After The Crown: Miss Rodeo Wyoming 1993, Miss Rodeo America 1994 Michele Green Mackey
Michele Green Mackey grew up in the beautiful town of Lander, Wyoming, framed by the Wind River mountains. In her youth, Michele was active in rodeo and 4-H, competing in multiple rodeo organizations. Her first queen title was Fremont County Little Britches rodeo princess, and she went on to win multiple national and state titles such as Wyoming High School Rodeo queen and Miss Rodeo America.
When Michele was about 8 or 9, she met Mary Sue Bugas, Miss Rodeo Wyoming1982, at the Fremont county fair. As a young girl, this was a pivotal moment, and from then on Michelle had a dream of becoming Miss Rodeo America. That was the first way that the Miss Rodeo Wyoming organization would influence Michele.
Michele ran for Miss Rodeo Wyoming as the Lander Pioneer Days Rodeo Queen, earning the 1993 title. The next year, she won Miss Rodeo America, becoming the 4th and most recent Miss Rodeo Wyoming to do so.
After holding the title, Michele went back to Oklahoma to finish her degree, and stayed involved with Miss Rodeo America for a number of years. She became a teacher, got married and eventually resigned from teaching to begin raising her children, which she has three of. They farmed and ranched in Oklahoma, but eventually Michele got an itch to get out of the home, and so she started a clothing company, called Gypsy Cowgirl, in a boutique in the town of Alba. She owned the business for 6 years, then sold it and returned to teaching.
Michele has a drive for entrepreneurship, and so she started another business selling Native American jewelry, by the name of Turquoise Creek, two years ago. She has an online store, and travels to rodeos to do pop up shops. She’ll be at the CNFR in Casper, as well the NHSRA finals in Gillette.
When asked how being a rodeo queen has influenced her life, Michele spoke about the skills it gave her. She’s been offered every job she’s interviewed for, and credits pageants and working with the public as a queen for her abilities.
One piece of advice Michele would like to give to girls who want to be a queen, is to be humble, and grounded in rodeo and the western industry.
-Miss Rodeo Wyoming 2022, Madelaine McElwee
See more at Missrodeoamerica.com