This article was written by BenitoLink intern Ashlyn Manninen. Lea este artículo en español aquí.
One of San Benito County’s very own took the Miss Gilroy Rodeo 2024 title this year. Violet LaFournaise, Tres Pinos resident and Hollister High School senior, was awarded the title on Aug. 3. LaFournaise was also the 1st runner up for Miss San Benito 2024.
“I decided to run for the rodeo because ever since I was a little girl, I would always see the rodeo queens from up in the grandstand, look down in the arena and say ‘one day that’s going to be me,’” LaFournaise said. She also said it was an opportunity for her to express herself, grow and meet new people.
LaFournaise has been riding since she was a little girl and started to ride competitively by the age of 10. Her riding experience first started with English hunter jumpers and she eventually got into the Western style of riding, after first dabbling with her neighbor’s cutting business. From there, LaFournaise got more into barrel racing and cattle sorting.
When asked which rodeo event she likes the most LaFournaise said, “that’s a hard one.”
“I like them all a lot. But the most fun one to do would be cattle sorting because it’s more of a teamwork effort and it’s not as competitive as barrel racing.”
All candidates for Miss Gilroy Rodeo had to compete in four different events to be considered for the position. The events included a personal interview, a knowledge test, horsemanship and public interaction. Once crowned, Miss Gilroy Rodeo represents the rodeo and its community at rodeo events throughout the state for a full year.
LaFournaise believes the rodeo is important because “it’s a way to bring back the Western way of life into modern day. And it is also a way to showcase the Spanish heritage to the community.” She said she’s happy to represent Hollister in the Gilroy Rodeo and to “showcase the bond between the two different rodeos.”
She says many folks have misconceptions about horseback riding. “They think that it’s kind of abuse but it’s not at all,” she said, adding, for example, the fact that spurs do not cause horses pain and in fact they can barely feel them.
When she isn’t busy with rodeo, LaFournaise is busy growing lavender on her family’s farm. She is about to start her senior year at Hollister High, where she is an active member in the school’s FFA program. She is a chapter officer and historian for the program and has been working on her lavender farming for her SAE project. She also shows horses through the FFA program, the first one in her chapter to ever do so. Once she graduates, she plans to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo where she hopes to study crop science or agricultural management.
The BenitoLink Internship Program is a paid, skill-building program that prepares local youth for a professional career. This program is supported by Monterey Peninsula Foundation AT&T Golf Tour, United Way, Taylor Farms and the Emma Bowen Foundation.
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