Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 31, Number 11, 1 November 2014 — Off to the Miss Rodeo America Pageant [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Off to the Miss Rodeo America Pageant

This past July Moloka'i girl Cheyanne Kauionalani Du vauchelle Keliihoomalu was selected to be Miss Rodeo Hawai'i 2014. Since being notified so late in the year, she has had only a few months to prepare for this event. This is such a great opportunity as she will be representing not only Moloka'i, but Hawai'i, in the Miss Rodeo American

Pageant being held in early December in Las Vegas. Cheyanne is the daughter of Deanna and Kalapana Keliihoomalu. She grew up in Maunaloa, Moloka'i, and she startedparticipating inrodeos at the age of 4. Cheyanne also spent years participating in the Hawai'i High School Rodeo Association and the Moloka'i 4-H Livestock club. Her family has deep roots in the paniolo history on Moloka'i. She is the granddaughter of Moloka'i Paniolo Jimmy Duvauchelle. He worked for the Moloka'i Ranch for 42 years until it closed its operations in 2008. After that he operated Pohakuloa Ranch, where he worked alongside his children as well as his grandchildren. According to Lu Ann Mahiki Lankford-Faborito, the Hawai'i State Director for the National Miss RodeoAmerican Pageant: "TheMiss Rodeo Hawai'i program provides a venue for our state cowgirls to share our uniqueness at the nahonal stage during the Miss Rodeo America Pageant. Scholarship opportunities are over $50,000 for contestants vying for the ehanee to be the ambassador of rodeo throughout our country.

Hawai'i brings the Paniolo culture, whieh is far more unique versus the mainland style of ranching and working cattle. The methods and techniques used in Hawai'i have been adapted to the style of usefulness to work and drive cattle through lava, mountains and down to the oeean." The annual Miss Rodeo America Pageant hosts beautiful and talented

cowgirls from across the country. During the weeklong event, whieh takes plaee a little before the Wrangler's National Finals Rodeo, the cowgirls are judged in the major categories of personality, appearance, horsemanship, and rodeo knowledge and presentation. They will do this through demonstrating their skills in puhlie speaking, personal interviewing, horsemanship, knowledge of rodeo and general horse science, current-event awareness, photogenic qualities, visual poise and overall professionalism. The Miss Rodeo America Pageant has recognized the need for scholarships to help contestants further their education. The Miss Rodeo America Scholarship Foundation was established in 1998 to broaden the scope of the scholarship program. Prior to the Foundation's inception, Miss Rodeo America Ine. distributed thousands of dollars annually in scholarship benefits to help talented young women to further their studies and heeome tomorrow's leaders. Let us all wish Cheyanne good luek and great success. If you would like to help, please feel free to eontact my office at (808) 594-1837. ■

Cūlette Y. Machade Chairpersūn, Trustee Muluka'i and Lāna'i

Cheyanne Keliihoomalu, second from right, wilh her parents ūeanna and Kalapana Keliihoomalu and grandfather Jimmy Duvauchelle. - Courtesy: Lu Ann Mahiki Lankford-Faborito