It was definitely a day to remember for young and old as the Sierra Vista Riding Club’s Where They Buck 8th annual celebration got underway in an arena better suited for mud trucking than taking chances on the backs of bulls and sheep.
This year, In the midst of it all was a pageant --the 2025-2026 Rodeo Royalty Court. But, this wasn’t the normal pretty girl contest. Nope. These young women and girls showed off their horse sense and horsemanship as they went through interviews, gave speeches, struck poses and showcased their knowledge of all things rodeo.
These young women will represent the western heritage, the heart of rodeo and the Sierra Vista community throughout the coming year, said organizer Jeannette Moreno. They will appear at parades, rodeos and community events across Cochise County, to encourage young riders and keep western traditions alive.
So, who was crowned?
The Queen was Paizley Davis, 15, of Benson. The Princess was Mallory Nelson, 13, of Vail. Little Miss was Kimber Bear, 12, of Sierra Vista.
Three younger girls were crowned as Sweethearts. They were Shyanne Goodwater, 7, of Hereford; Willow Pickett, 10, of Sierra Vista; and Fatima Grijalva, 8, also of Sierra Vista.
Davis, a Benson High School sophomore who was the princess last year, was crowned by last year’s Rodeo Royalty Queen-- her sister Stevie.
She had such a good time last year, she anxiously awaited the 2025-2026 Rodeo Royalty event and happily ended up being crowned the Queen.
“It was such an honor,” she said. “It was amazing.”
Since the arena was so deep in mud, only their horsemanship was outside, but that did not dissuade the girls from having a great time.
Indoors, the contestants did their interviews, speeches and modeling different outfits from ranch wear to formal gowns.
The message in her speech was “Keep your feet on the ground, and your eyes on the stars. Right now, your dreams are just dreams. But, your dreams and reality can become one. All it takes is a little thing they call hard work, determination and will.”
She suggests aspiring girls should “just get out there and give it a try. Even if you don’t win a title, just doing the competition alone is an amazing experience. It’ll be one of the best years of your life, especially if you’re with the right people. They make the entire experience even better.”
Nelson, who has been riding horses since she was seven, was impressed by the quick sale of tickets by the royalty team, raising a significant amount of money for the club. She gave a speech emphasizing the importance of seizing opportunities to learn and grow with horses, regardless of the weather or circumstances.
She said, “Some days you wake up throwing your jeans and boots on with excitement knowing you're heading to the barn to ride in gale force winds. If you stop for a moment and think, well, this should be fun, the rider in you that's learning gets a little anxious, but you know you can make this an opportunity to learn. You know that this weather will teach you something.
“We make time for our horses. We do the hard work. We look for every chance we can to learn and do better. We never let life get in the way. Instead, we use life to every opportunity to grow and improve. We're tough, we're ambitious, and we never miss the gift called opportunity, because we make them ourselves in the wise words once given to me, never miss a training opportunity and ride the moment.”
Bear expressed the honor in representing Cochise County and Sierra Vista. Her speech emphasized the importance of creating opportunities. She spoke of a young woman, Amberly Snyder, a barrel racer, was involved in a bad accident that left her paralyzed. Snyder developed features to her saddle which allowed her to ride again. Her story resonated with Bear, whose mother is in a wheelchair.
“Amberly’s courage and grit show that when the trail disappears, you can still make your own. I believe opportunities are not something we wait for. They're something we create. I had a lot of fun with the other girls that night, and it was awesome,” she said.
Longtime sponsor Sonja Nerud, owner of Spur Western Wear, was on hand for the celebration of the event she and her husband founded 32 years ago. The store continues to support local rodeo culture and youth involvement.
Visit the club’s websites for more information at: https://www.sierravistaridingclubaz.org/ or on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/SVRIDINGCLUB/.