4 minute read
Crowning Glory: From Runner-Up to Miss Rodeo Idaho
PHOTO BY ART OF APERTURE PHOTOGRAPHY
BY ARIANNA CRETEAU
Lydia Rose Miller is a rodeo queen, but make no mistake about it, she is pure cowgirl. As the 2023 Miss Rodeo Idaho, she follows in her mother’s boot-shaped footsteps, a journey that has been challenging and emotional. “If you would have told 15-year-old me when I competed in my very first contest, that one day I would be Miss Rodeo Idaho and getting ready to compete for Miss Rodeo America, she probably would have just said that you’re crazy and kind of just walked away,” she laughs.
is is especially true for Miller because of the unique twists and turns in her journey. A year before she was crowned, she was announced as the 2022 Miss Rodeo Idaho, until a scoring error was discovered, making Miller the runner up. Although she was elated for her friend, losing the title was devastating. After the roller coaster of emotions, she was ready to give up competition.
In the midst of selling her queening wardrobe, Miller felt certain that she’d never wear the belt buckle that had meant so much to her. A friend asked her to reconsider, and after prayer and a heartfelt conversation with her mentor, she was ready to rewrite her story and become the girl who would win after months of disappointment and doubt.
While Miller has always worked hard to be a helping hand for others, it was her community and support system that gave her the push she needed to compete again last minute. An unstoppable force, sweeping 6 out of 8 categories at the 2023 competition gave Miller the undeniable win. And then it was onto queen life, where she traded horses for plane rides, at least some of the time.
The duties of Miss Rodeo Idaho are as demanding as a full time job. Trips, rodeo appearances, and other duties are nonstop fun for Miller. “I absolutely love it! We are still in the middle of our summer run right now. I have some more favorite rodeos to go to and it’s just been amazing. But at the moment, I am working on representing the state of Idaho at rodeos doing my job,” she said.
Miller is also a proud fifth-generation cattle rancher. Her family handles beef cattle, Texas longhorns, and an elk farm. “It’s a huge honor to be a part of ranching and to carry on the family tradition and this Western way of life that my dad’s family grew up in. It’s a huge part of our world. We rely on agriculture,” she said. Miller and her two siblings plan on continuing the family legacy for future generations, and after her rodeo role, she has plans to return to school to pursue a degree in Agribusiness.
It’s an honor to represent our state and get a chance to represent at the Miss Rodeo America pageant...
“It’s an honor to represent our state and get a chance to represent at the Miss Rodeo America pageant for a chance to bring that title back to the Gem State,” she said. The National Miss Rodeo pageant is December 2023 in Las Vegas.
“No matter the ask at hand, whether it’s helping a neighbor out at a branding, or raking hay out in the eld, I’m willing to jump in and get my hands dirty. Hard work is something that I don’t shy away from,” Miller said. “I feel like that’s something that makes me more than just a rodeo queen, more than just a pretty face.”
For now, even running errands isn’t the same for the local star who gets recognized around Buhl, Idaho, not as the girl who won and then didn’t, but as the reigning queen—Miss Rodeo Idaho 2023.
