Miss SLE Rodeo Pageant

The Southeastern Livestock Exposition (SLE) is excited to welcome each applicant who desires to compete for the title of Miss SLE Rodeo (MSLER) or Junior Miss SLE Rodeo (JMSLER). The SLE Rodeo is Alabama's largest professional rodeo, is a proud member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), and ranks in the top 15% of over 700 rodeos. It is our hope that each contestant understands the magnitude of this achievement, and that each is prepared to represent the Southeastern Livestock Exposition in a professional and dignified manner. Throughout the reign, J / MSLER is expected to observe a high standard of moral and ethical behavior at all times including her presence on all social media.

The purpose of J / MSLER is to serve as an ambassador for the Southeastern Livestock Exposition and to professionally represent her title at various rodeos, parades, and public events in Alabama, as well as in television and radio interviews during the SLE Rodeo & Livestock Weeks. She will serve as an ambassador of the sport of rodeo and the western lifestyle. She will also be a leader for future pageant contestants as well as other title holders.

The winners of J / MSLER will be considered a Lady in Waiting until coronation in February 2027 in which J / MSLER will begin her reign immediately. It is expected that she will be able to speak about the SLE mission, how to purchase SLE Rodeo tickets, the schedule of SLE Rodeo Week activities, and achievements of the SLE Rodeo within the PRCA. Whoever wins the title of JMSLER and MSLER should be prepared to participate in the 2027 SLE Rodeo and Livestock Week activities from March 7-21, 2027.

Before applying, please become familiar with the expectations for the 2027 Miss SLE Rodeo and Junior Miss SLE Rodeo titleholders be reviewing the information on this webpage.

The application is at the bottom of this webpage.

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J / MSLER Pageant Information

Important Dates:

Registration Opens: October 1, 2026
Registration Closes: December 1, 2026
All applications, required documentation, and payments must be submitted no later than December 1, 2026.
The MSLER Committee will review every application and notify applicants of approval status by December 15, 2026.

Pageant Date: January 16, 2027
Formalwear Location: Alabama Cattlemen's Association (201 S. Bainbridge Street, Montgomery, AL 36104)
Horsemanship Location: Pike Road Ag Center Arena (6281 Trotman Rd, Montgomery, AL 36116)

Pageant Schedule (subject to change)

JANUARY 16, 2027

Location: Alabama Cattlemen’s Association | 201 S. Bainbridge Street Montgomery, AL 36104

8:30AM Formal Wear Division Check-in

9:00AM Individual Interviews, Media Interviews

10:00AM Written Test

11:00AM Modeling, Impromptu Questions, Speeches

--------Break for lunch--------

Location: Pike Road Ag Center Arena | 6281 Trotman Road Montgomery, AL 36116

2:00PM Mounted Division Check-in (provide proof of negative Coggins)

2:30PM Horsemanship, Hot Lap, Flag Pattern, and Dismounted Interviews (open to the public)

Following Horsemanship: Awards

Coronation Date: February TBD, 2027
Montgomery, AL


J / MSLER Applicant Eligibility Requirements:

• MSLER applicants must be a female between the ages of 17 – 20 years old in 2027
• JMSLER applicants must be a female between the ages of 13 – 16 years old in 2027
• Has never been married or pregnant
• Are not currently holding another pageant title at the time of competition (this does not include titles such as prom queen/winter festival queen/etc. which do not have obligations throughout the year).
• Must have earned a high school diploma or be currently enrolled in a public, private, or home school program and be in good standing
• Must be able to provide her own horse and transportation for the pageant and required rodeo appearances if selected as J / MSLER. Said horse must have proof of current negative Coggins (Coggins will need to be presented at Horsemanship check-in)
• Never have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor

The entry fee for the 2027 J / MSLER pageant is $160.00. Applicants are not subject to a refund for entry fees if it is found that her application does not meet the eligibility requirements which are outlined above.


Payment, if not completed online, can be mailed to the SLE Rodeo Headquarters:

*You can request a payment link in your application if you wish to pay online.
*Checks must be made out to the Southeastern Livestock Exposition.
*It is recommended you mail this in a way that you will be provided with a tracking number.
*This must be postmarked no later than December 1, 2026, or it will not be considered.


Below is a list of required documents that must be submitted digitally with each application:

• Copy of birth certificate
• Proof of high school diploma or current GPA -- must be 2.5 or higher
• Proof of health insurance
• Proof of current Alabama residency (Alabama driver's license or school enrollment)
• 8"x10" color headshot in western attire including a felt cowboy hat

J/MSLER Pageant Dress Code:

J/MSLER contestants will be responsible for obtaining clothing items that fall within the dress code listed below. Let it be noted here that J/MSLER contestants should not show visible tattoos, have facial piercings (nose, lip, tongue, or eyebrow), or have hair that is not a natural color.

• Interview/Speech/Modeling/Written Test: formal rodeo queen attire (felt hat, boots, flashy attention-getting dress/skirt/jumpsuit. Leather is not required.)
• Horsemanship: solid western button-down shirt with no embellishments (cuffs and collar required), Wrangler blue jeans, cowboy boots (no lace-up or zip-up boots), felt cowboy hat, and belt. Chaps are not allowed in this division.

Judged Events

The MSLER pageant will have a panel of three (3) judges. All judges are carefully selected and invited to participate because of their ability and expertise. Should a judge be approached by a contestant’s family, friends, or others whose intent is to influence or harass, the judge will report the contact to the Miss SLE Rodeo Committee and appropriate corrective actions will be taken. There will only be one winner per division selected to hold the titles of JMSLER and MSLER, so should there be a tie in the final scoring, the winner with the highest points in the Interview division will be selected to reign. Scoresheets will be available for contestant review by request only via email to shunter@bamabeef.org until January 31, 2027. A contestant (or guardian) is only allowed to request her own scoresheet from the Miss SLE Rodeo Committee.

A complete list of the judged events are as follows:

• Horsemanship – The purpose of this division is to evaluate each contestant’s horsemanship skills. Each contestant should provide her own horse for the pageant. She will be evaluated on topics such as riding ability, control of horse, mounting and dismounting, balance, and position of hands, feet, and seat. The horse will not be judged – only the contestant’s ability and skill. The rider should appear natural in the saddle with a balanced, functional, and correct position. She will be required to complete a predetermined horsemanship pattern, a hot lap, a flag pattern with a flag provided by the SLE (SLE can supply a flag boot if needed), and a dismounted interview on the dirt with a judge. Judges can request contestants switch horses at any time.
• Modeling – The purpose of this division is to evaluate the stage presence, poise, and grace of each contestant while modeling her formal attire on stage. Each contestant will also be required to answer an on-stage impromptu question.
• Speeches – Each MSLER contestant will be required to give a 2-3 minute on-stage speech during the modeling division. Each JMSLER contestant will be required to give a 1-2 minute on-stage speech during the modeling division. This speech should be focused around promoting the SLE Rodeo & Livestock Week events. This division will be judged on stage presence, personality, content, delivery, and usage of time.
• Interview – Each contestant will be privately interviewed by a panel of judges. Questions asked may test the contestant’s knowledge of the Southeastern Livestock Exposition, equine anatomy and care, personal goals, or PRCA rodeo events, standings, and rules. Topics to be evaluated are presence, personality, quick-wit, and knowledge. At the conclusion of the sit-down interview, each contestant will participate in a faux 2-minute media interview with questions that could cover topics related to entertainment at the SLE Rodeo, the SLE mission, how to purchase rodeo tickets, personal experience, and more.
• Written Test – A written test will be administered which could cover topics related to the Southeastern Livestock Exposition, PRCA and WPRA rodeo, horsemanship, and equine care.
• Most Photogenic – Each contestant must submit one 8”x10” color photo with her application. This headshot must be of the contestant in western attire complete with a felt cowboy hat.

Awards

Awards will be presented to the winners of the following divisions:

• MSLER overall winner, MSLER Most Photogenic, and MSLER Horsemanship
• JMSLER overall winner, JMSLER Most Photogenic, and JMSLER Horsemanship

Disqualifications

At the discretion of the Miss SLE Rodeo committee, contestants may be disqualified for the following infractions: being late to an event, poor sportsmanship, using foul language, animal cruelty, or any attempt to threaten, bribe, influence, harass, or coerce a judge, another contestant, or anyone on site during the MSLER pageant.

Guidelines and Expectations for the Winners of Junior Miss SLE Rodeo and Miss SLE Rodeo

Junior Miss SLE Rodeo and Miss SLE Rodeo are ambassadors who will be noticed by many. During the J/MSLER reign, it is possible that she will be recognized as J/MSLER even when she is not making official appearances, so it is imperative that J/MSLER always looks presentable and conducts herself in an exemplary manner “on and off the clock.” The SLE has a zero-tolerance policy for the use of drugs, tobacco, or alcohol. J/MSLER is not to be married, engaged to be married, or pregnant during her reign. She must also be mindful of what she posts on all social media platforms. If these rules are broken, revocation of title will ensue.

Victoria Suggs is the Miss SLE Rodeo Committee Chairwoman and will be the queen’s point of contact throughout her reign. When the J/MSLER reign is complete, the queen will be responsible for returning the chaps and crown back to Victoria in excellent, like new, condition. Should any damages occur or failure to return the above stated property back to the SLE, the queen will be held financially liable for repair or replacement of said items.

Invitations to events must be approved by Victoria Suggs prior to acceptance or declination. Upon approval, J/MSLER must respond to the invitation within five business days with a polite expression of thanks either accepting or declining. Should J/MSLER accept an invitation, she should extend an offer to help in any way possible. General conduct at events are as follows: J/MSLER must always present herself in the appropriate J/MSLER attire when attending an event. She will arrive early to events and will be professional and poised in her manners (no cursing, making inappropriate or negative remarks or gestures, etc), interact with as many people as possible at each function, and if attending a rodeo, she should arrive one hour prior to performance time. Upon arrival to the rodeo, she is expected to contact an event committee member to notify them of her arrival and hand her bio card to the announcer. It is Miss SLE Rodeo’s responsibility to make sure that Junior Miss SLE Rodeo is taken care of if she is in attendance to the same event. Miss SLE Rodeo will be expected to act as a big sister to JMSLER throughout her reign. Last but not least, be sure to never speak poorly of any aspect of rodeo including, but not limited to, the stock contractor, rodeo committees, officials, horses, equipment, events, etc. J/MSLER is a representative of the rodeo industry, therefore she must portray a positive light on the sport.

For questions, contact:
Sarah Hunter
shunter@bamabeef.org

This opportunity is a year-long commitment and will require some out-of-pocket expenses related to travel. The Southeastern Livestock Exposition will provide MSLER with bio cards, autograph sheets, and thank you notes to utilize during her reign. The SLE will also help cover some of MSLER’s travel expenses. Our expectation is that she will be required to represent our organization in official queen attire at the following events (unless otherwise specified by the SLE). Please note that the SLE can provide a school excuse for weekday events:

2027 J / MSLER MANDATORY TRAVEL SCHEDULE:

Be aware before you apply, J/MSLER will have a travel schedule that she must adhere to. If unable to attend an appearance, a written request must be submitted to the Pageant Chairperson at least one week prior to the event. The SLE will provide a school excuse for weekday events.

• February TBD, 2027: SLE Rodeo Sponsor Reception and Miss SLE Rodeo Coronation (Alabama Cattlemen's Association)
• March 7-21, 2027: SLE Rodeo Activities (Montgomery, AL)
  • March 7: Beef and Swine Shows (Garrett Coliseum) - arena attire
  • March 12, 13, 14: SLE Youth Rodeo Showdown and Alabama Select Horse Sale (Garrett Coliseum) - arena attire
    • Official Photoshoot - formal attire (dependent on photographer schedule)
  • March 18: Miracle Rodeo - evening event (Garrett Coliseum) - western casual attire
  • March 19, 20, 21: PRCA Rodeo Performances (Garrett Coliseum) - arena attire
  • March 19: Parade - noon (downtown Montgomery) - arena attire
  • March 21: Cowboy Church (Garrett Coliseum) - arena attire
• 5 (Miss) or 3 (Junior Miss) Alabama County Cattlemen’s Association rodeos
• September 23, 2027: SLE Annual Meeting and Dinner (Wetumpka Civic Center)
• December 2027 - NFR: You have the opportunity to attend Miss Rodeo America festivities and the NFR with SLE leadership (not required)
• December 2027 - NFR Round 9: SLE Rodeo Membership NFR Watch Party (Alabama Cattlemen's Association)
• February TBD, 2028: Miss SLE Rodeo Coronation to pass the crown (Montgomery, AL)
• Other events TBD with MSLER Committee Chairperson, Victoria Suggs.

A detailed rodeo and livestock week schedule will be provided to the winners.

FORMAL ATTIRE: Felt hat/crown, buckle, boots, sash, flashy dress/skirt/jumpsuit. Leather is not required.
ARENA ATTIRE: Felt hat/crown, buckle, boots, sash, Wrangler jeans, arena shirt, chaps (if riding)
WESTERN CASUAL: Felt hat/crown, buckle, boots, sash, Wrangler jeans, blazer/vest

*SLE will provide: crown, buckle, chaps, sashes

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