Calaveras Enterprise

Sienna Sage Grant crowned Calaveras Rodeo Queen




Noah Berner/Calaveras Enterprise Sienna Sage Grant is crowned after being named 2023 Calaveras Rodeo Queen.

Sienna Sage Grant is crowned after being named 2023 Calaveras Rodeo Queen. Noah Berner/Calaveras Enterprise 

At the Calaveras County Fair on Thursday, May 18, 15-year-old Sienna Sage Grant, from Wallace, was crowned the 2023 Calaveras Rodeo Queen. Grant is the daughter of Bryan and Jennifer Grant.

Over half of the young girl’s life has been spent competing with her horses, according to her bio in the 2023 Fair Guide, which describes her as “a first-generation cowgirl who has been doing it herself since she was 8 years old.”

Grant competes in Western pleasure riding, barrel racing, and rides with the Liberty Belles Flag Team, a patriotic group of cowgirls who perform with the American flag at sporting events, rodeos, and parades.

Now, she will represent Calaveras County at rodeos and events throughout the year.

In her speech on the topic, “Dear Rodeo,” at the County Fair on Thursday, Grant spoke of how rodeo has influenced her over the years.

“I would not be the same person I am today without you. I have grown so much from the little girl on the stands, admiring the rodeo, queens, cheering the cowboys and cowgirls on, to now competing and hopefully representing you as a Rodeo Queen I have always dreamed about,” Grant said.

Sienna Sage Grant, from Wallace, was crowned the 2023 Calaveras Rodeo Queen, and 15-yearold Gabby Martinez won First Princess. Noah Berner/Calaveras Enterprise

Sienna Sage Grant, from Wallace, was crowned the 2023 Calaveras Rodeo Queen, and 15-yearold Gabby Martinez won First Princess. Noah Berner/Calaveras Enterprise

“It’s not always about winning,” Grant said. “Winning is a bonus. Rodeo, at least for me, is about the experiences and making new friends that share my love of rodeo. It’s about the electricity that is in the air. Every time I slide my foot into my stirrups or even sit in the stands of a rodeo, I get goosebumps.”

Grant did win, however, earning top scores in every category of the competition, which included judging based on appearance, interview, speech, and horsemanship skills, as well as a written test. At the coronation on Thursday, Grant and her competitor Gabby Martinez were also asked impromptu questions about rodeo.

Martinez, 15, clad in a sequined blue leather dress and boots, also delivered a heartwarming speech about rodeo, saying, “You’ve taught me to get out there, talk to people I’ve never talked to before, ride horses I’ve never ridden, and wear things I thought I could never wear.” Martinez won First Princess and both girls received flowers and an array of gifts.

Noah Berner/Calaveras Enterprise Sienna Sage Grant shows off her riding skills during the 2023 Calaveras Rodeo Queen competition at the fairgrounds in Angels Camp.

Sienna Sage Grant shows off her riding skills during the 2023 Calaveras Rodeo Queen competition at the fairgrounds in Angels Camp. Noah Berner/Calaveras Enterprise 

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