North Washington Rodeo cancels parade, queen contest
The North Washington Rodeo has canceled its queen contest and parade due to a lack of volunteers.
According to a Facebook post made from representatives of the North Washington Volunteer Fire Department last month, the annual events will not happen as usual this summer.
“We want to assure everyone this was not an easy decision. We are in a similar situation to all of the volunteer fire departments in our area and simply do not have enough members to do everything that we want to do,” the post said. “Our first and foremost commitment is provide the best possible fire and rescue services to our community.”
The post said that the department hopes to resume the events in 2023.
Miranda Huffman, rodeo queen in 2011, said she has attended the rodeo since she was a child and hopes the beloved events can continue in the future.
“I’m sure they’ll put on a good show without those events,” she said of the rodeo. “I was definitely disappointed. I look forward to the parade every year, and I even ride my horse in it."
She said the queen contest raises funds for the North Washington Volunteer Fire Department, and it’s the winner’s job is to promote the rodeo.
“I’d look for the queen every year in the parade starting when I was 3 years old,” she said. “I loved watching the kid’s reactions in the parade when I was queen, because that was me as a kid. (The contest) is giving girls an opportunity to live out that dream.”
Huffman said she’s helped judge the rodeo’s queen contest in the past and would be willing to help again.
“I know people said they’d help out with the tryouts. I said I’d help out as a judge,” she said. “I hope they get enough volunteers and can start it up again.”
In the North Washington Rodeo’s post, fire department members were invited to volunteer to help at the rodeo this year, which starts at 8 p.m. Aug. 16 through 20.
Organizers of the rodeo were unable to comment for the publication of this article.
