The candidates for Miss Tonasket Rodeo Queen are (L-R) Kayla Davis, Cortney Ingle, Emily Tietje, Karlie Henneman and Breanna Howell.

TONASKET – Five youngladies have thrown their hats in the ring for the honor of being named MissTonasket and representing the community as the 2012 Tonasket Founders Day RodeoQueen.
The candidates are Cortney Ingle, Breanna Howell, Karlie Henneman,Emily Tieje and Kayla Davis. Four of the girls attend Tonasket High School andfor the first time one of the candidates is from Oroville High School. Theywill have a chance to show off their horsemanship at a competition to beheld  at the Tonasket Rodeo Grounds thisSaturday, Oct. 15 starting at 10 a.m. Then at 7 p.m. there will be speeches anda question and answer session at the Tonasket Eagles and the judges will selectnext year’s Rodeo Queen who will receive her sash and crown that night.
“Iam so very excited with the girls who are trying out for Tonasket Founder’s DayRodeo Queen,” said Dawn Crowell, Royalty Director for the TonasketComancheros Rodeo Club.
Crowel, who made the comments last Tuesdaymorning, added that the five girls were giving their speeches before theTonasket Chamber of Commerce that day. The following are the a few words eachgirl wrote about who she is and why she would like to represent the communityas Miss Tonasket:
Kayla Davis
Hi my name is Kayla Davis, thedaughter of Kelvin and Mona Davis. I’m the youngest of six siblings and havelived on Pine Creek my whole life.
I am currently a junior at TonasketHigh School. I have been a member of the Triple Crown 4-H club for the past twoyears and a member of Tonasket FFA for three years.
My passion is traininghorses and I have been training them for the past few years. I also enjoyarchery and hunting.
I would love to be the next Tonasket Rodeo Queen; it’sbeen something I have dreamed of my whole life. Please consider me to representmy town for the next year’s Tonasket Rodeo Queen.
Emily Tieje
Myname is Emily Tietje and I am a 16-year-old junior at Oroville High School Myfamily is amazing, my mom and dad, Jennifer and Ted Tietje, work for Customsand Border Protection and they both are very involved in my life.
Speakingof being involved, I am in Future Business Leaders of America, O club, HonorSociety and a three-sport varsity athlete. Outside of school, I’m involved inthe National Reigning Horse Association, Reining Horse Association of the NorthWest, American Quarter Horse Association and the Border Patrol ExplorersProgram. I try to stay very active in the community. In addition, I volunteeras much as I can; I have helped with the Shop with a Cop Program, the boatraces and sporting events at school. However, horses and rodeos are my passion.I go to horse shows yearly and I have acquired three horses since sixth grade.I did 4H for a few years and then got involved in reining this past year. I’velived in Okanogan County since 2003 and love the area.
I want to be theTonasket Founders Day Rodeo Queen because I know that I would represent ourarea very well. I am responsible, a great leader and set good examples. Anotherreason is because I have always loved rodeo and this is a great opportunity tobe involved in it. I believe in what rodeos are about and would love to be apart of them. Consequently, being Tonasket Founders Day Rodeo Queen would be agreat opportunity for me to work on my people skills, gain courage and help megrow as a person. I look forward for the chance to represent the North OkanoganCounty.
Karlie Henneman
My name is Karlie Henneman, I am16-years-old, a junior at Tonasket High School and I am running for MissTonasket Founders Day Rodeo Queen 2012. I am the daughter of Mike and ToniHenneman; I have two younger siblings, Brock and Katie Henneman. We live on SpectacleLake and have a family business that consists of orchards and cattle.
I amreally involved with our 4-H Club with the horse project that consist of goingto shows throughout the summer, but I try to compete in rodeos as much as I canduring the summer and spring. I also have been taking a horse to the OkanoganCounty fair for the past five years, which is always my favorite part of theyear.
Becoming the Tonasket Founders Day Rodeo Queen would be an amazingopportunity to honor and represent the town that I was born and raised in. Itwould also give me a great experience to become a role model and show mydedication to my community. This is why I would like the honor of being your2012 Tonasket Founders Day Rodeo Queen.
Breanna Howell
My nameis Breanna Howell. I am 16-years-old and a junior at Tonasket High School whereI am working on my “12-year-senior” status. My parents are Marcie and KyleHowell and I have a younger sister Alexee.
Currently I am involved in 4-H,FFA and Okanogan County 4-H Teen Leaders. Also, I am working on my High Schoolsenior project to give the Tonasket rodeo grandstands a facelift.
From ayoung age I have wanted to be Tonasket Founders Day Rodeo Queen. I set a goalfor myself. I would go for Junior Rodeo royalty and then try for my life-longdream of being Miss Tonasket Founders Day. This past year, step one of my goalwas achieved. Now I am ready for step two of my goal. As far as my memory goesback, I have always been involved in community service and being royalty helpsopen up door to do more for my hometown.
Cortney Ingle
Hello,my name is Cortney Ingle. I’m 19-years-old and was born and raised in Tonasket.My parents are Lewis and Darla Bedard. We own a small farm in ChewilkenValley.
My favorite hobbies in life are my two geldings, Jet and Klassy,and the heart-pounding sport of rodeo. Recently I competed in the OkanoganCounty Junior Rodeo and won Senior Barrels and Senior Poles, as well as AllAround Cowgirl. My future plans in life are to attend Wenatchee ValleyCommunity College to become a lab tech.
Beingthe Tonasket Rodeo Queen has been a lifelong dream of mine. Not because you getto wear a shiny crown or pretty clothes, but because this town has raised me.From sitting in the stands every Founders Day weekend watching the rodeo as alittle girl with a dream, to actually being in the arena competing. If there isone thing I’ve learned about running for Miss Tonasket is to never give up onyour dreams. Happy Trails.