Sparkle and steers
Miss Indian Rodeo visits Flathead River Rodeo
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POLSON — Chasing calves and steers from the arena during the Flathead River Rodeo was Miss Indian Rodeo Devalyn Crowe.
Wearing glittery shirts and beautiful chaps, Crowe, 20, is from Toppenish, Washington, which is near Yakima.
She’s been a cowgirl all her life, learning to ride when she was tiny.
She became interested in rodeo queens when she tried out for Little Miss Rodeo Washington at 8 years old. She didn’t win, but the seed was planted.
“I ran for Miss Indian Rodeo because I saw other girls and role models be awesome queens,” Crowe said.
The Yakima Reservation has had its share of teen suicide, and she’s “seen a lot of kids stray and go the wrong way.”
Crowe wanted to offer help.
“I wanted to be that person, be there and encourage them,” Crowe said. “Do what you want and don’t let anything stand in your way.”
The week-long Miss Indian Rodeo pageant last November kept Crowe busy. The queen contestants were judged on horsemanship, interviews, speech and their traditional values.
“If you are not in the arena working cattle, you are around the grandstand selling tickets or making appearances,” Crowe said. “It was a crazy week but really fun.”
Although Miss Indian Rodeo doesn’t receive a scholarship, she did win her crown for a year, a nice leather jacket, a buckle, a saddle and “my nice chaps from the Miss Indian Rodeo Association,” she said.
Crowe rode her faithful grey horse LA, from his LA arrow brand. She breakaway ropes on him, too. LA sported colorful leg wraps to match her outfits.
Crowe’s family is very supportive of her rodeo activities. She couldn’t have made all the appearances she did without them — the Gathering of the Nations Powwow in New Mexico; Treaty Days in White Swan, Washington, her home town rodeo; Tsuu T’ina Nation Celebration in Canada; and Fort Hall, Idaho.
“I have an awesome mom who sews up shirts for me,” she said.
She’s taking a leave from college and her physical therapy degree while she represents Indian cowboys and cowgirls.
“I don’t live without my horses,” she said, adding that she’ll probably finish getting her prerequisites at Yakima Valley Community College and then maybe on to Eastern Washington to finish her degree.
After growing up on a small ranch, she wants one of her own someday.
“Once I get my goals accomplished, I’d like to raise my own bucking stock,” she said. “A lot of Indian contractors have good stock. People are so nice. They’re not friends; they’re family.”
