Morgan County Sheriff’s Rodeo Queen Jessica Harston of Winder, Ga. will leave Jan. 10, for the Miss Rodeo USA Pageant held in Oklahoma City, Okla.

As part of the International Finals Rodeo (IFR), hosted by the International Pro Rodeo Association (IPRA), Harston will compete as one of 10 finalists in a week-long competition that includes horsemanship, interviews, exams, and modeling with hopes of bringing this distinctive honor back to the State of Georgia for the first time in history.

Harston will be representing her current title of Miss Morgan County Sheriff’s Rodeo Queen from Morgan County, Alabama at the IFR, a title she won in April 2013 in Priceville.

“It would be a great honor to win. But I’m competing for a job, not just a title,” Harston stated. “The ability to promote the sport of Rodeo and to become an advocate for kindness in our community and throughout the US is an opportunity of a lifetime.”

If Harston is crowned Miss Rodeo USA, she will travel the country visiting schools and events delivering her platform speech, “Who You Are” which promotes diversity and happiness with being created “perfectly imperfect”.

Harston recently graduated from the University of Georgia in December 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in animal science with an emphasis in equine management, where she was part of the large animal critical care team at the UGA Vet School and a teacher assistant for equine classes at UGA.

A member of the Rhinestone Rodeo Chics Equine Drill Team, Harston has been taking reining and horsemanship lessons for several years. She recently completed a clinic with her American Paint Horse, Checkers, at the University of Georgia under international natural horsemanship Trainer Paul Dietz from Arizona.

Harston is a 2008 graduate of Winder-Barrow High School and is the daughter of Dale and Tonia Harbin of Winder. She is a member of the Winder-Barrow FFA Alumni and currently raises horses and cattle on her family farm.

The Miss Rodeo USA winner will be announced Jan. 19, 2014, during the Sunday performance of the International Finals Rodeo.