A QUEEN AND AN AMBASSADOR
CSU alumna reigns as 2025 Miss Rodeo Colorado
May 22, 2025
SIERRA SOUTHERLAND SPENT her girlhood riding a Shetland pony named Ginger and a quarter horse named Spirit in her hometown of Norco, California, a community outside Los Angeles known as “Horsetown, USA.” Here, locals ride on bridle paths running parallel to paved streets, tie their horses to downtown hitching posts, and grab coffee at shops with “pony espresso” lanes.
Before long, she was competing in gymkhana equestrian events and in barrel racing at area rodeos.
With her riding resume and two stints as a teenage rodeo queen in Norco, it is not surprising that Southerland gravitated to Colorado State University to earn a degree in equine science – the first undergraduate degree program of its kind in the nation and one of the best to offer science-based education in all aspects of horses and their care.
Now – with both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from CSU – this young scientist has added another feather to her cowgirl hat: Southerland is serving as 2025 Miss Rodeo Colorado.
Rodeo queens stand apart with their tiaras, hats, sashes, buckles, boots, and impressive horsemanship. But the real appeal of the role, Southerland said, is representing rodeo and agriculture.
“I like being an ambassador,” Southerland said, as she stood in a pasture outside her family’s home near Longmont, surrounded by five buckskin and bay quarter horses. “The biggest part of the job is being a connection between the public and the industry.”
She continued: “It’s amazing the number of people I encounter who truly don’t know where our food comes from – how it gets from farm to fridge. The people who raise our food keep the world running. There’s also a lack of understanding about rodeo, how it works, and the importance we place on animal welfare.”
Sierra Southerland rides her horse Hooey at her family’s home near Longmont. A CSU alumna, she was a key part of celebrations during CSU Day at the National Western Stock Show in January. Photography: Matthew Staver.
As she spoke, her gelding, named Hooey, nuzzled Southerland’s arm. She scratched his chin, and the horse offered a smile, stretching out his neck, pulling back his lips, and baring his large, grass-stained teeth. Southerland laughed in response, explaining she bought Hooey from a friend after a previous owner abused him. She pointed to scars where wire had gouged his forehead, the bridge of his nose, behind his ears, and the corners of his mouth.
By contrast, she said, serious rodeo stockmen and competitors prioritize animal welfare.
“The animals are better cared for than the athletes,” Southerland said. “We’re always looking out for animals and their well-being. They’re the reason we can have the sport.”
To become Miss Rodeo Colorado, Southerland, 26, not only delivered speeches and participated in a fashion show, but also demonstrated her riding skills and answered extensive questions about horsemanship, equine science, and the sport of rodeo.
During part of the three-day contest, she rode two strange horses through a series of timed maneuvers. That was telling because Southerland, like other queens, is not riding her own horse during her many rodeo appearances this year; rather, she is astride a total of about 100 different horses supplied by rodeo stock contractors. “That’s our talent – being able to ride in uncertain conditions,” she noted.
Southerland, who studied equine science at CSU, grew up riding horses and competing in rodeo events. Photography: Matthew Staver.
Southerland gained much of her scientific knowledge during studies at CSU, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in equine science with a minor in business administration in 2021. She followed that in 2024 with a master’s degree in animal science focused on equine breeding and genetics. In fact, Southerland delayed her pursuit of the state rodeo crown to finish her master’s degree.
Stephen Coleman, an associate professor of molecular genetics, was Southerland’s adviser and got to know her when she completed independent study projects and later conducted research in his Equine Breeding and Genetics Lab. Coleman heard plenty of stories about Hooey during Southerland’s time in the lab.
“Sierra was always interested not only in the science, but also in communicating about it,” her former professor said.
Her research focused on novel gene expressions that signal recognition of pregnancy in mares. “We, to this day, don’t know how horses know they’re pregnant. We don’t know what the signal is,” Coleman explained. “Sierra was really eager to dig into that.”
Understanding these early genetic changes in pregnant mares could help direct several aspects of equine reproduction, including improved pregnancy management, pregnancy prevention, and use of assisted reproductive technologies to achieve pregnancy, Southerland said. She said she would make genetics a theme of her discussions with industry players during her time as Miss Rodeo Colorado.
Southerland’s first big job as queen was the National Western Stock Show, when she rode in more than two dozen rodeos, attended events with Colorado dignitaries, visited schools to meet local students, and took part in numerous autograph sessions.
“It’s like a bootcamp,” Southerland said with a laugh. “When I got through the National Western, I knew I could handle the rest of the year.”
Photo at top: Matthew Staver.
SHARE