The 2006 Ramona Rodeo Queen
And Her Court
Mackenzie Cayford captures 2006 Rodeo Queen title.
By Tiffany Watkins

Left to right: 2006 Ramona Rodeo Queen, Mackenzie Cayford; Little Miss, Alexis Awrey, Young Miss, Sierra Israels; and Junior Queen, Rachelle Pyeatt. Photos by Tiffany Watkins

Charles R. Nunn Performing Arts Center at Olive Peirce Middle School was lit up with cameras flashing and an audience cheering when 17-year-old Mackenzie Cayford, a senior from Valley Center High School, was crowned the 2006 Ramona Rodeo Queen on March 25.

Mackenzie won the horsemanship, speech and appearance awards in her division.

Mackenzie said her life began in Valley Center after she had a road trip with her family with the destination of Ramona to look at a house and they missed a turn, ended up in Valley Center, and the rest is history. According to Mackenzie, her heart still belongs in Ramona.

The Junior Queen title was awarded to 14-year-old Rachelle Pyeatt, freshman at Mountain Valley Academy, who won the categories of horsemanship, speech, appearance and knowledge. Rachelle said that rodeo is the sixth most watched sport on television and the Junior Rodeo Queen title is going to enable her to gain new experiences and give her the opportunity to share the importance of her western heritage with the community of Ramona and the outlying neighbors.

Left to right: Jacqueline Wolfe, Katy Gay, Carlin Boyle, Ashley Martin, Mackenzie Cayford, Alexis Awrey, Alexandra Drewry, Jennifer Russell, Sierra Israels, Rachelle Pyeatt and Shannon McCarthy.

Sierra Israels, 12, from Hanson Elementary School, was awarded the Young Miss title. Her successful events included horsemanship, appearance and knowledge.

The 2006 Little Miss title belongs to Alexis Awrey, 10, who attends Barnett Elementary School. Alexis won all the events in her division, which included horsemanship, speech, appearance, knowledge, and the photogenic award.

Awards also were given for the events the contestants practiced during the past three months with the help of the pageant committee.

In the Senior Queen division, 18-year-old Ashley Martin, freshman at Palomar College, flashed her smile and won the photogenic award.

The American Flag leads the opening ceremony for the Horsemanship event at the Fred Grand Arena on March 25.

Carlin Boyle, 17, senior at Ramona High School showed her talents by winning the knowledge award in her division.

Jacqueline Wolfe, 17, senior from Montecito High School gave her speech about her dreams to become a rodeo queen.

Katy Gay, 18, graduated in 2005 from El Capitan High School.

The Junior Division photogenic award was given to Shannon McCarthy, 15, sophomore at Mountain Valley Academy.

Young Miss Contestant Jennifer Russell, 13, who attends Bernardo Heights Middle School in Rancho Bernardo, was the speech, photogenic and high raffle sales winner.

"Everyone who knows me knows I'm the ultimate tomboy," Jennifer said.

One of the two Little Miss Contestants, 8-year-old Alexandra Drury, Mt. Woodson Elementary School, proved that cowgirls will get back in the saddle. As the first contestant of the horsemanship event, Alexandra's horse started bucking and she fell off, but she got up from the dirt, dusted off and the crowd cheered. Later that evening Alexandra started off her speech by saying that she'll keep riding even if her horse bucks her off a million times.

Pageant Director Jeanne Pyeatt said the queens will be at as many of the community events as they can, such as Chamber of Commerce mixers, Air Fair, Junior Fair and parade, Oktoberfest, Children's Festival, Bow Wow Pow Wow, Christmas Tree Lighting, rodeo events and attending schools to share information about rodeo and the West.

Pyeatt also said that this year's contestants shared a comradeship that was apparent when the girls practiced, studied and encouraged each other.

"I have never seen a group of girls work so closely together like this year," Pyeatt said. "In rodeo, winning that paycheck is important and in the Rodeo Queen Pageant, winning the crown is the ultimate goal."

Miss Rodeo California 2005 Kayla Spurlock and J.D. Davis were respectively, the mistress and master of ceremonies.

Sponsors of the 2006 Ramona Rodeo Queen pageant sponsors include The Livery, Kahoots Animals & Supply, Diamond D Feed & Supply, Elstons Hay & Grain, The Branding Iron, Southwest Trailers, Professional Choice Boots, Ropes Galore, Mountain Valley Ranch, Aspins Hair and Nail Company, Ramona Disposal, Lester Pyeatt Construction, La Cocina, Piva Equipment Rental, Watkins Valley Color, Stater Brothers, Daniel's Liquor, Daniel's West, Ramona National Bank, Dr. Bruce Laurie, P&M Computers, Victoria Supply, Rick and Selena Roberts, Hall Fabrication and Olympic Public Storage.