Miss High Prairie Elks Pro Rodeo Queen Abbey Miller with her horse BJ and Aaron Herben of Ex-Cel Energy, sponsor of the saddle.

Richard Froese
South Peace News

Abbey Miller is the 2016 High Prairie Elks Pro Rodeo Queen.

She won the prestigious title Aug. 2 on the opening day of the two-day event.

“I am honoured and excited to continue the tradition of the rodeo queen,” says Miller, 21, the daughter of Tracy Cote of Whitemud Creek and Glen Miller of Edmonton.
“Rodeo has been a large part of my life since I was young and I feel it’s important to promote and teach people about the rodeo lifestyle.”

Miller has been competing with the Alberta Barrel Racing Association and college rodeo and is active with the High Prairie Wranglers in her first year.

Since she moved to High Prairie in April 2015, Miller has operated her own business, training barrel horses and breaking colts.

She values the experience in the contest and encourages others to participate.

“I learned a lot about myself and went outside my comfort zone,” Miller says.
“It lets you work on some aspects of public life, such as public speaking and there was good coaching with it, and it helps build your confidence.”

After graduating from high school, Miller received a Diploma in Equine Science and Western Horsemanship from Olds College.

Now as Miss High Prairie Rodeo, Miller says she wants to be remembered by her acts of representing the great community that she lives in and the much larger rodeo community that she is part of.

Miller spends most of her time competing or just taking trail rides with her friends.

This fall, she will start training to become an emergency medical technician [EMT] at Northern Lakes College as she pursues a career in that field.

Miller and runner-up Brooke Monteith were both well respected in the contest.

“Contestants were really good to work with and each brought different talents and attributes to the contest,” says event organizer Leigh Blackhurst.
“They always gave 100 per cent in whatever was asked of them in the event.”

During the contest, each participated in public speaking, horsemanship, reining a horse and impromptu interview. They were also required to sell 50-50 tickets as the final portion of the contest.

With the title and crown, Miller is expected to make several public appearances during the year.

She also receives a $1,000 scholarship from the High Prairie Elks.