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Pasco High teen corrals a title
By CHASE SQUIRES, Times Staff Writer
As Florida's newest Miss Teen Rodeo, the 17-year-old Pasco High student adds weekly rodeo appearances to her schedule that already includes school, competitive horse riding, pageant competitions and a budding modeling career. "It's always fun," she said. "I wouldn't do it if it wasn't." Stearns, a veteran of the pageant circuit with wins not only in Florida but outside the state as well, had twice finished as first runnerup in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association's Miss Teen Rodeo competition. But her big win came March 16 in Lake City. The competition combines the aspects of a pageant with the skill of rodeo riding. Competitors were required not only to look the part but also to score well in interviews with the judges. Then they had to take to the corral and demonstrate their skills. Her win netted her a variety of trophies, including a custom belt buckle and bracelet and a horse blanket, but it comes with a busy schedule of appearances. She spends this weekend at a rodeo in Ocala, and next week she's due to appear at the Odessa rodeo. "It's something that helps you later on in life," she said. "You learn how to meet people, how to talk with people and how not to be nervous. When I first started out, I was pretty shy about it. I didn't want people at school to know, but now I say, "Yeah, that's me.' " Her mother, Kathy, said the family is behind Kristy and enjoys the travel and the competition. "We spend a lot of time driving all over," Kathy Stearns said with a smile. "You just go up and down the state." A room full of trophies and tiaras attests to the family's success on the circuit. When her rodeo reign is over, Stearns said she plans to move up to the Miss Rodeo division, which could propel her to the national finals in Las Vegas. The Miss Rodeo America winner spends a year making appearances at rodeos all over the country. "They say you pretty much give up a year of your life for it, but I think it would be a great experience," she said. In addition to her rodeo duties, Stearns recently took part in a training video for others getting started in pageants. She is also preparing a portfolio to start a modeling career. With her mother, she is a registered wildlife rehabilitator, taking in hurt wild animals and caring for them until they are well enough to be released. After high school, Stearns said she plans on college, but she hasn't decided on a course of study. "I'm just going to see what comes," she said. "I'm interested in a lot of things."
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From today's Pasco Times Jan Glidewell |
