rodeo royalty

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 I am Ellerie Waller your 2025 Sr. Queen for the Halfway Rodeo Court! I have been a local in Halfway for 9 years and love the community and the beautiful landscape that surrounds this special place.   I am 15 years old and attend school at Pine Eagle High School. I am highly involved in many activities, some of which include volleyball, basketball, and FFA. 

I work very hard over the summer to keep improving my athletic and riding skills and be an active FFA member. I currently hold the position of Vice President for our local FFA Chapter, and I show lambs at the two local fairs in Baker City and Halfway. I am also an older sister to 3 brothers and a sister, and my parents are David and Courtney Waller. I am very blessed to have them at my side through everything and to know that I can count on them each step of the way.   I am very excited to be the Sr. Queen this year and represent the Baker County Fair and Rodeo and the Hells Canyon Jr. Rodeo. I will be attending many rodeos this summer with my amazing quarter horse named Cakepop. She is 17 years old and has been with me my whole rodeo court career.   I am equally excited to be attending rodeos with my sash sisters Payton Peppers, Kallee  Thomas, and Rainey Gallimore. It will be exciting to be their role model during their first year  on a court and watch them grow just as I did my first year. I am also very lucky to have Katy  Thomas as my advisor again this year and believe that we can all do great things together.   I am confident that I will be a great representative for the Halfway Rodeo Court while  aiming to become a better rider and participate in barrel racing. Rodeo court is truly a great way  to grow in confidence, leadership, riding, and many other things. I am very excited to have a  spectacular year! 

 Hello, my name is Payton Peppers, and I am the 2025 Halfway Rodeo Senior Princess.  I am the middle child of Brianna and Christopher Peppers. I have an older brother named Darrel and  a younger brother named Taylor. I am a 16-year-old entering my junior year of high school. I am  a student at Baker Early College, where I plan to graduate with a diploma with honors and my  associate's degree. After high school, I am planning to continue my studies in animal science  and veterinary medicine.   I first began riding horses when I was 4 years old. My first horse was a pony named Nelly  Brown. After that point, I took lessons off and on until I was 11 and got a horse named Cactus, a retired reining quarter horse, and that is when my love of riding began. I attended my first rodeo bible camp three years ago and found a passion for competing in the equestrian community.  However, shortly after the rodeo bible camp, Cactus passed away suddenly. I went through horse after horse until I eventually tried a 22-year-old Haflinger gelding named Merlin. I quickly fell in love with Merlin, and he became my heart horse and my best friend. I have now been competing with Merlin for the past 2 years in everything from OHSET, to rodeo bible camps, to FFA. I also have the honor of being a 2026 Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon Contestant, where I will compete for the title in July.  Along with OHSET, I am also extremely involved with FFA. I went to state in 2025 for my Agriscience project and won my division. I also show market hogs, and both dairy and beef cows. I love just being with my animals and being outside. I also love camping and fishing in the summer and hiking up in the mountains.   I am honored to be on the Halfway Rodeo Court and am so excited for the adventures and memories that are to come with this season! 

 Hi, I am Rainey Gallimore. I the 2025 Junior Queen of the Hells Canyon Junior Rodeo and Baker County Fair and Rodeo. I am 12 years old, and am in the 7th grade at Pine Eagle Charter School. I participated in court, basketball and hope to soon participate in FFA. I have three siblings Aubrey, Brock and Emma. My parents are Dusty and Holly Gallimore. My sister Emma is the reason I am doing rodeo court. She did rodeo court last year and she inspired me. My parents are also the reason I am doing court. I am riding horses thanks to them. I have been riding horses for longer than I can remember and am thankful I get the opportunity to ride. I am excited to get to know the other court girls better and build a strong relationship with them and my court adviser Katy Thomas. I look forward to this summer.  

 Hi my name is Kallee Thomas, I am 11 years old, and I am the Jr. Princess on the Halfway Rodeo Court for the 2025 season! I am also the daughter of Derral & Katy Thomas and I have an older sister Makenna Thomas. When I was little my first horse was named Red then I needed something better so I got the horse I have right now and her name is China. China is a 16 year old Quarter Horse sorrel mare. I am involved in basketball, volleyball and softball. I am thankful for my mom's help and Countney Waller for spending the time to help of girls I would also like to thank the people that make the Halfway Rodeo Court possible and the girls I get to send this year with. I hope to see you all at both of our rodeos.