Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Bailey Nachtigal, a Davenport native, is crowned Miss Rodeo Washington 2023 by Miss Rodeo Washington 2022 Lexy Hibbs Sunday, Oct. 9.
ELLENSBURG-A Davenport native achieved a goal she's had since she was 12 years old over the weekend. Bailey Nachtigal, 25, of Rocklyn was named Miss Rodeo Washington 2023 at the annual pageant Sunday, Oct. 9.
Nachtigal, a doctor of chiropractic services with a certification in animal chiropractic, stood out amongst four finalists over the three-day pageant at Hotel Windrow a short distance from Central Washington University. It was a homecoming of sorts for Nachtigal, who graduated a Wildcat in 2019.
"I've been preparing for this really since I was 12," Nachtigal said. "That was when I got my first rodeo queen."
That first title came in 2010 as the Drover's Junior Rodeo Association Queen. Since then, Nachtigal's crowns started to pile up.
She earned titles of 2011 Eastern Washington Junior Rodeo Queen, 2012 Junior Miss Rodeo Washington, 2013-14 Washington State High School Rodeo Queen (finishing top 10 nationally) and 2016 Miss Teen Rodeo.
Now, she's achieved the highest rodeo queen title in the state...despite breaking her ankle three weeks before the pageant.
"This was the ultimate goal," Nachtigal said.
She plans to take it one step further next year by running for Miss Rodeo America in Dec. 2023. Her reign officially begins Jan. 1.
Nachtigal competed against finalists Mollee Gray of Spokane and Piper Schirm and Nikki Manlow of Kennewick. The pageant was a lengthy affair that included tests of horsemanship with a personal horse, horsemanship with a draw horse, a horsemanship interview, impromptu speech, a personal interview, knowledge test, sponsorship and fashion show.
She won the horsemanship and speech portions, as well as being named the best presenter at the pageant.
Nachtigal rode her American quarter horse, 26-year-old Robbie, for the personal horsemanship portion.
"He used to be a reining horse but has been a reliable pasture horse for a while," Nachtigal said. "He was more than excited to get out and compete again."
Nachtigal received the crown from Miss Rodeo Washington 2022 Lexy Hibbs Sunday. One of her next tasks as the subsequent queen is traveling to Las Vegas to support Hibbs' pursuit of Miss Rodeo America at the Southpoint Hotel starting Nov. 17.
After Nachtigal's reign begins Jan. 1, she plans to travel to Denver to compete in cowboy downhill Jan. 16. She'll be working during the week and traveling Thursday-Sunday across the country attending various rodeos.
"I'll get to go to Florida, Texas," Nachtigal said. "I'm hopefully going to be at every major rodeo in Washington."
She said she's circled her hometown Lincoln County Rodeo on her calendar next year on that tour.
On top of work and Miss Rodeo responsibilities, Nachtigal hopes to compete in rodeos as time allows.
She currently lives on the family ranch west of Davenport near Rocklyn with her parents, Doug and Robin Nachtigal, and sister, Payton Nachtigal. The family has been ranching there for 27 years, raising horses and cattle.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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