Audrey Sholty

Miss Rodeo Montana 2008

Audrey Sholty is the 19 year old daughter of Jeff and Lynne Sholty of Missoula, was named Miss Rodeo Montana 2008 in front of a packed house at the Great Falls Hampton Inn January 13th.   Along with the title, Sholty swept all of the category awards, including the Style Show Award, Photogenic Award, Speech Award, Horsemanship, Personality, Appearance, and Projection & Presentation.  Shantell Frame of St. Ignatius was named 1^st Runner Up and took home the Congeniality Award.

Contestants competed for four days in a rigorous competition involving horseback riding; giving a 3-minute speech on the State of Montana, modeling in a Style Show, answering impromptu questions, and being interviewed privately by the judges.  Judges for the contest were Bobbi Levine of Wolf Creek, Amy Robbins of Great Falls, and Gilbert Roberts of Hamilton.

Sholty succeeds Megan Hardy, 23, of Wolf Point, Montana.  Hardy will graduate this May from Montana State University-Bozeman with a degree in Elementary Education.  She placed among the Top-10 at the Miss Rodeo America Pageant, held in December in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Miss Rodeo Montana is a goodwill ambassador for Montana and the sport of Professional Rodeo in Montana.  She will travel throughout the State and to other states and Canada to promote Montana’s Rodeos.    In addition to appearing in rodeos and fairs, she will speak to schools and organizational groups and appear at community events throughout Montana, and in December she will travel to Las Vegas, Nevada, to compete for the title of Miss Rodeo America.   Miss Rodeo Montana is not a paid position, however, Sholty will receive gifts, prizes, and scholarships totaling more than $5,000 along with appearance fees throughout the year.    Her major fundraiser will be a Coronation Ball in her hometown this spring.  Some of her awards include a Fur Vest from the Montana Trappers Association, a gas card from Noon’s Food Stores, a silver buckle, silver-trimmed briefcase and datebook sponsored by Hoglunds, a trophy saddle, custom hat crafted especially for Miss Rodeo Montana by Double H Hats, wardrobe of jewelry from Montana Silversmiths, a Montana Pro Rodeo Circuit Jacket, autograph sheets, and her entry fees paid into the Miss Rodeo America Pageant.

Sholty is a 2007 graduate of Missoula Big Sky High School and is currently a freshman at Montana Tech of the University of Montana in Butte.  She enjoys showing horses, team roping, skiing, running and weightlifting.  Future plans include graduating with a degree in metallurgical and materials engineering and to someday work in the medical field to develop state of the art joint replacements.  Sholty will take this year off of school to fulfill her duties as Miss Rodeo Montana 2008.

Winning the title of Miss Teen Rodeo Montana 2008 was Jennifer Marshall, the 18 year old daughter of Steve and Kathy Marshall of Victor.   She was also the winner of the Style Show, horsemanship, and appearance awards.  First runner-up and winner of the photogenic award for Miss Teen Rodeo Montana was Jourdon Han, of Rudyard.  Other Teen award winners were Kyleigh Plant, of Miles City, winning the speech and personality award; and Randie Adams winning the sportsmanship award.  Marshall succeeds Lorissa Harris of Shepherd.

Both new titleholders were on hand for the final performance of the Montana Pro Rodeo Circuit Finals to assist with the awards presentations.  Sholty will begin her duties immediately, attending events in Great Falls, Lewistown, Billings, and Rapid City within the next few weeks.

Miss Rodeo Montana 2008, Audrey Sholty is proud to call Missoula, Montana home.  Audrey will be taking a year off of her studies at Montana Tech of the University of Montana in Butte to fulfill her duties as Miss Rodeo Montana.  A beauty at 5’9” with strawberry blonde hair, green eyes and a genuine, passion for all things Montana, Audrey is the youngest in her family to brother, Andy and parents Jeff and Lynne Sholty.  When not at a rodeo or school, Audrey can be found skiing, running, or team roping with her American Quarter Horse, Bartender.

For the next year Audrey will be a goodwill ambassador for the state of Montana, rodeo, and the western way of life across the Treasure State.  In addition to appearing at rodeos and fairs, Audrey will speak to schools, organizational groups, and appear at community events throughout Montana.  Holding the title of Miss Rodeo Montana is a dream come true for Sholty and she is honored to serve her state and the people of Montana in the coming year as she hopes to be a role model demonstrating good horsemanship and rodeo knowledge, as well as poise, composure, and strength of character. 

In November 2008, Sholty will compete for the title of Miss Rodeo America in Las Vegas, Nevada, in conjunction with the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.  Montana has never won the Miss Rodeo America title, but has had many top ten finalists.  Now, with the dream of becoming Miss Rodeo Montana a reality Audrey has set her sights on a new dream: becoming the first Miss Rodeo America from the treasure state, Montana.