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There is a lot more to being a rodeo queen than looking great on a horse and waving to the crowd. A significant part of the role is to act as a bridge between the arena and the fans in the seats, and to ignite an interest in the rodeo and the western lifestyle, particularly with children, by their example.
This year, the San Benito County community has the unique honor of having two former Miss San Benito County Rodeo queens competing for the 2025 California Rodeo Salinas crown: the 2024 queen, Emily Drost, and Gracie Skow, who won in 2023. Although the stakes are high, the competition is not a contentious one.
“I passed the crown to Emily,” Skow said, “so it’s kind of fun that we’re competing against each other. But at the end of the day, we’re both here for the same thing, and we’re still friends.”
Drost is just as gracious, saying it’s an amazing feeling to be going through this process with someone she knows.
“I’m just really excited that we have two people running from our hometown,” she said. “And I’m super excited to see what we both come up with during the competition.”
Skow is a fourth-generation San Benito County cattle rancher with an interest in horses that dates back almost to her birth. She has a photograph of herself as a baby being held by her father while he’s riding a horse.
“Being a rancher becomes who you are,” she said. “It comes to the point where it’s literally in you. It’s a beautiful industry, and I’ve loved every second thus far. I mean, who doesn’t want to be a cowboy?”
Skow said she had been competing in rodeos since she was about five years old and first tried out for Miss San Benito in 2022. It did not go well—she placed third out of three contestants.
“I was devastated, she said. “I thought I had worked so hard, but it lit a fire under me. I told my mom, ‘You know what? I’m going to win this thing.’”
Drost began rodeo competition at age four, competing in the leadline outfit class on her five-year-old horse, Teacup. It would be her first win, and she was rewarded with a ribbon and a gift card for a free slushy.
“I used to carefully watch all the queens on the track doing their flyby,” she said. “When I had that moment as a kid, and walked down in front of the crowd, it was such a surreal feeling.”
Drost was inspired to run for queen by the example of her great-great aunt, Lola Galli, who was the first female contestant at the Saddle Horse Show.
“Growing up and hearing about all of her accomplishments as a horsewoman made me want to be just like her,” she said. “Running for queen perfectly combined my love for rodeo and horses, and my love for the town that I grew up in.”
Grace Tobias Ericson, who helps run the competition, served as queen for the San Benito County and California rodeos. Ericson said that, since the queens will be “carrying the rodeo’s name wherever they go,” great care is taken in the selection.
“It’s very important to have someone who is a class act in all aspects,” she said, “on a horse and off. Ultimately, the queen is there to serve as the face of the rodeo at all the events we send her to over the year.”
In competing for the Miss San Benito crown both girls had to qualify in four different challenges, judged by experts brought in from outside the county who had no prior knowledge of the candidates.
They are tested on the history of the San Benito County Saddle Horse Show & Rodeo, as well as the rodeo’s premium book, which outlines the rules and regulations for participation.
There is an assessment of their personalities, poise and ability to formulate and deliver answers in front of an audience.
They are also judged on the appearance of their western attire, including cowboy hats, long-sleeve shirts, jeans and cowboy boots, ensuring they are “pressed and polished.”
In the final and most heavily weighted category, they are judged on their horsemanship, which is divided into three components:
- Equitation: They walk, jog, and lope in each direction on their horse and are judged on the correctness of their riding. They also must dismount, unbridle, re-bridle and remount their horse.
- Individual Pattern: Contestants execute a specific horsemanship pattern—similar to a reining pattern—involving lead changes, circles, stops and spins.
- Flag Run/Presentation Run: This involves carrying a flag on horseback and performing a “queen’s wave.”
Emily Drost as Queen. Courtesy of Emily Drost. 
Gracie Skow as San Benito County Queen, Courtesy of Gracie Scow. 
Emily Drost as Queen. Courtesy of Emily Drost. 
Gracie Skow in competition, Courtesy of Gracie Scow. 
Emily Drost as Queen. Courtesy of Emily Drost. 
Gracie Skow in competition, Courtesy of Gracie Scow. 
Emily Drost as Queen. Courtesy of Emily Drost. 
Gracie Skow in competition, Courtesy of Gracie Scow. 
Young Emily Drost. Courtesy of Emily Drost. 
Young Gracie Skow in competition, Courtesy of Gracie Scow. 
Emily Drost as Queen. Courtesy of Emily Drost. 
Gracie Skow at her first competition, Courtesy of Gracie Scow.
The Salinas Rodeo contest, which begins on July 2, follows a similar regimen. Horsemanship judging begins at 8:15 a.m. and concludes with personality and appearance judging at 6 p.m. (These events are open to the public at no charge.) The winner will be announced on July 3 via social media and on the California Rodeo Salinas website.
Sheanna DeForest, president of the San Benito County Junior Rodeo Association, said that, knowing both girls, they are ideal candidates for queen, not just for their horsemanship and leadership skills but for their vibrant personalities.
“They just kind of take people by storm,” she said. They are super kind and have such a caring nature. Whenever you see them, they’re always smiling and willing to help out with anything. Either girl as queen would make San Benito County proud.”
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