2023 Douglas County Fair & Rodeo Royalty

2023 Douglas County Fair & Rodeo Queen

Hi Y’all! My name is Clara Griffith; I am excited to serve as the 2023 Douglas County Fair & Rodeo Queen! I am 17 years old and a junior at Ponderosa High School. I live with my two amazing parents, and my two awesome younger sisters. My family is very involved in 4-H in Douglas County, as my mom is our Horse leader, and my dad is our Shooting Sports leader. I participate in many different activities, including Skills USA, 4-H, Royalty (obviously), and my church Worship Group, and also enjoy spending time snowmobiling, 4-wheeling, fixing my 79’ Ford Truck, and generally enjoying rural living in this great County. I take my education very seriously and plan on furthering my education by pursuing an engineering degree in college.

I have been a member of 4-H for 9 years, participating in the horse project, market beef, market swine, and shooting sports. In the horse project I have progressed through the four levels of horsemanship in the Western Division, and this past year I won the High Point Buckle in the Western Level 4 Division, and the Working Ranch Horse Level 2 at the State Fair. I also had the privilege of competing at the State 4-H Rifle shoot,and qualifying for Nationals.

My family has 5 horses out where I live, but my baby is my horse Crownie. I got him back in 2017 and we have come really far together. Our favorite thing to do is the cattle classes, specifically Working Ranch Horse. We compete through COVRHA and AQHA,and are working towards competing at the AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse World Show in 2023. Crownie has been such a fun horse to figure out, and we have been very successful together. You can find all of us riding at numerous events in Colorado and of course at the Douglas County Fair & Rodeo. Booger is my Royalty horse, and I have been riding him for about a year and a half. He is actually my little sister's `project horse”, and was raised in Bryan/College Station, at Texas A&M University, where he spent lots of time with college students in the equine sciences program! He has been an amazing horse, and I am so excited for another year with him, as well as he is excited to meet all of you!

Some of y’all may remember me from last year as the 2022 DCF&R Princess. I got to know so many wonderful people through that experience, which I hope to see again this year! I also can’t wait to meet those of you whom I haven't met! The Douglas County Fair & Rodeo has an extremely fun and action-packed year ahead. I am excited to be an ambassador for my hometown rodeo. There is something for everyone at the Douglas County Fair & Rodeo, from bucking bulls to carnival games, and never a dull moment. Crownie and Booger and I cannot wait to see you at the 4-H exhibits and local events! See you there!

2023 Douglas County Fair & Rodeo QUEEN ATTENDANT

Hi Everyone!

My name is Anna Bajaj, and I am so excited to be the 2023 Douglas County Fair & Rodeo Queen Attendant! I am in my third year at the University of Colorado Boulder as an Integrative Physiology student with plans to become a cardiovascular perfusionist. When I’m not studying or riding, you’ll most likely find me at the rock-climbing gym competing for the CU climbing team, or at church leading Bible studies and volunteering with one of the campus ministries at CU.

Although I go to school in Boulder, Highlands Ranch, CO is my home. I am so blessed to have the most loving and selfless parents who have always been supportive of my horse hobby; from signing me up for summer horse camps when I was five years old, to teaching me financial responsibility so that I could buy my first horse at 11 years old. Throughout my life, I have found my passion in giving riding lessons, training horses, and showing horses in local western pleasure, English equitation, ranch riding, and gymkhana events. This last year, I even had the honor of competing in the Horseman’s Challenge at the National Western Stock Show, where I navigated obstacles with speed while still maintaining proper horsemanship. It’s truly been such a blessing to see my horse’s training pay off through numerous buckles and saddles won during my time showing. Currently, I am training a paint mare named Razzle Dazzle, while also showing my finished horses, Prosecco and Zipporah.

While still having a strong desire to be active, my life took a turn when I was diagnosed with a rare neurologic condition that causes me to lose the use of my legs every 4-5 weeks, for about a week. This has come as a colossal challenge and an ultimate change in lifestyle. I never imagined that I would have moments bound to a wheelchair but without a shadow of a doubt, The Lord is good even when my circumstances are not. For the last three years, the weight of my wheelchair has been lifted by an adaptive saddle designed by Amberley Snyder and customized to my needs, so that I can still ride and compete whether I have use of my legs or not. Because of the support of my parents, the generosity of Amberley, and the grace of God, the word ‘impossible’ is not in my vocabulary.

I am so excited to meet you all at the 2023 Douglas County Fair & Rodeo! Come on down for a load of family fun, whether it be at the carnival, the rodeo, or relaxing with a funnel cake while listening to some live music. We would love to see you there! If you see me or my horses, please come say hello!

Thank you to our Royalty Sponsors!

Douglas County Deputy Sheriff’s Association

Douglas County Farm Bureau

Douglas County Fair Board

Douglas County Fair Foundation

Artworks Signs & Designs

Lowry Allstate Insurance Agency

Spradlin Printing, Inc.

The Forever Yours Photography Studio

Cowgirl Made In The USA - Serenity Wallerstadt

Royal B Threads

Hometown Dairy Queen

ProRodeo Originals

Megan McCullough

Potestio Brothers

Roxann Harris Memorial Scholarship

Clough Cattle Company

Scott & Pat Candelaria

Scott Thomas Saddles