LINCOLN -- Kylee Bobacher's motto is "Be true, be you," something the 2018 Miss Lincoln Riding Club contestant seeks to utilize to transform herself into royalty.
Similar phrases are heard often in rodeo circles, yet Kylee knows living it out goes far beyond what happens in the spotlight of the rodeo arena or pageant threshold.
Sixteen-year-old Kylee, daughter of Sauncie Turn and Mark Bobacher, of Westville, Okla., has a soft spot for rescuing strays, even though she is not supposed to bring them home.
Kylee will be a junior at Westville High School this fall, and hopes to one day become a veterinarian. Kylee has always had a passion for horses and has been riding since she was big enough to climb the fence to get on her first horse, King.
This year's pageant marks Kylee's first opportunity to participate in a rodeo queen contest and she feels privileged to get to do that at Lincoln. She wants to be Miss Lincoln Rodeo so that she can be a positive role model and inspire people to be the best version of themselves and to be confident in who God blessed them to be.
For Kylee, being a rodeo queen is far more than smiling for cameras and waving in parades. She says the buckles will tarnish, and the sashes will fade, but the impact a queen makes can last forever.
Kylee's hope is that sharing her experiences and living her life as an example to others will leave a lasting impact on those who cross her path.
Sports on 08/08/2018