Meet The Finalists For The Clearwater Rodeo Queen Contest

Bailey

Cassidy

Lexus

Samantha

Montana

Bailey

Six young women will compete for the 2015 Clearwater Rodeo Queen title on Friday - Bailey Lehr of Columbus, Cassidy Curtis of Royal, Lexus Heithoff of Elgin, Samantha VanDeWalle of Cedar Rapids, Montana Miller of Orchard and Bailey Behmer of Hoskins.

The queen will be crowned Friday, June 26, at 7 p.m. at the rodeo arena on the west edge of Clearwater.

Bailey Lehr, 14, of Columbus is the daughter of Lance and Joan Lehr.

She stays active helping on the family ranch, feedlot, and farm and attends Scotus Central Catholic School and St. Isidore Catholic Church. 

Lehr has participated in various horse activities. Her current involvements include, NE Junior High School Rodeo, the NE Foundation Quarter Horse Association, 4-H, Midwest Barrel Racing Association, Mid-States Rodeo and the NE National Barrel Horse Association.  

Some of Lehr's accomplishments include, winning many various 4-H horse awards, the 2014 NE NBHA Youth Barrel Racing Championship, 2014 NE State Foundation Quarter Horse Youth Champion in Reining, Barrels, and Poles, 2014 Reserve Champion in the Midwest Barrel Racing Association and other 1D Barrel awards. She placed sixth in the NE Jr. High School Rodeo Runs for this season, just missing out on Nationals. 

Cassidy Curtis, 18, of Royal is the daughter of Corey and Tanya Curtis. 

She has been riding and showing horses at the 4-H and AQHA level since the age of eight. 

At the State 4-H Horse Show, Curtis has been awarded two reserve champions and several top ten placings in the past years. 

Additionally, she was a member of the 2013 Nebraska Youth Team and a member of the 2014 Nebraska Quarter Horse Youth World Show Team. 

Aside from showing, Curtis also enjoys using the family horses for cattle work on the farm. 

In the fall, she plans to begin college at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and major in Animal Science. 

Lexus Heithoff, 17, of Elgin is the daughter of Keith and Lynne Heithoff.

She is currently a senior at Pope John High School in Elgin. Heithoff said her dad put her on a horse before she was out of diapers, and she has been a 4-H member for 6 years and FFA member for 3 years.

She helps her dad with the day-to-day cattle work, sorting and vaccinating cattle on horseback. Heithoff also helps move cattle from pasture to pasture and pairs cows and calves. She has her own small herd of Red Angus cattle.

Heithoff has won numerous awards for timed horse events at the Antelope County Fair.

After graduation, she plans to attend college and earn a medical degree.

Samantha VanDeWalle, 23, of Cedar Rapids is the daughter of Mark and Cam VanDeWalle.

She works at Choat Cattle Company as a hired hand and grew up on a small farm by Cedar Rapids. VanDeWalle is a part owner and salesman for JMS Cattle Company, in which she raises Polled Herefords, Angus, and Commercial Cattle. All of the cattle are show stock and breeding stock. She also has her own fitting business. VanDeWalle has been working and showing cattle for many years and is a sponsor and mentor for the local FFA Chapter and 4-H Clubs as well as Juniors for the Nebraska Hereford Association.

Her riding experience includes pasture riding, working cattle, pen riding, and some eventing.

One of her favorite honors was 2009 Nebraska Polled Hereford Queen, where she also went on and got in the top ten in the National Hereford Queen Competition. 

Montana Miller, 16, of Orchard is the daughter of Gary Miller.

Miller has been around and worked with horses and cattle all her life. She has competed in numerous county fair events and horse shows.

Miller has received horsemanship awards at the county fair. 

In the future, she plans to continue barrel racing and attend college for nursing.

Bailey Behmer, 17, of Hoskins is the daughter of Matt and Prudence Behmer.

Behmer has lived on a farm and been around horses her entire life. She has been riding since she was about 5 years old.

At age 8, Behmer joined 4-H, and joined FFA as a junior in high school. She has also competed in area horse shows, winning reserve champion in barrels with her previous horse.

Behmer plans to attend college to pursue a degree in equine management. She will continue to participate in horse shows and work on the farm with her horse as well.