Iron River, Mich. (WZMQ) – The gates of the arena at the U.P. Championship Rodeo finally opened, marking the beginning of a thrilling rodeo weekend for Pro Rodeo fans and other visitors to the event. This morning, 2023’s Miss U.P. Rodeo Queen, Samantha Finch, set patterns for the contestants vying for the 2024 title in the horsemanship category of the pageant. Samantha and her horse, Rocky, waved their final “fly by” to the crowd before the judges began their search for this year’s Miss U.P. Rodeo.
Reflecting on her reign, Samantha Finch said, “Being Miss U.P. Rodeo has been an amazing experience. I’ve got to go to other PCRA rodeos. I’ve got to represent here in parades. I’ve got to meet kids, and that’s actually my favorite part about it.”
She reminisced about a recent event, adding, “Yeah, we were at the library yesterday and the kids were so cute. We were coloring. We had cookies.”
Talking about her companion, Rocky, Samantha shared, “I’ve had Rocky for four years. I got him during Covid. You know, when I got him he was just for going on rides, and we did a lot of work. We’ve been practicing the last 4 years and every year he keeps getting better. A lot of dressage, a lot of western pleasure and speed shows.”
Detailing the pageant’s conclusion, she mentioned, “So after this pageant concludes tomorrow night at 6:30-ish, the crowning will happen, and I will pass over my title. The girls have had to compete with horsemanship, which is what we’re doing right now. We had to do parades and public speaking in interviews. It’s a lot of work, but it’s really worth it.”
Explaining the horsemanship pattern, she noted, “So the pattern is based off of a reining pattern. It shows the control of the horse. It’s got to be on the specific leads which means he’s got to have 1 foot farther than the other foot in the front and back so you’ve got to have a lot of control over your horse, making sure he stops. Making sure you’re asking, and he’s giving what you want.”
Samantha elaborated on the judging criteria, “So we’re judged on how well we look when we’re doing it, the goal is to look like you’re not doing anything at all, and how well you correct them.”
Expressing her hopes for future contestants, she said, “I hope that the next Miss U.P. Rodeo and the next Miss U.P. Rodeo Princess Have as much fun as Avery and I did this year. I hope they have a lot of fun going out to all these rodeos in Wisconsin and Minnesota. It’s a great experience.”
Samantha also shared her future plans, stating, “For me, after I pass on my title, I’m going to go on to complete my bachelor’s in biology. I’m at NMU. I’m a junior right now, and I’m going to be completing my MCAT in December.”
Encouraging attendance, she enthused, “Well, it’s an amazing time, and it’s not just a rodeo. We’ve got a lot of concessions and vendors and the whole event, like we have the parade and the whole week. It’s just so much fun and I really hope that you guys can come out and share this fun with me.”
Highlighting the professional aspect, Samantha added, “We’re a pro rodeo. We have professional riders that come from all over the country to compete here. The quality of them is a lot better, so you’ll get to see some really nice bucking horses and bucking bulls. It’ll be very nice. It’s really a good show.”
“Our horses are from Iowa. Our staff is from Iowa. Three Hills is our contractor and our contestants come from all over,” she concluded.
Finch mentioned her sincere gratitude to Kassels stores, Snyder’s Drugstore, Select Realty of Marquette, Marge & Bill Langford, Basil Farm, Kate Dreyden horsemanship, and Robyn Rhode Photography for all their generous support throughout her reign as Miss U.P. Rodeo 2023.
For more information on the U.P. Championship Rodeo schedule and arena location, visit:
