Judges have been announced for the 60th annual Miss Rodeo Nebraska Pageant scheduled for June 14-17 in North Platte. The judges are:

Almabeth Kaess

Almabeth Kaess, of La Junta, Colo., was crowned Miss Rodeo America 1978 in Oklahoma City, Okla. The former Miss Rodeo Colorado also won the horsemanship, personality and speech awards at the pageant, which hosted contestants from all 50 states and two provinces of Canada.

During her reign, Kaess made almost 100 personal appearances at rodeos, horse shows and special events. In May of 1978, she was invited to accompany a group of western wear and tack manufactures to Paris and London to promote western fashion and apparel.

While in London, Kaess did some promotional work with the British Quarter Horse Association.  A staged photo of her roping a policewoman appeared in the “London Times.”

That fall, Kaess helped break ground on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Rodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colo. The facility currently houses a pair of shiny red, patent leather boots she wore during her reign.

Kaess is also known for being the first Miss Rodeo America to ride in the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, Calif., as a guest of Monte Montana.

Kaess went on to obtain a Bachelor of Arts in recreation from the University of Southern Colorado and a Master of Arts in Leadership Education from Mid-American Christian University.

She founded two therapeutic riding centers: the Angelview Therapeutic Horsemanship Center in Salida, Colo. and the Horses in Therapeutic Challenges Center in Pueblo, Colo.

Kaess is currently employed at Otero Junior College in La Junta, Colo., as the associate vice president of enrollment management.

Chris Williams

Chris Williams lives in Amarillo, Texas with her husband, Mike, of 36 years. They have two children, Lara and Taylor, and three granddaughters, Hailie, Anna and Claire.

Chris is an antiques dealer and the bookkeeper for her husband’s medical practice. She is no stranger to the rodeo queen world, having won many titles in California.

She was the 1967 National Appaloosa Queen, 1968-Miss Grand National, 1969 Miss Rodeo California and earned the prestigious, coveted title of Miss Rodeo America in 1970.

Chris has judged the Miss Rodeo America Pageant twice and has served as a chaperone during the MRA pageant for the past 17 years.

In her spare time, Chris enjoys traveling, playing racquetball, gardening, scrapbooking, antiquing and playing with her grandchildren.

Chuck Bowman

Chuck Bowman has been involved in the horse industry since the 1950s. He and his family were livestock dealers in central Iowa, where they used horses to feed livestock daily and work and move cattle they had purchased.

Because Bowman grew up on and around horses, it was natural that he became interested in showing and owning Quarter Horses.

He competed in both high school and college rodeo and showed horses throughout the Midwest, training many horses to Championships for himself and as a professional trainer.

Bowman served as director and president of the Iowa Quarter Horse Association. He was elected as a national director for the American Quarter Horse Association and spent nearly 20 years as an AQHA judge at shows throughout the U.S., Canada and Germany.

Bowman worked for the AQHA almost 10 years in the Show Department’s Field Services division – attending equine functions and shows throughout the U.S. and Canada. His duties included making sure show rules were followed, insuring humane treatment of animals and monitoring judges for the Association.

He worked closely with the membership, attended stock shows and trade shows to answer questions, took care of problems and helped run the world shows.

He and his wife currently reside in Platteville, Wis.