ANGLETON Gracie Savage was all smiles when she was crowned Brazoria County’s new Rodeo Queen on Sunday. Savage sat tall in the saddle and even taller with a crown on her head, but she was initially filled with butterflies during the final moments of this year’s competition, she said. "I was really nervous," Savage said.
"When I got called out, I was excited. I really didn't know how to feel. I was just happy.
" Her father, Cody Savage, was as proud as a parent could be, he said. “It’s nice to see all the hard work she’s put into it pay off,” Cody Savage said. “She’s really dedicated herself to this lifestyle, and it’s rewarding to see it come together.
” Although Gracie looked every bit the rodeo queen she is, the competition is not only about looks. From horsemanship skills to public speaking, contestants had to showcase a wide range of talents. “She had to perform, give a speech, do an interview, and then there was the horsemanship part,” said stepmother Natasidy Savage.
Countless hours of preparation went into Gracie Savage’s win. But some of her favorites were spent on the back of the two American Quarter Horses that helped her secure top marks in horsemanship and barrel racing, she said. “I had my barrel horse, and his name is Ram Kam, and then I borrowed a horse from a friend.
His name was RIP,” Gracie Savage said. “For about three weeks, we practiced every day, just the patterns and making sure our horses and everything were ready. It was .
