A former Miss Rodeo Utah queen is taking her love for rodeos and horse riding, and using it to mentor young girls in Utah. But she’s teaching them a little more than just that.
“We teach girls how to walk into an interview confidently. We teach girls how to stand up in front of a crowd of people and give a speech,” said McKardy Kelly, who lives in Midway. “We give them all of those skill sets to compete for jobs in the future.”
Last December, Kelly represented Utah at the Miss Rodeo America pageant in Las Vegas. Since she was a child, she’s competed in rodeo queen contests. Back in 2019, she was the first Utahn crowned the National High School Rodeo Queen in over a decade.
“A lot of my childhood was spent on the road going to rodeos,” she said.
At the pageant, Kelly won 3rd runner-up. Although she didn’t take home the winning title, she has since been holding clinics, which prepare young girls for future Miss Rodeo Utah pageants. Kelly helps them sharpen their horse-riding skills, but she also mentors them on communication and leadership.
“All the work happens in the arena,” Kelly said. “Working hard and putting in the practice helps teach these young girls how to succeed in the future.”
Kelly has held clinics in Moab so far. Her upcoming clinics are:
- Rodeo Queen Boot Camp in Ogden from Feb. 26 to March 1
- Rodeo Queen Basic Training in Tremonton from March 14-15
