Polk County Beef Queen Scholarship Pageant applications now being accepted

The Polk County Cattlemen's Association is now accepting applications for the 2022-2023 Polk County Beef Queen.

The new Beef Queen’s reign will begin Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022 of this year and end on Oct. 12, 2023.

The winner of the Beef Queen Pageant will be awarded a $1,000 scholarship, a crown, and a sash. The Beef Queen will be allowed to keep the crown at the end of her reign but will return the sash to the next reigning Beef Queen. All other contestants will receive a gift.

Serving with the Polk County Cattlewomen, Marla Moreland tells the importance of getting young women involved in this opportunity.

“This is not a beauty pageant. This really is more of an ambassador for beef, and it’s someone who can talk to young people about it,” Moreland says. “Someone who can get kids enthused about it. Get young women enthused about it.”

As the current Polk County Beef Queen, Madeline Payne, of Bolivar, is delighted to be able to communicate the agricultural community’s initiatives to the youth of Polk County.

“The Beef Queen’s job is to advocate for all things beef and agriculture. My goal was to target getting this information to our next generations,” explains Payne.

The Polk County Beef Queen will represent the Polk County Cattlemen’s Association in the Missouri Beef Days parade in May 2023 and the Bolivar Area Chamber of Commerce’s Christmas parade in December 2023, along with other community events.

She will be chaperoned by her parent(s) or a Polk County Cattlewoman at all beef promotion events.

During her reign, Payne has been able to wear her Beef Queen crown at different public gatherings.

“My favorite thing so far would have to be getting to ride the American flag out at the 2022 Missouri Beef Days Rodeo,” Payne states. “It definitely made my inner cowgirl squeal, and was so fun watching the little girls in the crowd fascinated by the sparkly tiara.”

Payne says that her role as Beef Queen keeps her pretty busy, but she says that it’s been a lot of fun and that the Cattlemen “never – and I mean never – let you go home from an event hungry!”

Upon being crowned Polk County Beef Queen, the contestant also has the option to compete in the 2023 Missouri Beef Queen competition.

With her title as Polk County Beef Queen, Payne applied for the state-level competition and was also crowned the 2022 Missouri Beef Queen.

“Through the Missouri Beef Queen Instagram page and my presence at the various events I have attended, I truly feel I have been able to play my part in doing just that,” Payne says. “I have always said there is power in a woman’s voice in agriculture; the Missouri Beef Queen is that
voice but with a dazzling tiara on top.”

To be eligible for the Beef Queen Scholarship, contestants must be females, 16 to 21 years of age by December 31, 2022. Previous contestants can re-apply for the pageant.

Contestants must also be a Collegiate or Junior member of Missouri Cattlemen’s Association (MCA) or Missouri CattleWomen (MCW) or her parent(s) must be a MCA or MCW member. The contestants need to have a background or interest in agriculture or the beef industry.

Each applicant must not be married, pregnant, or have a child; be a resident of Missouri; and must not have been convicted of a crime or have pending criminal charges.

“For those who are aspiring to be queens or to take any leadership role of any kind, I would say to remember that your taking of this position isn’t necessarily all about you,” Payne advises. “It is about doing what is right and setting an example for others who look up to you and trust you to
represent a group of people. So be as professional as possible. But most importantly never forget to let your passion flow through and your unique light shine in every aspect of the role being taken.”

Polk County Beef Queen applications are available upon request via email to Moreland at mlhenry1@windstream.net.

In order to apply, each contestant will need to submit a completed application, a head-and-shoulders photo, and a resume of scholastic awards, work, and volunteer history.

All contestants will complete a 10-minute interview with a panel of three judges. The contestants will also present a 3- to 5-minute speech about “the greatest challenge facing the beef community and the role young people can play in addressing that challenge.”

“The process to become Polk County Beef Queen wasn’t hard at all! Just an application and interview and you are well on your way to your time in the leather sash and tiara,” Payne says. “If you are interested in applying for state or Polk County Beef Queen, you can email me at
missouribeefqueen@gmail.com for more information.”

Applications, photos, and resumes can be mailed to the following address: Marla Moreland – Polk County Cattlewomen, 1413 West Broadway, Bolivar, MO 65613. Submissions can also be emailed to mlhenry1@windstream.net.

All submissions are required to be emailed, mailed, or delivered by Friday, Sept. 30. Applications must be emailed or postmarked by Friday, Sept. 30; late submissions will not be accepted.

For a full list of rules, requirements, and other details about the Polk County Beef Queen Scholarship Pageant, contact Moreland at 417-399-1349.