Dunmore Equestrian Miss And Sweetheart Competition next weekend

Posted on August 22, 2024 by Ryan Dahlman

By Heather Cameron
Southern Alberta Newspapers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The 2024 Dunmore Equestrian Miss and Sweetheart Competition will be held on August 23 and 24 in Dunmore.

“The purpose and reason for the program is that the Royalty, both Miss and Sweetheart, get the opportunity to be ambassadors for the Dunmore Equestrian Centre, the Little Britches Rodeos, the sport of rodeo and the western way of life,” said Melissa Bast, mother of Jada Silcher, who was 2023 Dunmore Equestrian Miss. “It is an opportunity for the Miss and Sweetheart to share their love, knowledge and passion of the sport as well as to be positive role models to others. The competition was inspired to help young girls prepare for pro rodeo queen titles. It gives ladies the opportunity to test their skills in horsemanship, public speaking and being a public spokesperson for the Dunmore Equestrian Centre, the sport of rodeo and the western way of life. We want our young to have the opportunity to build their confidence in these areas at a young age.”

Events on Friday the 23rd, Bast says, will be held at Safety Buzz in Dunmore starting at 5 p.m. and admission to them will be a food bank donation. 

“This is where the contestants will be judged on their Public Speaking and Modeling,” said Bast. “We will have some special guests judging the competition and 2023 Dunmore Equestrian Miss Jada Silcher and 2023 Dunmore Equestrian Sweetheart Sophie Cruthers will be the Masters of Ceremonies for the evening.”

Bast says that the events on Saturday, August 24 will begin at 9 a.m. at the Dunmore Equestrian Centre arena in Dunmore. 

“This is where the contestants will be showing their Horsemanship skills, with the crowning following the Horsemanship,” said Bast.

Bast says that the Dunmore Equestrian Sweetheart competition was started in 2018 by Brittney Chomistek, as it was the first year that the Dunmore Equestrian Centre existed, and it was thought it was great idea to host a rodeo queen competition. 

The first Dunmore Equestrian Centre Little Britches Rodeo Sweetheart, Bast says, was Evie Neubauer. In 2019, Bast says, Haley Schlenker took over the competition and it continued to grow thanks to the support of the directors of the Dunmore Equestrian Society and sponsors. 

In 2023, Bast says, the competition went from not only having Sweetheart category, which is for ages 12 and under, but also developing a Miss category, which is for ages 13 to 17, and the titles are now the Dunmore Equestrian Sweetheart and the Dunmore Equestrian Miss.

“It is a great program where the girls get to attend several events- rodeos, meet people of all ages, participate in animal visits to our senior community facilities, meet other royalty and so much more,” said Bast. “We encourage anyone to apply who would like to be a representative for Dunmore Equestrian Society.” 

For more information about the Dunmore Equestrian Miss and Sweetheart competition, visit: https://www.facebook.com/littlebritches.sweetheart.