PIERRE — Becoming a rodeo queen is tougher than it looks, according to Savanna Witte, this year’s regional rodeo queen winner.

Savannah, an incoming senior at T.F. Riggs High School has been in and out of rodeos for most of her life.

“I started doing 4-H rodeo when I was 9 years old,” said Savannah. “I did it for about three years. I just got back into it the last couple years.”

Courtesy Photo Savannah Witte performs a riding trick in a parade in downtown Deadwood after completing the historic 17-day Fort Pierre to Deadwood Trail Ride last year. Savannah is the 2009 Regional High School Rodeo Queen. Advertisement

Savannah, now 17, was only able to go to practice rodeos for years before the High School Rodeo Association divided South Dakota’s regions into a few more than there used to be.

This year the regions were divided into northwest, southwest, east and a river region — which happens to be Pierre’s region. Since the regional rodeo was held in Fort Pierre, Savannah was able to compete for the regional rodeo queen title.

“It’s really fun,” said Savannah. “Don’t get me wrong, it was really hard and you have to work at it if you want it. You can’t just jump on a horse and wear pretty clothes, put on make up and curl your hair. You have to study and know your terms.”

Savannah had to take a 50-question test that covered the national and state high school rodeo rules, model an outfit, give a two-minute speech on anything related to South Dakota, answer impromptu questions and have an interview with seven judges.

At the state level, Savannah’s two-minute speech centered on her experience last year on the Fort Pierre to Deadwood 17-day trail ride.

As for the impromptu question, judges ask Savannah how she felt about the change in regions.

“It was the perfect question for me,” she said as the regional shift made it easy for her to enter the competition.

This was the last year possible for Savannah to win a South Dakota High School Regional Rodeo Queen title because she will soon be done with high school.

“If I was to win regionals next year and go on to state and win that and go to nationals, it would be a conflict because I will be going to college then,” she said. “Who ever wins nationals is either a junior finishing their junior year or going into senior year.”

Savannah’s rodeo years are far from over, however. This year she started break-away roping and is working on getting her horse used to it. It’s a challenge, but she plans to add that to her rodeo-bag of tricks that include barrel racing and pole bending.

“In a couple of years I’m thinking maybe I will run for Miss Rodeo South Dakota or go on to some of those other ones like a stock show queening contest,” said Savannah. “There are many more opportunities we can try out.”