Martina Holtkamp named Miss Strathmore Stampede 2022

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Martina Holtkamp has been crowned Miss Strathmore Stampede 2022. 

Following her coronation, she was more than happy to discuss her thoughts about being a rodeo queen and her experiences through the competition. 

“What I like about the Strathmore Stampede is they’re a very unique rodeo — the Running With the Bulls is a very unique event to Strathmore, the fact that they put on a rodeo school following the Stampede where they look to build the future rodeo (stars) and the next generation of athletes and build the sport that way,” said Holtkamp, who explained that it has been a goal of hers to be a rodeo queen since the age of seven after seeing the “gorgeous people with the sparkles and rhinestones riding horses.”

As Holtkamp got older and learned more about the role of a rodeo queen for the sport and for the community, it only added to her ambition.

“You’re acting as an advocate and an ambassador for the sport. So that comes to education on the sport of rodeo, representing the Town of Strathmore, and just building that bridge connecting people who may be outside the sport and that action that’s going on in the rodeo arena to those who might be inside it,” said Holtkamp, who was previously the Rimbey rodeo queen in 2014, and was crowned Miss Rodeo Sundre in 2016.

Following those titles, she took a hiatus from pageantry to travel, establish her career and participate in rodeo events herself.

“I’m now on the older age of rodeo queens and I thought, ‘I want to do it one more time. I love those experiences and I want to do it again,’” said Holtkamp.

As a competition, becoming a rodeo queen is attained through a series of judged events such as a fashion show, public speaking event, personal interviews, a written exam and an evaluation of horsemanship.

“It takes a lot of work and a lot of learning,” said Holtkamp. “(I’ve) actually prepared heavily from reaching out to different people, letting me ride their horse. So I could practice to preparing public speaking, I’ve gone to clinics to develop my skills and abilities to give myself the best shot at winning this role.”

Holtkamp added her own background in rodeo includes ladies cow riding — which has rules similar to bull riding, except competitors are allowed to ride with both hands secured instead of one and they are atop cows instead of bulls. 

Additionally, she has competed in goat tagging during her tenure in college rodeo, being an active member of a team, as well as acting president of her rodeo club.

Holtkamp said she also sat on the Canadian Intercollegiate Rodeo Association for two years while she was competing and is now the secretary of the Rimbey Agricultural Society.

“I grew up with horses, rodeo queening opened my eyes more to being a competitor and I choose to pursue that a little further,” said Holtkamp. “I have also loved building the sport of rodeo with some of these volunteer positions on different boards.”