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First Ever Miss Teen Rodeo Tennessee Named in Franklin, TN

Royalty at the Miss Teen Rodeo Tennessee Pageant pause for a photo. From Left to right is Leslie Brumleve, Miss Minor Hill Rodeo, Briana Hall, Miss Limestone County Sheriff's Rodeo, Ashley Beddingfield, Miss Teen Rodeo Tennessee 2005, and Kelsey Hughes, Miss Franklin Rodeo.
(photo credit: Charlotte Neidel)

July 7-9, 2005

Ashley Beddingfield of Bethel, TN, has been named the very first Miss Teen Rodeo Tennessee in a contest held July 7-9, 2005 at the Williamson Ag Expo Center in Franklin, TN.

Miss Teen Rodeo Tennessee is affiliated with the Miss Rodeo Tennessee Pageant, which is a preliminary to the Miss Rodeo America Pageant. The Miss Rodeo Tennessee Pageant and the Miss Rodeo America Pageant are affiliated with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

Beddingfield, 19, resides near the Tennessee-Alabama border in a community just south of Pulaski, TN, where she helps run the family paint horse breeding operation. She also works as an administrative assistant for a local dermatologist.

A student at Calhoun Community College in Decatur, AL, Beddingfield hopes to earn a marketing degree from a university and pursue a career in pharmaceutical sales.

First alternate to Miss Teen Rodeo Tennessee is 18-year-old Kelsey Hughes of Franklin. She represents the title Miss Franklin Rodeo. This past May marked the transition of the Franklin Rodeo into PRCA sanctioning, and Hughes served as that committee's first PRCA rodeo queen.

Though still young, Beddingfield brings a significant rodeo queen experience to this title, already having held numerous similar titles and competed nationally multiple times. She represented the U.S. Pro Rodeo title in the pageant. Miss Teen Rodeo Tennessee is her second PRCA title.

"It is an honor and priviledge to be the first Miss Teen Rodeo Tennessee," said Beddingfield following the crowning.

"Rodeo has been an important part of my life and I plan to have a role in the western way of life for many years to come."

The mission of the Miss Rodeo Tennessee Pageant is to select a qualified and deserving young woman to represent Tennessee's professional rodeo industry and to represent the state of Tennessee at the Miss Rodeo America Pageant.

With the addition of the Miss Teen Rodeo Tennessee Pageant, the younger titleholder can help support the program by promoting the sport to younger fans.

"Many other states have held Teen and younger divisions with their Miss Rodeo pageants for a number of years," said Sue Lynn Perry, pageant director.

"Assistant Pageant Director Kelly Azevedo and I decided it was time to add a Teen division in Tennessee."

Perry explains that often the Miss queen must travel out of state to fulfill her duties and there are still promotional needs within the Tennessee borders that still need attention.

The Miss Teen Rodeo Tennessee will take over many of the representational and promotional duties for Miss Rodeo Tennessee, should the primary queen be unavailable.

Beddingfield has already hit the ground running by serving in queen capacity for the Savannah, TN, PRCA rodeo and Bullnanza in Nashville, which has become a PRCA Extreme Bulls event.

The eligibility requirements for the Miss Teen Rodeo Tennessee Pageant include age range from 14-19, resident of Tennessee or any bordering state within 20 miles of the Tennessee border, never married, having no children and must be an experienced horsewoman.

The eligibility requirements for the Miss Rodeo Tennessee Pageant include age range from 20-24, resident of Tennessee, never married, having no children and must be an advanced horsewoman.

Some of the pageant awards include a Circle Y Barrel Saddle, provided by Cowboy Corner of Southaven, MS, and Tucker Saddlery of Memphis, TN, an American West luggage piece from Preston's Western Wear in Athens, AL, a custom made wardrobe item from K Originals in Nashville, Jewelry from rodeoqueenjewelry.com, a silver bracelet from Montana Silversmiths, horse care products from Absorbine, and a buckle.

For more information about the Miss Rodeo Tennessee Pageant or the Miss Teen Rodeo Tennessee Pageant, contact Pageant Director Sue Lynn Perry at 901-230-4000 or email rodeotenn@aol.com or Assistant Pageant Director Kelly Azevedo at 615-425-8518 or email koriginals@aol.com.

Visit missrodeo.com and prorodeo.com for more information about Miss Rodeo America and the PRCA.

The Northeast Mississippi District 4-H Horse Show