THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 11, 1994 TAG: 9412090287
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
Brandy Steele sits pretty, if not tall, in the saddle. The 24-year-old Beach resident rides out toward the sunset today heading for Oklahoma City, where she will try to become the Queen of the Rodeo. She has already blazed a trail through her hometown. She won Miss Tidewater Western Riders Queen in January.
``I'm the first one from our club to go to Oklahoma City for the contest,'' said Steele, as she put her horse, Tuffy, through practice paces the Sunday before leaving.
Steele will be one of 25 women competing for the coveted title at the International Finals of Rodeo, Dec. 11-18. The contestants are judged in three areas.
``Horsemanship is 20 percent; personality and appearance are 40 percent each,'' Steele said.
The queen must be single, between the ages of 18 and 24, and have no children.
Steele, a Kellam graduate, has been riding since she was 5, both English and, for the past four years, Western style. Horsemanship should come easily enough. She rides an hour a day nearly every day. To prepare for her queenly quest, Steele also has been attending Charm Associates for 10 weeks.
``They've helped with etiquette, preparing speeches for the interviews, media appearances. Showing me what fork to use, stuff like that,'' she said. ``people act surprised when I tell them that, but it's more than just riding around on a horse. They give us a written test to test our knowledge of rodeo. It's how well you represent rodeo, the sport.''
Steele was introduced to rodeo four years ago by her friend, Julie McClenny, a barrel racer. Rodeo has become Steele's social life, too, she said.
``I go to rodeos in North Carolina, South Carolina, all over the South. I love rodeos.''
When she is not riding or going to rodeos, Steele works for Stihl, in an unlikely job for an aspiring queen: she drives a fork-lift for the German-owned chain-saw manufacturer. In fact, Stihl featured Steele in a recent company newsletter.
``I've always been independent,'' Steele said. ``My mom helped me be that way. I always wanted to do things for myself and kind of go my own way, even when I was really small.'' She is the daughter of Linda Powers and Fred Steele Jr.
If Steele continues to have her way, she will be going a long way. She would like to get a commercial driver's license and drive the big rigs, the 18-wheelers, over the road.
``It's expensive to go for this title,'' Steele said. ``My company has supported me all the way, from giving me the time off to paying for clothes for the appearance.''
She started work at the company six years ago, and her first paycheck went toward - you guessed it - buying a horse.
``There's never been an East Coast girl who was queen,'' she said. ``They've come from out West or the Midwest. It'd be great to be the first, because this is it for me. This is my first and last shot. Next year, I'll be too old.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photos by GARY EDWARDS
``I'm the first one from our club to go to Oklahoma City for the
contest,'' said Brandy Steele, as she put her horse, Tuffy, through
practice paces.
Brandy Steele, a Kellam graduate, will be one of 25 women competing
for the national title at the International Finals of Rodeo.
by CNB