Yee-haw! Utah Rodeo History

The cowboy is an iconic symbol of the American West, with roots in the Spanish tradition of the vaquero (herder). Their duties involved driving cattle to seasonal pastures, gathering strays, and performing various stock maintenance jobs. The term "cowboy" itself became popularized in the 1870s through Western entertainment novels. Furthermore, cowboys are credited with developing the riding and roping skills that form the basis of modern rodeos and Wild West exhibitions.

The history of rodeo in Utah began in 1925 with the establishment of the Golden Spike Rodeo in Box Elder County. This inaugural event featured a variety of activities, including a race, traditional rodeo sporting contests, and even a boxing match. Today, the spirit of rodeo is celebrated in every corner of Utah, with major events like the Days of '47 in Salt Lake City, the Lehi Round-Up Rodeo, and the Ute Stampede Rodeo in Nephi.

Glade Daniel Young was born in Monticello, Utah, in 1950. He grew up in a large family with two sisters and five brothers, hailing from a background of cattle owners and hard workers. His father, Clyn Porter Young (1913–1971), was an entrepreneur who, with his brothers Darroll and Jack, started Young’s Machine Company to build mining cars. In 1963, Clyn opened a second business, Young’s Concrete Products. Glade and his brothers were heavily involved in the family businesses, spending significant time helping their father with on-site work and traveling with him on business trips.

Glade started performing in rodeo competitions sometime after he came back from his mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 1972. He spent a few years competing in Utah rodeos throughout the state, including St. George, Provo, and Logan. Glade’s upbringing in rural Utah enabled him to learn horse riding sports and compete in rodeo competitions.

Brandi Olsen, a native of Cache Valley, Utah, has been immersed in the world of rodeo since she was just five years old. She began her rodeo "queening" experience at the Trout and Berry Days Rodeo in Paradise, Utah, where she placed as Second Attendant. To compete, Brandi performed a riding routine—not on a real horse, but on a stick horse—and completed an interview with the judges. Brandi Olsen quickly advanced to competing in Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) rodeos, participating in prominent local events like the Cache County Rodeo and the Golden Spike Rodeo. Brandi participated in her first rodeo queen competition in 2005, but won her first title, Rodeo Princess, in 2012. She became a consistent contender in many pageants, earning the titles of First and Second Attendant multiple times, and in 2020 she was crowned Hyrum Rodeo Queen.

Brandi Olsen’s crowning achievement came in 2022, when she was crowned Cache County Rodeo Queen, a professional rodeo. Queening is a demanding experience that involves far more than its glamorous surface suggests. Preparation includes writing speeches, getting outfits ready, and practicing reining patterns. Olsen highlights this commitment: “I think what a lot of people don't realize is there's more to it than just sitting on a horse and looking pretty . . . It’s so much more than that . . . You get out of it what you put into it.”

Competitors typically spend months learning the necessary requirements, but it can take years to secure an official title, such as Second Attendant, First Attendant, or Rodeo Queen. Brandi dedicated six to seven months to preparing for each contest; a process that involved writing speeches, purchasing or having clothes made, training her horse, learning reigning patterns, and mastering other vital queening skills.

Jackie Berryhill, who competed in rodeo queen contests from the age of eight until she got married at 21, believes that “rodeo queening gives you confidence, because you have to stand up in front of people. You have to smile. You have to bring light into other people's eyes. And you just try your best. And that's what is so wonderful about rodeo queening, is you're just trying to be your best self.”

Jodene Balls (née Ricks) grew up in Benson, Utah and rode horses her whole life. Because of this, it was a natural fit for Jodene to compete in rodeo queen pageants, something she began as a young girl. She won many titles throughout her pageant experiences and was crowned Cache Valley Rodeo Queen in 1977. In 1978, she competed in her last competition at the Preston Rodeo where she placed as 2nd Attendant. In that same year, she married her husband Craig Balls (pictured above).

Rodeos are far more than just competitive sporting events,they are vital community gatherings. They serve as a focal point for families whose histories are intertwined with the cattle and sheep industry, spanning decades or even generations. By providing entertainment for all–from cattle roping, barrel racing, to royalty contests–rodeos actively celebrate and preserve local heritage and history.

From 2023 to 2025, the Utah Historical Society (UHS) hosted more than thirty successful Scan-and-Share events across Utah. These events invited community members to digitize their photos and share their personal stories, thus contributing to the preservation of local history. Preserving Utah’s rodeo queen history was the work of Carly Bagley, the Women's History Initiative public historian. In the fall of 2023, Bagley conducted three oral history interviews with Utah rodeo queens and helped preserve their photos to officially document their unique experiences.

To access these digital items and the full oral history interviews, please visit the Peoples of Utah Revisited online collection. You can also click on any image on this page to learn more.