Rodeo queen advisor speaks on her 22 years through rodeo association

COLFAX – Rodeo royalty advisor and the Secretary of rodeo association, Diana Moser, 47 has been advising future rodeo queens for the last 22 years.

“I coordinate the royalty program every year. I am there advisor throughout their whole reigning year from January 1 of the year to their reign on December 31,” Moser said, “They don’t technically start their queen year until January 31.”

Moser loves her role helping rodeo queens become the best version of themselves they can be. “It’s been rewarding for me,” Moser said, “I’ve built a lot of life long relationships and friends with these girls and their families. I hope it’s as rewarding for them as it has been for me.”

The girls who gets crowned this year will be Moser’s 23 queen she’s advised.

Most of Moser’s job includes sending out applications, as well as coordinating the contest which starts in August and September. She meets with the girls to have one our two meetings helping them with horsemanship, hair and makeup, and everything that being a rodeo queen entails. This preparation helps the girls get through the actual contest.

Once the girl is chosen as queen Moser gets the newly crowned queen a custom made traveling crown, buckle, and two sashes. The the queen has to attend at least five Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) rodeos. As well as functions she has to attend, and a fundraiser she has to facilitate and plan. Moser’s job is to help her plan her schedule for the year. “We sit down and coordinate her schedule. Which events she’s going to attend, and book a professional photographer to take professional pictures,” Moser said. Moser can answer questions, but it is the queen’s job to plan her fundraiser.

After working with Princesses and Queens for 22 years Moser has noticed some changes, “20 years ago there was so much emphasis on horsemanship, but there wasn’t as much weight on the public speaking side and I feel like that has shifted,” Moser said, “now they have to be articulate, and good at speaking.” Future queens have to be good communicators to talk to people and promote the rodeo. Advocating for the whole rodeo industry.

Moser is experience with pagentry and the fair side of it, and was a Palouse Empire Fair princess herself, “I was fair royalty in the early 1990s, I think 1993,” Moser said, explaining that she took the program over in 2000 for a friend she shadowed in 1999. Taking over the job for the first year herself in 2000.

“I really enjoy when I meet these girls. Seeing the level of maturity and responsibility they gain throughout the year,” Moser said, “watching them grow mentally emotionally. They become more confident.”

Moser is proud of this year’s rodeo queen Brooke Russell, “Brooke is great. She has done a great job this year,” Moser said, “I would hate to be a judge this year, because the girls we have are fabulous. I wish they could both win, but they have been just absolutely enjoyable.”