PENDLETON — For the first time in two years, the Pendleton Round-Up has a new court.

With the pandemic canceling the 2020 rodeo, the Round-Up retained its court for 2021. But with the rodeo officially revived and in the books, the Round-Up announced a new court Saturday, Nov. 27, led by Queen Addie Kilgore.

Kilgore, 23, is a veteran of rodeo courts, having served as the queen of the Chief Joseph Days court in 2015 and a Round-Up princess in 2019. The daughter of the late Wes Kilgore and Sherri Kilgore, the principal at McKay Creek Elementary School, Kilgore’s Round-Up ancestry includes Hall of Fame members John Span, Bonnie Tucker-Blankenship and Harley Tucker.

“Being able to honor my family’s background combined with the amazing heritage and traditions of the Pendleton Round-Up is one of the greatest honors that I have ever had,” she said in a statement. “I was raised in an environment that mimics the cowboy way; a strong work ethic, a love and commitment to family, a respect for animals, and kindness.

Kilgore has plenty of equestrian experience as well, her love of horses beginning when her grandparents bought her a pony at age 5. She’s also accomplished academically, having been valedictorian at Joseph Charter School and graduating from Oregon State University with a degree in speech communication and business marketing. She’s now pursuing a master’s degree in elementary education.

Four princesses from across the state join Kilgore.

• Brooklynn Been, 19, of Pendleton, graduated from Pendleton High School in 2020 and is now enrolled in the nursing program at Washington State University.

The daughter of a steer wrestler, Been competed in high school rodeo, where she qualified for the pole bending competition at state finals multiple times.

“I loved being a part of the rodeo world where everyone helps each other out even while competing against one another,” she said.

• Cloe Davis, 19, of Adams, graduated from Weston-McEwen High School and is now pursuing a degree in agriculture from Blue Mountain Community College.

The daughter of Round-Up Arena Director Berk Davis, she rode in her first Westward Ho! Parade at 18 months and has continued her family tradition of volunteering during Round-Up week by being a pennant bearer at the Happy Canyon Pageant and helping out in the 1910 Room.

• Madeline Hales, 20, graduated from Pendleton High School in 2020 and is now a sophomore at Oregon State University, where she is majoring in marketing.

She is the daughter and granddaughter of two past presidents and her family’s history as directors and royalty stretches back generations.

Having attended her first Round-Up at nine-months-old, Hales most recent brush with rodeo history came when she rode Badger at the 2021 Westward Ho! Parade. Badger is a quarter horse who has rode in more than 30 grand entries, among other Round-Up events.

• While most Round-Up court members hail from Eastern Oregon, Alexa Marandas is from Sauvie Island, an island in the Columbia River north of Portland.

She graduated from Lincoln High School in Portland in 2020 and is now a biology student at Oregon State University. Although she grew up on the west side of the state, she spent all her childhood summers in Long Creek in Grant County and her family’s involvement in the Round-Up goes back to her great grandparents.

“Keeping the sport of rodeo and the western way of life alive have always been very important to me,” she said.”I am so honored and excited to serve on this court and do my part in preserving what we do.”