Rodeo Crowns Parker, Sets Record For Contestants

SIDNEY – The 97^th Sidney Iowa Championship Rodeo crowned a new queen, held its traditional parade in the rain and set  a new record for contestants in 2020.

Rodeo officials say a new record high of 813 contestants this year were double the previous record set six years ago.

 

The number of contestants surged as rodeos elsewhere were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. There are normally 36 rodeos that compete for talent with Sidney, but this year the number has been trimmed to 11.

The pandemic did force the cancellation of Sidney’s rodeo’s queen pageant, but last year’s runner up happily filled the post this year.

Miss Rodeo Iowa Brittany Gunn crowned Teigan Parker of Emerson on July 30.

Parker: “It’s an honor for me because I grew up watching the Sidney rodeo and watching the queens. I just admired them so much. I wanted to be in their shoes one day. Finally being here, I get to pass on what I felt to other children and even adults for that matter what I felt when I saw the queens.”

 

Parker is a 2019 graduate of Fremont-Mills High School and studies farm and ranch management at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. She said horsemanship is her passion.

 

Parker: “I’ve loved it all my life and I’ve kind of stuck it and I don’t know I’ll ever quit.”

 

 

Also attending the rodeo parade were Iowa High School Rodeo Queen Paige Smith and Miss Teen Rodeo Iowa Hailey Tweedy.