Violet LaFournaise earns the 2024 title of Miss Gilroy Rodeo

By Grayson Labarreare and Marty Cheek

As the dust settled on the arena, two young women stood ready to prove they’ve got what it takes to be royalty in a kingdom of cowboys.

The Gilroy Rodeo serves as a beacon of western heritage in an increasingly urban landscape. Its judges selected Violet LaFournaise as its 2024 Rodeo Queen through a rigorous competition that tests horsemanship, knowledge, and character.

LaFournaise, 17, a senior at Hollister High School, and Gilroy resident Rebecca Costanza, 24, a Gavilan College student studying meteorology, vied for the Miss Gilroy Rodeo honor. (A third contestant dropped out because of a family emergency.)

“Since I’ve been a little girl, I’ve always seen the rodeo queen out in the stands. And I thought, ‘That’s going to be me one day,’” LaFournaise said, explaining why she decided to compete. “I want to represent the rodeo. I want to be the face of it. I want to promote our hometown rodeo.”

At 17, she was technically not old enough, but the organizers let her into the contest because of her enthusiasm and love of horses. She started riding at 10, and by eighth grade, switched to Western style and also learned cutting and reining and barrel racing.

Costanza also has a passion for horses, which inspired her to try out for the Gilroy Rodeo Queen. Neither of the two women grew up on ranches but found their interest in rodeo by being introduced to equestrian culture at a young age.

“I grew up riding. I started when I was four,” she said. “My mom just got me into it. I’m so blessed for that.”

She remembers the joy of riding the animals as a child and teen. “It was the best time of my life,” she said. “I love barrel racing. But I also do reining and horsemanship.”

The competition comprised of three main components: horsemanship, interviews, and a written test. They showcased their riding skills and overall appearance in the horsemanship segment. One-on-one interviews allowed judges to assess personality and rodeo knowledge, while a written test evaluated their understanding of the sport.

The Gilroy Rodeo and its queen contest are deeply rooted in community involvement. Local volunteers help organize the event, and a diverse panel of judges, including past queens and community leaders, select the winner.

“It was so much fun. I think it shows our horsemanship skills,” said LaFournaise, reflecting on her experience in the initial stage of the competition held at the Gilroy Rodeo July 28.

“The contest was very enjoyable. I really had a blast,” Costanza added. “It tested my strengths and my weaknesses. It was a learning experience.”

Being Gilroy Rodeo Queen involves more than just wearing a crown. It’s an ambassadorial role that requires representing the organization at various events throughout the year. And Morgan Hill resident Bri McDermott, 19, the outgoing 2023 Gilroy Rodeo Queen, cherished the time she spent promoting the sport.

“I got to travel to different rodeos and represent the Gilroy Rodeo, which was super fun,” McDermott said.

The role extends beyond the arena. Queens participate in parades, visit local events, and even engage in philanthropic activities. The Gilroy Rodeo has a special partnership with Jacob’s Heart, a nonprofit fighting pediatric cancer. Each Gilroy Rodeo queen plays a crucial role in its “Kickin’ Cancer” fundraising efforts, which raised about $12,000 for the organization during the past few years.

LaFournaise will help promote the rodeo culture in her one year of volunteer service. As Jade Katen-Ynzunza, the queen contest coordinator and the first Gilroy Rodeo Queen in 2018, explains, “She will be an advocate for rodeo not just in our community but beyond Gilroy as well. She will talk with people and help dispel some of the misunderstandings of rodeo.”

As the outgoing queen, McDermott will stay involved in mentoring and helping LaFournaise learn the role so there’s a smooth transition, she said.

In her role as a Gilroy Rodeo ambassador, LaFournaise will encourage people who have never watched the sport to experience a rodeo and learn about this aspect of cowboy culture.

“It’s a really fun, family rodeo,” LaFournaise said. “We have so many different events you wouldn’t see at other rodeos, such as the hide race. It’s where you go round the barrel and you have someone on the (cow) hide on the ground. You drag them around as fast as you can. It definitely gets rough.”

As Silicon Valley continues to grow, events like the Gilroy Rodeo serve as important reminders of the area’s agricultural roots. The rodeo queen competition plays a vital role in bridging these two worlds, preserving tradition while embracing change.

“It’s such a cool experience. It promotes the western heritage we have here,” LaFournaise said, encouraging other young women to participate in future contests.

Rodeo History

With roots dating back to 1930, the Gilroy Rodeo was once a beloved town event, drawing crowds each June. The rodeo ceased in 1956 but the idea to revive it was planted in 2017 by Erik Martin and his wife, Kendra.

Martin, who runs a construction company, grew up on a cattle ranch. Starting at 17, he worked at a ranch in Pescadero and participated in that community’s annual rodeo.

His passion for the competitive sport, which is based on the working skills of vaqueros and cowboys, motivated him to bring rodeo back after more than 60 years. He built a large rodeo grounds in east Gilroy.

The rodeo made a return in 2018, blending the traditions of old rodeo cowboys with modern Silicon Valley culture. Its board of directors adopted the motto “where the past meets the present” to celebrate this unique blend.

Grayson Labarreare is a junior at Christopher High School. She wrote this story with mentorship from Gilroy Life publisher Marty Cheek.