The 2019 Miss Rodeo North Dakota Pageant will be held Oct. 4-7 during the Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo, hosted by the Minot Y’s Men’s Rodeo, in Minot.

Kara Berntson of Kulm and Callee Jo Schmidt of Flasher will be competing for the title of Lady-In-Waiting, to be officially crowned as Miss Rodeo North Dakota 2019 in early January.

Contestants compete in the areas of personality, appearance and horsemanship, explains MRND Board member, Codi Miller.

The public is welcome to attend the following events: Horsemanship competition at the State Fair Center starting at 9 a.m. on Oct. 4; the Fashion Forward Luncheon at the Grand Hotel on Oct. 5 with doors opening at noon; the Western Brunch, also at the Grand Hotel, on Oct. 6, with doors opening at 8:30 a.m.; and the coronation of the new queen at 1:15 p.m. before the final rodeo performance of the 64th Minot Y’s Men’s Rodeo.

The queen contestants will be signing autographs during each rodeo performance.

Berntson is the 22-year-old daughter of Neal and Marla Berntson of Kulm. She is a recent graduate of North Dakota State University, where she received her bachelor’s degree in animal science with a minor in equine science. Berntson enjoys training horses and competing in horse shows, in both Western and English events. She is a certified N.D. 4-H horse show judge and enjoys encouraging youth to improve to be the best they can be.

Berntson is a member of the Triple R Coteau Horse Club and Ashley Rodeo Club. Berntson will represent the North Dakota Winter Show Rodeo at the Miss Rodeo North Dakota pageant.

Schmidt is the 25-year-old daughter of Dar and Dawn Schmidt of Flasher. She comes from a fifth generation small grains and Angus cattle ranch near Flasher. Growing up, she was involved in youth rodeos, 4-H and spent summers haying, fencing and A.I.ing cattle, which inevitably taught her the integrity of the American cowboy.

She holds an agricultural business degree and is pursuing a career in the agriculture industry. In her free time, Schmidt enjoys traveling, leather crafts and working with children and non-profit organizations, including TR 4 Heart & Soul, the North Dakota Junior High Rodeo Division Queen Pageant and the Lewis & Clark Fort Mandan Foundation. Schmidt will represent the Minot Y’s Men’s Rodeo at the Miss Rodeo North Dakota pageant.

Ebel was crowned Miss Rodeo North Dakota 2018. She earned top honors in the pageant’s personality, horsemanship and appearance categories, as well as earning the congeniality award.

Ebel is an honor student at North Dakota State University in Fargo, majoring in animal science biomedicine. She serves as a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician in her hometown of Zeeland. When not in school, she works at the Ashley Veterinarian Clinic, Ashley Ambulance Service and as a ranch hand. She plans on entering a paramedic program upon completion of her bachelor’s degree.

Advocating for the sport of rodeo and helping youth is what Ebel enjoys most. Her mission is to encourage all those around her to find their own paths.

She is the daughter of Ordeen and Kristi Ebel of Zeeland. She has been active in the Ashley Community Rodeo Club and the Beaver Valley Horse Club. Ebel represented the Ashley Community Rodeo Club as Miss Ashley Rodeo and the Minot Y’s Men’s Rodeo as Miss Minot Y’s Men’s Rodeo.

Ebel’s personal sponsors are Milt’s Lumber Supply, Hensen’s Fur and Leather, Heart River Leather-Joe Wamsley, Country Auto Clinic, Bieber Red Angus, Ashley Veterinary Clinic, Mitzel & Sons, Inc., Korral Supply, Goettle Trucking LLC, White Earth Valley Saddle Club, Schnieder Trucking, O & K Ebel Haymoving and Don Wilhelm Chevrolet Buick GMC.

Miss Rodeo North Dakota promotes and assists with rodeos and other events throughout North Dakota and serves as an ambassador at numerous rodeos throughout the country. For more information visit www.missrodeond.org.