East Texas rodeo'er advanced to national position

By LORI COPE | East Texas Edition

Rachel Oates, 16, of Nacogdoches will take the reins as National High School Rodeo Association Queen on March 15. Oates makes the fourth Texan in a row to be queen for the national association. -- Courtesy photo

March 13, 2003 -- In just a few days, a new National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA) Queen will be crowned, and she's a Texan.

Rachel Oates, 16, of Nacogdoches has been serving as runner-up to the NHSRA Queen since last summer, but when Rodeo Queen Kendal Rae Heiner of Utah was recently stripped of the title due to a drinking incident, Oates was asked to step up to the tasks.

One of the top tasks of the NHSRA Queen involves organizational and hands-on work at the upcoming NHSRA Finals in July - ranging the Special Kids event to the daily rodeo performances including the grand entry.

"Because the (NHSRA) student president and secretary were also relieved of their duties, it will just be Justin (Martin) and me to get things ready," Oates said earlier this month.

Martin, of South Carolina, had been serving as NHSRA student vice president but was instated as president following the incident because the NHSRA student president, and secretary, were also involved.

Reports are the high school students - Heiner, plus president Kelly Lacey and secretary Cheryl Brown - were involved in an alcohol-related incident at the National Rodeo Finals in Las Vegas in December 2002.

NHSRA executive director Kent Sturman said officers are not allowed to drink alcohol. Nevada law prohibits the consumption of alcohol by anyone younger than 21.

"We were very disappointed," said Sturman, adding it's the first time a rodeo queen has been removed.

After a series of decisions and appeals, the young women were denounced of their title and positions in February.

Despite the reasons behind her boost to the Queen position, Oates said she is looking forward to representing NHRSA's 17,000 high school rodeo athletes.

"I'm excited now, but I think, though, it will all hit me when they crown me on March 15," she said.

NHRSA's national director will crown Oates during ceremonies on Saturday, March 15, at the Dodge Booth, Reliant Center, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

"I just got back from Houston yesterday," Oates said on March 5. She had traveled to the major livestock show competition to participate in a horse judging event. She returned on March 11 to compete with her market broilers. Then on the 15th, the focus will change - from livestock showing to rodeo.

Oates has been "rodeoing" since the age of 2. "Both my parents grew up rodeoing, and I have cousins that rodeo," she said.

Barrel racing, pole bending, and "tying goats" are her rodeo sporting events, noted her mother, Susie Oates. "And she's been competing in rodeo queen contests since the age of 6."

Currently, Oates is serving six organizations as queen, including as the Texas High School Rodeo Association's Queen. And, she is involved in two of her county's 4-H clubs, the Nacogdoches County Horse and Pony Club and the Livestock Club. And, she's involved in FFA at Nacogdoches High School where she is a junior. She holds various offices in the 4-H and FFA clubs and has achieved numerous honors and awards. At the high school, Oates is on the volleyball, basketball, and softball teams. And recently, she was named Texas Farm Bureau's Youth of the Year.

"I get up early and get in late," she confessed. "But if I'm not doing anything, I look for something to do."

Of the rodeo events she competes in, pole bending is her favorite. "My horse is a little too stocky to get around the barrels ... and goat tying, "well, I don't have a death wish."

The athlete explained, "I blew out my knee in basketball this year and I've been in rehab for it. ... I've been in sports long enough I've had my share of breaks and things, but goat tying .... My mom asked if I was going to do that again, but I don't think so."

Another of Oates' priorities involves competition with other animals. "My family is very involved in livestock shows," she added. At the Nacogoches County Livestock Show this past October, Oates' projects claimed top wins. "I won Grand Champion with my chickens, Grand Champion with my goat, and Reserve Champion with my lamb," she said shyly. She chalked it up to luck, and that it probably would never happen again.

Luck seems to be on her side. Oates will take the reins as a leader in a national capacity on March 15; just a step toward her ultimate goal of becoming Miss Rodeo America.