El Dorado girl named Rodeo Queen at state fair

LITTLE ROCK (Oct. 22, 2011) — Lily Rowland, 19, of El Dorado has been named the 2011 Arkansas State Fair Rodeo Queen. She was crowned Saturday night in Barton Coliseum on the state fairgrounds.

Rowland is a student at the University of Central Arkansas where she is working on a degree in business so she can apply her love of horses and start a facility specializing in horseback riding to teach others about the importance of horsemanship and in therapeutic riding to help special needs children.

Her partner in the 2011 Arkansas State Rodeo Queen contest was a quarter horse named Over Night Deposit that she nicknamed Penny.

Rowland is a former Arkansas State Fair Ambassador, Arkansas 4-H Teen Star, Arkansas State 4-H Ambassador, Arkansas State 4-H Animal State 4-H Animal Science Journal, three-time NBHA Youth World Qualifier, Arkansas Four-H high point individual in 2006 and 2007, three-time Calhoun County All-Round speed event saddle winner, a graduate of the University of Arkansas’ Horseman of Excellence program, 2010 Miss Grant County Rodeo Queen, 2010 East Arkansas Southeast Arkansas Rodeo Queen and 2011 Saline County Rodeo Queen.

Runner-up was Monica Gonzalles, 17, of Cabot, a senior at Beebe High School.

Susan Rhodes, 17, a senior at Lincoln High School in Canehill, was also named Miss Congenialty.

Krista Greenrich, 21, of Fort Smith was named winner for best horsemanship.

Taylor Cox, 16, of Clinton won the award for the best stall.