Rodeo Week is always filled with lots of action and exciting entertainment from the Cowgirl Luncheon to the coronation of the rodeo queen and finally to the rodeo itself and this year was no exception. Rodeo royalty from across the nation came to honor the contestants and share in the festivities including Brinkley Boswell, Miss Rodeo Mississippi and Kira Szulinski, Miss Rodeo Michigan. Miss Rodeo California Sujhey Rosas spent time with her fellow queens and contestants as well, sharing time in the arena and riding alongside them on horseback in the parade on Saturday.
For Delaney Grace and Opal Cahoon, the 2026 Oakdale Rodeo Queen Contestants, the weeks leading up to the April 9 coronation celebration were filled with various activities that tested their skills and knowledge of all things rodeo. Grace and Cahoon are no strangers to The Cowboy Capital of the World and both have enjoyed the season through stops at local events including the Oakdale Testicle Festival to sell rodeo tickets and visits to local elementary schools to share the magic of the western way of life with young students.
Things like horsemanship, interview skills and ticket sales were amongst the many categories that the two contestants were judged on. Both Cahoon and Grace did well but Grace took the highest honors in each of the categories and was crowned as the 2026 Miss Rodeo Oakdale.
“My grandpa, my dad and I have all participated in the Oakdale Rodeo for years so winning this title means so much to me and my whole family,” said Grace after receiving her sash and crown from outgoing 2025 Rodeo Queen Gigi Forgnone.
As Forgnone congratulated Grace and Cahoon for their exemplary sportsmanship and talent, she noted, “I have been blessed to watch these incredible young women grow in confidence and I know that they will continue to represent the community with grace and heart.”
Forgnone went on to acknowledge and thank all of those who supported her and shared that she is extremely grateful to have served the community this past year and is looking forward to the future.
From queens to contest winners, the evening was filled with admiration for all things cowboy during the Thursday night festivities hosted at the Oakdale Cowboy Museum. Jesus Villegas, OHS student and winner of the Rodeo Poster Design Contest, accepted the award and shared how grateful he was to be a part of a community that allows everyone to contribute to rodeo week in their own unique way. As Museum Director Bambi Porter congratulated Villegas, she reflected on how much the community support has meant to her and the Cowboy Museum Board of Directors.
“We wouldn’t be able to do what we do to support the cowboy way of life without all of you. From The Cowgirl Luncheon to the annual dinner and our other events we have raised more than $70,000 in scholarships for local students so thank you all for your support,” said Porter.
As the coronation came to a close, through the sea of cowboy hats and sashes, attendees agreed that one thing remained clear: Oakdale truly is The Cowboy Capital of the World.
