When Jessica Harston says she grew up on the back of a horse, she’s not kidding.
“I’ve been riding a horse since I was in the womb,” Harston said.
Growing up, the Winder native was teased about being the “horse girl,” and it wasn’t uncommon for her parents to pick her up on horseback.
But it wasn’t until three years ago that Harston’s fairy tale began when she entered the world of rodeo pageants. Almost before she knew it, Harston was crowned the first Miss Rodeo Georgia in 13 years, and she wasn’t done. Sunday night, the 24-year-old was crowned Miss Rodeo USA. She’s the first Georgia woman to ever hold the title in the pageant’s 52-year history.
“It hasn’t hit me yet,” Harston said Tuesday afternoon. “My voice is going. I got so excited, I was hyperventilating.”
Dressed head to toe in white — from her jeans, boots, sparkling top up to her cowgirl hat — Harston’s reaction was shock when her name was called as the winner inside State Fair Arena in Oklahoma City. She was handed flowers, waved and smiled for pictures, just like any pageant winner. Then, she mounted a horse for a victory lap.
This was, after all, a rodeo pageant. Contestants were judged not only on appearance, interview skills and personality, but also talent.
“Our talent is horsemanship,” Harston said. “We are given a horse that is completely random. It’s very luck of the draw.”
Contestants then must mount the horse and ride a reigning pattern. There’s no time for a rider to get accustomed to her partner.
“When it comes down to it, there’s absolutely no way to prepare for that aspect of the pageant,” Harston said. “It truly shows how well a girl can ride.”
Harston didn’t win the horsemanship portion of the competition, but her score was high enough to make her the overall pageant winner. She relied on her lifelong riding experience, along with her new-found love of the pageant glamour. It’s fun styling her hair, applying makeup and wearing custom-made clothes for competition. But underneath it all, Harston said she’s the same gal she’s always been.
“On any given normal day, you can find me with my hair up, messy, jeans and boots,” she said.
The 2008 Winder-Barrow High School graduate and 2013 UGA graduate is considering law school as her next career move. But as national rodeo queen, Harston has a busy year ahead of her filled with appearances from coast to coast. She’ll have the chance to share her speaking platform, called “Share with One Another.” Harston said it’s a positive message of simply encouraging people to help others.
She also hopes to inspire others to follow in her footsteps, including young girls with a passion for horseback riding and adults considering a new challenge.
“You’re never too old to try something new,” Harston said. “I like that I am a true example. I have my own Cinderella story.”
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