For the first time in a decade, and likely longer, the Santa Maria Elks Rodeo queen contest has six competing for the crown at the 80th annual event with representatives from the Cuyama and Lompoc valleys in addition to Santa Maria and Guadalupe.

A dinner Saturday night introduced the sextet launching their intense campaigns, with the help of sponsors, families and friends, to raise the most money and capture the crown.

“It’s great,” said Peter Sterling, Elks Recreation president and longtime leader of the queen contest. “I was pleasantly surprised we got six this year.”

Young ladies vying for the crown and their sponsors for 2023 are: Paige Beal for the Santa Maria Noontime Kiwanis Club, Michaela Jamison for the VTC Enterprises, Courtney Lauderdale for the Black Student Union, Adrena Longoria for the Northern Santa Barbara County United Way, Brisa Lopez for the Cuyama Valley Exchange Club and Justine Lopez for the Guadalupe Kiwanis Club.

The queens will seek to follow 2022 Rodeo Queen Rylie Halsell.

The Elks Rodeo, marking its 80th edition, is scheduled for June 1-4 at the Santa Maria Elks/Unocal Event Center.

“We’re just looking for a great year,” Sterling added.

In the mid-1990s, the contest attracted eight or nine contestants but has seen smaller fields in recent years especially because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Smaller didn’t necessarily mean less money raised, with one year’s campaigns collecting more than $1 million. 

The celebration highlighted the decades of history for the queen contests, which began in 1947. 

Since then, the queens and their sponsoring committees have raised more than $15 million for youth recreation and youth programs. 

This year’s queen contest includes the return to a Cuyama Valley contestant along with one from the Lompoc Valley.

In addition, one of the stalwart sponsors, the Guadalupe Kiwanis Club, will again enter a candidate after decades of being one of the most steady participants in the event.

“They’ve been the one that’s ready to run any year, every year,” Sterling said.

Beal, a Blochman School graduate, now attends St. Joseph High School, where she’s a junior and a scholar athlete. She hopes to become a chemical engineer to be part of the solution to dealing with pollution.

Jamison, a Righetti High School junior, has dreamed of running for rodeo queen since she was princess for a day in 2017. After high school, she plans to attend a four-year university and major in education.

Lauderdale, a senior at Cabrillo High School, has been active in school and community activities, including conducting door-to-door outreach for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. She plans to study kinesiology after graduating from Cabrillo. 

Lognoria, a Righetti High School senior, has been active in the school’s FFA chapter and its golf team while also helping with campaigns for other rodeo queens. She plans to attend college and pursue a career in agriculture. 

Brisa Lopez, of Cuyama Valley High School, has played varsity volleyball and basketball, leading to role as a volunteer youth sport coach at the elementary school. She remains determined to be the first in her family to attend college and hopes to pursue law enforcement career. 

Justine Lopez, a second-year student at Allan Hancock College, graduated from Guadalupe schools and Righetti High. She also works as a recreation leader for the City of Santa Maria. After Hancock, she intends to earn a liberal arts degree to become an elementary school teacher.

The winner of the queen contest typically is announced during the Friday night rodeo performance, which this year is set for June 2.

In addition to four days of rodeo action, the event will include a parade traveling south on Broadway and starting at 9 a.m. June 3.

For more information, visit elksrec.com or call 805.925.4125.