contestant must not be currently holding a PRCA rodeo queen title. Other titles will be accepted as long as a signed document from that particular pageant coordinator stating that their event supports the young lady going for the title of Miss Black Hills Stock Show®.
  • It also will need to state that they understand, should the young lady win the title of Miss Black Hills Stock Show®, they understand and agree that this title will take precedence for the remainder of their term.
• Each contestant must comply with all rules shown herein. Miss Black Hills Stock Show® committee reserves the right to disqualify any contestant for rule infractions.

General Information:

• Judging will occur during all pageant activities. It will begin at the contestant’s first activity and continue throughout the pageant.
• Drinking of alcoholic beverages or use of tobacco products during the competition for Miss Black Hills Stock Show® will result in disqualification.
• Complete cooperation must be given from all contestants to pageant and rodeo personnel.
• If a contestant is late for any function, she will receive a 5-point deduction off her total score for each infraction.
• Contestants are to dress in full western attire, including hat, boots, belt, jeans, and blouse, or western dress at all times.
• The Miss Black Hills Stock Show® Committee Reserves the right to add on to the Pageant Events.
• The newly elected Miss Black Hills Stock Show® Rodeo Queen is required to sign the Miss Black Hills Stock Show® Rodeo Queen Contract. Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of the title
  • Every contestant can request to see the contract once they have entered the pageant. A viewing of the contract will be arranged for those requesting to see it.

Balck Hills Stock Show & Rodeo® Queen Duties:

The woman chosen to represent the Black Hills Stock Show in 2024 must attend the following events:

• The 2025 Black Hills Stock Show® events. Plan on a minimum of a week spent doing autograph sessions, radio/television appearances, Ranch Rodeo, Broncs for Breakfast, the 2025 Miss Black Hills Stock Show® Pageant and much more. Queen will work with the pageant coordinator to finalize the schedule.
• The woman chosen to represent the Black Hills Stock Show® & Rodeo must return the following year and be present at all the pageant activities and coronation to crown the next year’s queen.
  • She also is responsible for sponsoring the next year's queen sash.

Note: The Black Hills Stock Show® Queen Pageant is funded by the Black Hills Stock Show® with the help of sponsors. Sutton Rodeo hosts many of the state queens and you are welcome to attend events with them, but they are not responsible for your lodging or expenses during the week. Lodging is at the expense of the Black Hills Stock Show® Queen. The queen may conduct fundraisers & seek sponsorships for traveling expenses, but all must be approved by the Miss Black Hills Stock Show® Pageant Coordinator.

The traveling chaps presented to the Miss Black Hills Stock Show® Queen to be used during her reign are a sponsored item.  They are the only chaps allowed to be worn by the Miss Black Hills Stock Show® Queen during her reign. The Black Hills Community Logo is always to be visible while being worn. 

Loss of Title & Benefits:

Subsequent to the Miss Black Hills Stock Show® Pageant, any person being awarded this title and/or otherwise becoming the successor thereto, shall not:

• Have been previously married or become married during reign.        
• Be charged with and/or determined to have committed any crime.
• Have disrespect to others, including the board and committee members of the the Black Hills Stock Show® and the Miss Black Hills Stock Show® Rodeo Committee, Judges, and Volunteers.
• Failure to sign and/or follow the Miss Black Hills Stock Show® Contract and meet all eligibility requirements.

During the year of her reign, upon the occurrence of any of the above events, the title of Miss Black Hills Stock Show® will be forfeited and awarded to the next qualified runner-up.

All awards must be returned to the Miss Black Hills Stock Show® Pageant Coordinator in excellent condition. The Miss Black Hills Stock Show® Committee can and will seek monetary value of any damages to awarded items or for non-returned items.

Miss Black Hills Stock Show® Judging Guidelines:

Judges: Three judges will judge all pageant events with no alternate being used, unless in the case of an emergency. 

Emergency clarified as direct injury that has occurred to a judge that makes them unable to judge appropriately, the immediate death or injury of a family member that requires them to be dismissed.

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Judged Events:

• Horsemanship: Each contestant will be given a horsemanship pattern to ride on a provided horse from a Miss Black Hills Stock Show® sponsor. The judges may ask you to do certain maneuvers if they would like and will be performed at their discretion. A queen salute & flag presentation will also take place at the end of the horsemanship pattern. The second event judged for horsemanship will be goat tying. To be performed as the actual rodeo event! Goats will be provided, bring your own tying string.

• Interview: Judges will privately interview each contestant for a length of 15 minutes. Questions asked will be testing the contestant’s knowledge of the pageant, professional rodeo, horsemanship and current affairs. Personal opinion and information questions may also be asked.

• Speech: Extemporaneous Speech – Each contestant will receive 3 topics to chooseFrom the Black Hills Stock Show® Committee.  There are 10 minutes for each contestant to prepare a minute and a half speech. Judging is based on content,delivery for the time allotted for presentation, knowledge, poise, professionalism, and delivery.

• Media Event: The media event will be live at the speeches & modeling. One question will be asked. Judging is based on knowledge, poise, professionalism, and delivery.

• Impromptu Questions: Contestants will answer two impromptu questions. One related to the rodeo/horse industry, and one related to current events.

• Modeling: Contestants will participate in modeling one dressy western outfit.

• Photogenic Quality: Judges will score the required unframed color 8X10 vertical head and shoulder photograph submitted by each contestant.

• Written Test: Contestants will answer multiple choice questions & receive a score.

Categories:

• Horsemanship: Each contestant will be given a horsemanship pattern to ride on a provided horse from a Miss Black Hills Stock Show® sponsor. The judges may ask you to do certain maneuvers if they would like and will be performed at their discretion. A queen salute & flag presentation will also take place at the end of the horsemanship pattern. The second event judged for horsemanship will be goat tying. To be performed as the actual rodeo event! Goats will be provided, bring your own tying string.

• Interview: Judges will privately interview each contestant for a length of 15 minutes. Questions asked will be testing the contestant’s knowledge of the pageant, professional rodeo, horsemanship and current affairs. Personal opinion and information questions may also be asked.

• Speech: Extemporaneous Speech – Each contestant will receive 3 topics to chooseFrom the Black Hills Stock Show® Committee.  There are 10 minutes for each contestant to prepare a minute and a half speech. Judging is based on content,delivery for the time allotted for presentation, knowledge, poise, professionalism, and delivery.

• Media Event: The media event will be live at the speeches & modeling. One question will be asked. Judging is based on knowledge, poise, professionalism, and delivery.

• Impromptu Questions: Contestants will answer two impromptu questions. One related to the rodeo/horse industry, and one related to current events.

• Modeling: Contestants will participate in modeling one dressy western outfit.

• Photogenic Quality: Judges will score the required unframed color 8X10 vertical head and shoulder photograph submitted by each contestant.

• Written Test: Contestants will answer multiple choice questions & receive a score.

Category Winners

Awards will be given for the following categories: 

Note: The Miss Black Hills Stock Show® Committee may, at its discretion, present awards for additional categories!

• Horsemanship
• Miss Congeniality 
  • Voted on by the contestants, unless otherwise there are only two contestants.
  • In the case of only two contestants, the Miss Black Hills Stock Show® Committee members will vote
• 1st Runner-Up
• Queen 

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Ties for category Winners:

All category award ties will be broken by referring to Judge #1.

Judge #1’s score will break the tie.

If a tie still remains, Judge #2’s score will break the final tie.

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Pageant Divisions:

• Appearance:
  • Attractiveness
  • Grooming
  • Photogenic Qualities
  • Posture
  • Knowledge of proper western attire

• Personality: 
  • Personal Reflections
  • Genuine interest in others
  • Poise
  • Self projection
  • Public appearance

• Horsemanship:
  • Control of mount
  • Balance
  • Position of hands, feet, and seat
  • Understanding and skills of contestant will be judged, not the abilities of the horse
  • Awareness of audience
  • Confidence in ability
  • Dress
    • Long-sleeved shirt or blouse
    • Jeans
    • Hat, boots, belt
    • Chaps, spurs, and tie-downs are not allowed ( unless provided by the committee)

Contestant Expenses: 

• Contestants are required to pay their own transportation to and from the pageant.
• Food will be provided only at specified times 
• Contestants will provide their own lodging unless arrangements are made by the Miss Black Hills Stock Show® Committee.
  
  • Check for shared room availability if needed

Determination of Winners: 

• The contestant with the highest total score in each category will be the winner of that category.
• The contestant with the highest overall score, as long as it is  70% or above  the possible total score available, will be named Miss Black Hills Stock Show® & Rodeo.
• The contestant with the second highest overall score will be named the 1st Runner-up following the 70% or above rule mentioned above.
• If for any reason the contestant chosen as Miss Black Hills Stock Show® & Rodeo is unable to complete her reign, she will immediately forfeit all awards, and the 1st Runner-up will assume the title and responsibilities.

Awards Presentation:

• All contestants must attend the awards presentation.Should a contestant not attend, she will automatically forfeit any awards.

• Place of coronation to be announced when schedule of events is set after applications close.