Winder Native Finalist in Miss Rodeo USA Competition

With boots and buckles polished and cowboy hats brushed, Winder native Jessica Harston will leave January 10, 2014 for the Miss Rodeo USA Pageant held in Oklahoma City, OK. As part of the International Finals Rodeo (IFR), hosted by the International Pro Rodeo Association (IPRA), Jessica will compete as one of ten finalists in a week-long competition that includes horsemanship, interviews, exams, and modeling with hopes of bringing this distinctive honor back to the State of Georgia for the first time in history. Jessica will be representing her current title of Miss Morgan County Sheriff’s Rodeo Queen from Morgan County, Alabama at the IFR, a title she won in April, 2013 in Priceville, Alabama.

“It would be a great honor to win. But I’m competing for a job, not just a title,” Jessica stated. “The ability to promote the sport of Rodeo and to become an advocate for kindness in our community and throughout the US is an opportunity of a lifetime.” If Jessica is crowned Miss Rodeo USA, she will travel the country visiting schools and events delivering her platform speech, “Who You Are” which promotes diversity and happiness with being created “perfectly imperfect”.

Jessica recently graduated from the University of Georgia in December, 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science with an emphasis in Equine Management where she was part of the Large Animal Critical Care Team at the UGA Vet School and a teacher assistant for equine classes at UGA. A member of the Rhinestone Rodeo Chics Equine Drill Team, Jessica has been taking reining and horsemanship lessons for several years. Jessica recently completed a clinic with her American Paint Horse, Checkers, at the University of Georgia under International Natural Horsemanship Trainer, Paul Dietz, from Arizona.

Jessica is a 2008 graduate of Winder-Barrow High School and is the daughter of Dale and Tonia Harbin of Winder. She is a member of the Winder-Barrow FFA Alumni and currently raises horses and cattle on her family farm.

Interested in helping Jessica?  You can!  A “People’s Choice Award” will be presented to the contestant that receives the most “likes” on their pictures on the Miss Rodeo USA Pageant page. Voting started with the contestant’s profile pictures posted early in December. In order to vote, go to the following link: www.facebook.com/MissRodeoUsaPageant2013, go to Photos, then to Albums and click on the album entitled “MRUSAP14 People’s Choice.” Click on “Like” on Jessica’s photo. Additional albums under “People’s Choice” will be posted for you to vote on during the week-long competition January 13-18, 2014. If you “Like” the Miss Rodeo USA Pageant page, a post will be sent when a new album is uploaded to the MRUSA website.

The Miss Rodeo USA winner will be announced January 19, 2014 during the Sunday performance of the International Finals Rodeo.