SALINAS, CA, June 17, 2024 – The California Rodeo Salinas is thrilled to announce the upcoming Miss California Rodeo Salinas 2024 contest, a prestigious event celebrating horsemanship, personality, appearance, and academic achievements. The reigning Miss California Rodeo Salinas, Rose Escobar, will pass the crown to one of the following accomplished contestants: Kyndal Castle (Miss Folsom Pro Rodeo), Summer Fanning (Miss Old Santa Ynez Days Rodeo), Vianette Garcia (Miss Norco Rodeo Horseweek), Lillian Kier (Miss Clovis Rodeo), or Kate Richardson (Miss Bulls Only Rodeo).
Miss California Rodeo Salinas serves as a year-round ambassador, traveling to rodeos, parades, and community events to promote California's largest rodeo. The 2024 contest, presented by Holiday Inn Express & Suites, will kick off on Friday, July 5th, and conclude on Sunday, July 7th, with the winner being announced before noon at the awards ceremony.
The winner of this esteemed title will receive a $3,000 cash scholarship to use at the college of her choice, a gold and silver trophy belt buckle, a tiara, the use of a two-horse trailer for one year, and many other valuable gifts.
“We look forward to welcoming each contestant and their families to the Miss California Rodeo Salinas Contest,” said Laurie LaVelle, Director of the Miss California Rodeo Salinas Committee.
For the full schedule and additional contest details, please visit:
https://www.carodeo.com/p/about-us/mcrs/2024-miss-california-rodeo-contest-entry-info.
Biographies for each contestant are below.
Kyndal Castle – Miss Folsom Pro Rodeo
As far back as she can remember life for Kyndal Castle of Valley Springs has revolved around horses. Currently enrolled in the Equine Studies program at Modesto Junior College she plans to pursue a degree in Equine Husbandry and Ranch Management. Kyndal is working towards becoming an Equine Chiropractor.
At a young age she joined 4-H and participated in her local fair. In high school she joined FFA and raised swine, goats and poultry. As an FFA member her achievements included Outstanding Chapter Member, Chapter Degree and State Degree. She is currently pursuing her FFA American Degree. Kyndal also learned to ride horses and compete at a young age. After receiving State Fair Reserve Champion in gymkhana, she transitioned to rodeo events to compete in barrel racing, pole bending and goat tying. She shares her love for rodeo and the western way of life by entering in rodeo queen competitions! With success came traveling a lot of miles to many events, including participating in the Tournament of Roses Equestfest and riding in the epic Rose Parade in 2023.
Competing for the title of Miss California Rodeo Salinas is an opportunity for Kyndal to share her passion for this amazing way of life with so many others.
Summer Fanning – Miss Old Santa Ynez Days Rodeo
Growing up in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley on a thoroughbred farm was a great learning experience for Summer Fanning. She will put her lessons learned to the test while attending Cuesta College this fall to pursue a degree in Medical Assisting in addition to obtaining a Phlebotomy Certification.
In addition to raising and showing animals as a 4-H member, Summer always volunteered to speak in front of her club for presentations to educate others. As an FFA member she competed on the public speaking and vet science teams. At the same time she played varsity softball, ran cross-country and performed in choir. All of these activities taught her to work with others to accomplish a goal, and how your attitude, good or bad, can affect everyone around you. The two sports that taught her the most about mental stamina and the importance of perseverance are trap shooting and rodeo. She has been very blessed with many achievements by using the power of determination to her advantage
Summer would like to educate the public about the great sport of rodeo. She believes your voice can be one of the most powerful tools in life by giving you a vehicle to spread knowledge and to stand up for what you believe in.
Vianette Garcia – Miss Norco Rodeo Horseweek
Diverse passions and pursuits define Vianette Garcia of Temecula. Currently studying at Mt. San Jacinto College, she plans to transfer to Cal State San Marcos for a degree in Business Marketing and Management with a minor in Finance. She is also pursuing her real estate license, combining her passions for entrepreneurship and ranching.
Whether she finds joy and fulfillment in shredding down the slopes, diving into a good book, soaking up the sun on the beach, or hitting the pavement for a run, no day is complete without spending quality time with friends and family. Vianette says she is deeply connected to ranch life and proud to work alongside her dad in the cattle business. While he focuses on Brahman cattle, she is passionate about raising Angus cattle. This is not just a responsibility to Vianette, but it's a way of life that instills values of hard work, resilience, and land stewardship.
Vianette is currently pursuing her passion for roping. While team roping is a fun pastime, breakaway roping is where she shines competitively. She has also been honored to hold various rodeo queen titles that serve as a testament to her commitment to promoting and to preserving the rich traditions of rodeo.
Lillian Kier – Miss Clovis Rodeo
This past year has been an honor and an exceptional opportunity for Lilly Kier of Madera to represent the Clovis Rodeo. She just graduated from Cal State Fresno with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business with an offer to work for a local ranch and farm credit firm.
Growing up, Lilly loved being involved in her community and participated in 4-H and FFA.As a 4-H member she showed and raised various animals and competed on a national level in horse judging. In FFA she showed steers, was involved in leadership, and won high individual at the State Light Horse Judging competition in 2020.In addition, she was a part of her high school’s equestrian team. At Fresno State, she was honored to be a part of the Jordan College of Agriculture Honors Cohort where she worked on a research project to test the feasibility of growing Guyalue (a natural rubber shrub) in the western part of the San Joaquin Valley.
Lilly’s hobbies, education, and career indicate that she is passionate about staying involved in the agriculture and rodeo industries. Her love for community service and for the western way of life has led her to run for the title of Miss California Rodeo Salinas.
Kate Richardson – Miss Bulls Only Rodeo
Famously known for its cattle and farming industry, the desert sun of the Imperial Valley is where Kate Richardson was born and raised. In late June, she looks forward to attending The Learning Institute of Southern California Barber and Cosmetology School. She has found her passion for hair and make-up while being a rodeo queen.
Growing up, she was involved in swimming, cheer, dance, and 4-H showing a variety of livestock animals and entering a range of projects at the county fair. Kate eventually joined Future Farmers of America and has been a part of the Imperial agriculture program ever since. This year will mark her 5th year in FFA and she has been rewarded for her many achievements. In addition, she competes in jackpots and rodeos. Her most favorite events are ranch sorting, barrel racing, and team penning. To help fund her interests she rides horses for clients, helping them achieve their horse related goals.
Being a representative of rodeo has shown her the beauty of the sport of rodeo. Her biggest passion in life is to be able to use her knowledge, as well as her horsemanship skills, to share the love for the western lifestyle in the world of rodeo for generations to come.
About California Rodeo Salinas
The 114th California Rodeo Salinas will take place July 18-21, 2024. The California Rodeo Association is a not-for-profit organization that strives to preserve and promote the traditions of the California Rodeo Salinas and the West. We support the community and other non-profit organizations through the staging of the annual California Rodeo Salinas and other year-round operations of the Salinas Sports Complex. Through donations of our facility, vending, and fundraising opportunities during Rodeo and other events, the California Rodeo Association created opportunities for non-profits and community groups to receive over $771,000 in 2023. For more information about the California Rodeo Salinas, log on to www.CARodeo.com or call the California Rodeo Office at 831-775-3100.