Dec. 31 is the last day applications will be accepted for the 2022 Lost Dutchman Days Rodeo Royalty Pageant.

The pageant is held annually to select three young ladies to fulfill the titles of queen, senior teen queen and junior teen queen to serve as a representative for Lost Dutchman Days Rodeo Committee for a year.

Lost Dutchman Days Rodeo queens promote Lost Dutchman Days throughout Arizona by attending Superstition Mountain Promotional Corp.-sanctioned events as well as visiting rodeos and pageants across the state, according to the royalty court application.

“They are responsible for carrying the title proudly and fulfilling duties assigned by the Lost Dutchman Days Rodeo Royalty Committee to the best of their ability. Breaking any eligibility requirements, rules, agreements and/or contracts will disqualify a contestant from the competition and cause her to forfeit any title as well as all awards at any time,” it states.

Applications at lostdutchmandays.org/lost-dutchman-days-royalty must be filled out and e-mailed to Heidi Erickson, the Lost Dutchman Days royalty director, at misslostduchmandays@yahoo.com. E-mail her or call her at 480-603-6819 with any questions.

Each year the Lost Dutchman Days Committee provides a college scholarship award for the woman who wins the Lost Dutchman Days Rodeo queen contest. The 2022 LDD queen will be awarded a $1,000 scholarship that is collectable annually, up to four years, at the accredited college, university or trade school of her choice. This award will be made available for tuitions or books associated with the enrollment, according to the 2020 queen packet.

The pageant will be held Jan. 8, 2022.

There are three age categories for the contestants:

• Queen contestants must not be less than 18 or more than 26 as of the first day of the competition, Jan. 8, 2022.
• Senior teen queen contestants must not be less than 14 or more than 17 as of the first day of the competition, Jan. 8, 2022.
• Junior teen queen contestants must not be less than 10 or more than 13 as of the first day of the competition, Jan. 8, 2022, according to the queen packet.

“Contestants must be a resident of Arizona as of Jan. 1 of the year of competition. The Lost Dutchman Days title holders must remain living within Arizona during their reign. If you are studying at an institution outside of Arizona as of Jan. 1 of the competition year you are not eligible to compete for a Lost Dutchman Days Rodeo Royalty title,” it states.

“All contestants will be required to compete in horsemanship including a set pattern, pushing cattle, flag run and presentation run (hot lap),” according to a pageant document.

There will be a minimum horsemanship score to qualify to hold an LDD queen title, it states.

“There will be one pattern for junior teen competitors and a separate pattern for senior teen and queen competitors... Horsemanship attire will be rodeo queen attire,” it states.

“You will also be required to complete a private interview with the judges. The private interviews will be held at the Elk’s Lodge, which is right up the road from the rodeo grounds. Interviews will be held immediately following horsemanship and prior to lunch. Interview attire will be jeans and a jacket (professional),” it states.

After the pageant, the 2022 court will remain “in waiting” until the 2021 LDD royalty steps down at the crowning ceremony before the Sunday LDD Rodeo performance. At that time, the 2022 queens will be presented and they will do the presentation runs at the Sunday rodeo performance as well as push cattle and run sponsor flags.

The Lost Dutchman Days Rodeo is Feb. 25-27, 2022. Go to lostdutchmandays.org for the schedule.