What Does it Take to Be a Rodeo Queen?

By Autumn Johnson

Two of Livermore's young ladies have won the prestigious titles of "2013 Rodeo Queen" for this year's Livermore Rodeo. First-time competitors Alyssa Perry and Morgan Laughlin did not become rodeo queens over night.

To rope those rodeo crowns, or blinged-out fancy cowgirl hats might be a better description, Perry, 19, a student at Las Positas College, and 13-year-old Laughlin, a student at William Mendenhall Middle School in Livermore, have worked for this moment for years. 

Perry competed against four other girls for the Miss Livermore Pro Rodeo Queen title, which represents this week's Livermore Rodeo. Laughlin beat out six other girls to win the Junior Rodeo Queen role, to represent the Livermore Junior Rodeo on June 15.

[Related article: Are You Ready to Cowboy (or Cowgirl) Up?]

Denise Laughlin, Laughlin's mother, says these girls have to prepare for years to be viable competitors in these kind of competitions.  

"It takes many years of horsemanship to prepare, a good year of studying your knowledge portion," Denise said. 

Laughlin's ties to rodeo date back to the very origin of the Livermore Rodeo.

Denise told Patch, via email:

"The jobs of both these girls is to promote and inspire passion in future generations for Rodeo. Livermore's roots are deep in the Rodeo. Jr. Rodeo Queen Morgan Laughlin happens to be the great, great granddaughter of John McGlinchey, the one of the founding fathers and First President of the Livermore Stockman's Rodeo Association. According to Wikipedia, 'During World War I, in 1918, the Red Cross was in dire needs of funds, so California cities and towns were assessed $1200 each as a way of generating the needed money. John McGlinchey, who was president of the Livermore Stockman's Protective Association at the time, conceived the idea of holding a fund-raiser in the form of a rodeo to raise the money. A committee was appointed by McGlinchey to organize the rodeo, which was held the first time on a portion of a local ranch near the intersection of what is now Interstate 580 and Portola Avenue. The opening event was filmed by Universal Studios for a newsreel'."

Laughlin says a lot of time and effort goes into actually winning the title of Rodeo Queen.

"You must be knowledgeable in rodeo rules, history, equine and live stock, animal diseases, pass horsemanship and an extensive interview, along with public speaking," Denise said. 

Denise added, "Our queens reach out to the community as well as inspiring future generations in the love of Rodeo."

Both Laughlin and Perry are Livermore natives.