She’s beauty, she’s grace, she’s Miss Rodeo USA

When not in class, Harmony Latham, a senior marketing major, spends her time promoting professional rodeos as the newly crowned Miss Rodeo USA.

What is Miss Rodeo USA? It’s one of the most intriguing national pageants.

Latham is the ambassador and face of the International Professional Rodeo Association (IPRA), a group that sanctions about 300 rodeos throughout Canada and the United States. What did it take for Harmony to get there?

As the saying goes, this is not her first rodeo.

The pageant is a cross between the two worlds of rodeo and beauty pageants, which according to Harmony and her family, are things that she has been passionate about all her life.

Being on horseback is something that she and her younger brother Garrett have been doing since before she could even walk. So, to combine the two things she loves—beauty pageants and horseback riding—was perfect for her.

“This is a dream Harmony has had for a very long time. I think [she] went after this title because of the opportunities it would present her to help others,” said Blake Robertson, a senior business management major and close friend of Harmony’s who helped her prepare for the pageant.

“She studied constantly, and all of last semester she was still a full-time student at APU. She was studying on top of her work here for horse knowledge, memorizing patterns, the speeches she had to memorize, getting ready for press interviews to learn about the whole International Pro Rodeo Association,” said Garrett Latham, junior business management major and Harmony’s younger brother.

Harmony also had to be in peak physical condition in order to be healthy and strong throughout the competition. Horseback riding is a pretty dangerous sport after all.

Although Harmony had all of these qualifying factors, she knew there were also many other girls that she competed with who could offer their own charms and strengths to the pageant.

“You still have to have a life to live, and you have to have a backup plan if you do not win,” Harmony explained. “I planned spring semester as if I was coming back, however, and had my leave of absence ready to send pending the win.”

When the girls finally went into the pageant, it was a week-long process of interviews, modeling, runways, horsemanship, and speeches, all without being in contact with their families at all.

It was quite a nerve-wracking experience when they reached the end of the week, not knowing where they stood and having no idea whether they even placed.

“They just start naming fourth runner up, third runner up, second runner up, first runner up… and by that time you’re like, ‘Well, I either won it all or didn’t place,’ ” Harmony said.

She recalled the feeling of performing as Miss Rodeo USA for the first time.

“The feeling of walking into a blacked out arena with the spotlight on you in front of all of the fans will be one I hold dear for forever,” she said.

Harmony will be traveling across the country to rodeos and towns throughout the year, helping promote local rodeos and gain more supporters.

She’ll be talking to many school-aged children, helping them realize that “rodeo is the sport that supports the backbone of America and brings the ranching, agricultural and western lifestyles that we embrace to the public eye.”

“When Harmony sets her mind to something, nothing can hold her back from achieving her goal,” Robertson said.

If you would like to follow Harmony’s year as Miss Rodeo USA, visit her Facebook page “Miss Rodeo USA 2016 Harmony Latham” and her Twitter and Instagram at Miss Rodeo USA, as well as her blog on missrodeousa.com.

Miss Rodeo USA 2016 – Harmony Latham
Wrightwood, California

As the sun sets on the 50th Miss Rodeo USA pageant, Harmony Latham is honored to add her name to the list of other beautiful and inspirational women that have represented the Miss Rodeo USA Association and the International Professional Rodeo Association. Latham excitedly brings the crown home to Wrightwood, California and the Hesperia Wranglers.

Latham is a senior at Azusa Pacific University where she studies business marketing with a background in biology. She is the daughter of Blake and Kerri Latham and has one younger brother, Garrett, who is her biggest supporter, competitor and friend. Latham hopes to stay involved with rodeo and family as she pursues a career in the medical or rodeo industry after she graduates in May 2017.

As she grew up in a small community in Southern California, she competed in numerous sporting events, pageants and equestrian shows. However, it wasn’t until high school when she identified that you certainly can combine all areas of her passions into one. Latham dug into her family roots in order to follow her mother’s passion for cattle work and barrel racing and her father’s background in ranching to reach her own rodeo dreams. Rodeo is something that has always been important to her and she cannot thank the people that have always supported her endeavors enough.

During her year as Miss Rodeo USA 2016, Latham will be speaking on the program that she grew up participating in, called “Royalty Reading.” She is looking forward to talking with all types of people about the importance of literacy and education as our world progresses. By bringing books to children and inspiring people to put down the electronics and pick up literature, she is excited to bring the world of reading and imagination to others.

Becoming Miss Rodeo USA is not only a dream come true for Latham, but a wonderful accomplishment that she could not have reached alone. Through hard work, determination, learning and becoming involved in various activities, she is honored to represent the sport of professional rodeo and the western way of life. The greatest sport on dirt is one that has brought the ranching lifestyles of many to the public eye. Latham could not be more excited to represent the International Professional Rodeo Association cowboys and cowgirls as she travels throughout the year.

As the 100,000-mile journey progresses throughout the year, Miss Rodeo USA 2016, Harmony Latham, looks forward to meeting you on the rodeo road and creating memories to last a lifetime while promoting the sport we all hold near and dear.