Strathmore Stampede crowns newest rodeo queen

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Strathmore Stampede is soon to crown their next rodeo queen, having selected Kesten Savage to be their ambassador for the next year. 

Currently the “lady in waiting,” Savage will officially be handed down the title from Aliera Chernoff during this year’s Strathmore Stampede operations. 

“I am just very excited. I have wanted this for a really long time, and I have tried at two other rodeos to be a rodeo queen,” said Savage. “I worked hard throughout the year to prepare for this, and I’m very honoured and very excited to have this position and be trusted with this role and to represent the Strathmore Stampede.”

She explained a previous roadblock she had encountered when attempting to achieve a rodeo queen title was in regard to her public speaking ability. 

To remedy this, she joined a Toastmasters group near the tail end of 2025. Exercises through joining the group had Savage refining both her delivery of prepared speeches, as well as for impromptu instances.

“They molded me into a way better public speaker. That definitely prepared me, my confidence level – having all the right tools and things in your belt to just be able to go in with confidence gives you that leg up to be the best person you can be through the competition process,” said Savage. “I was very fortunate to be able to bring in all the right tools and have all the right things and just go in with all that confidence, and it really helped at the end of the day … I just felt way better prepared.”

The competition process consisted of a radio interview, a written exam testing knowledge of Strathmore, and the Canadian Pro Rodeo Association, among other topics, sponsor visits, parade participation, public speaking, and a horsemanship exam. 

For the equestrian component, candidates were given a prepared pattern which they were allowed to practice ahead of time, as well as an impromptu pattern expected to be completed on site. 

Savage, originally hailing from Calgary, explained her interest in rodeo pageantry started at a young age, having seen the Calgary Stampede royalty on numerous occasions and being inspired by them.

“I wrote my speech about how I admired rodeo queens growing up because it has been such a big thing for me for a very long time and something that I have always dreamed of doing since I was a little girl,” she said. “It meant a lot to me to be able to put my name into the ring and eventually become a rodeo queen myself, which was super exciting.”

Savage has participated as a Calgary Stampede Showrider and has competed for rodeo crowns in Cochrane and Okotoks prior to finding her queenship in Strathmore.