Queens of the rodeo

Two contestants will compete for the Miss Clearwater Rodeo title, this Friday, at the 56th edition of Clearwater's Big Rodeo.

Queen contest chairman Devon Baum said contests will be judged in several areas, including personality, appearance and horsemanship.

Luci Koinzan, of Neligh, and Felycia Kerkman, of Atkinson, will begin competition Friday, at 2 p.m., in the Gene Snodgrass Arena at the rodeo grounds.

Contestants will compete in the horsemanship portion of the contest, which includes a reining pattern, rail work, a cattle-working challenge, flag presentation and introductory queen wave.

Following the arena competition, contestants will meet with judges, individually, for personal interviews.

Miss Clearwater Rodeo 2023 will be announced at 7:30 p.m., prior to Friday evening's opening night of rodeo competition.

LUCI KOINZAN

Koinzan, daughter of Ryan and Koryn Koinzan, of Neligh, will be a sophomore at Neligh-Oakdale High School. She is involved in a variety of activities, including cross country, track, FBLA and FFA, where she serves as secretary.

Koinzan said she was lucky, as a freshman, to qualify for state cross country and state track

"Outside of school, I am a member of 4-H, serve on the Antelope County 4-H Council, American Quarter Horse Association and St. Theresa's Catholic Church," she wrote in her application.

"I started riding horses at age 4 and quickly became very passionate about them," she said. "By 8 years old, I started to compete at various horse shows."

Koinzan has ring experience in horsemanship, pleasure, showmanship, trail, reining, barrel racing, pole bending, ranch riding and halter.

"After I had a few years of experience under my belt, I began to attend bigger horse shows," Koinzan said.

She has competed in the Nebraska State Horse Show, Loup Valley Conference and Harm and Tullys horse shows.

FELYCIA KERKMAN

Fourteen-year-old Felycia Kerkman will be a freshman at Atkinson West Holt High School in the fall, where she is involved in FFA, drill team, cross country, wrestling, track, 4-H, speech and high school rodeo.

"I have been a member of the Nebraska Junior High School Rodeo Association for three years," Kerkman said.

This year, she finished in the top 10 in all five events she participated in. She's competed in goat tying, pole bending, barrel racing, breakaway roping, team roping, cutting and reining cow horse.

Kerkman said she has enjoyed riding for as long as she can remember and looks forward to competing in high school rodeo events this fall.

"I have participated in 4-H since age 8," she said, noting she has shown multiple animals, including beef cattle, horse, sheep, pigs and dog.

Kerkman said being named Miss Clearwater Rodeo would give her an opportunity to educate everyone about the great sport of rodeo and the western way of life.

"I also want to be an inspiration to younger kids to become rodeo athletes," she said.

In her spare time, Kerkman likes crafting, swimming and spending time with her family.

She is the daughter of Korey and Andrea Kerkman.