2006-2007 Orange Book: Internet Directory
Rodeo Queen - Mackenzie Cayford

Rodeo Queen - Mackenzie Cayford

Eighteen-year-old Mackenzie Cayford is already a veteran of rodeo queen contests, having served previously as the rodeo queen in Valley Center, where she lives. She was, in fact, Valley Center’s first rodeo queen.

But she’s not finished yet. Mackenzie has set her Stetson on winning the California rodeo queen title in October. To qualify, Mackenzie has to represent a PRCA-sponsored (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) rodeo. The competition includes giving two speeches---one about California and one about herself---doing a horsemanship pattern, and riding two horses that she has never ridden before.

If she doesn’t win the crown in California, she plans to run until she wins or turns 24. Mackenzie can represent Ramona twice, after which she would have to earn the crown in another community to continue her quest.

Mackenzie is the daughter of Bob & Cindy Cayford. She has been riding since age 5, even though she is the only member of her family who goes near a horse. At 5 years old, she was watching the Kentucky Derby on TV. She turned to her parents and announced, “I want to do that!” She says. “I haven’t quit since and I don’t intend to.”

Mackenzie does just about everything that has to do with horses, including English, estern and barrel racing. She’s doesn’t do roping, however. “I can’t throw a ball, let alone a rope!”

Mackenzie has six horses: a Frisian sport horse, a quarter horse, a mustang, an Egyptian Arab, a quarterhorse-Arabian cross and a thoroughbred. She is skilled at English dressage and Western riding. A senior at Valley Center High School, she has been president of the high school 4-H club. Her classroom schedule includes choreography and dance production, two AP classes and a government class.

She has already started to attend Palomar Community College. Her ambition is an unusual one: to transfer to UC Berkeley, become a trial lawyer and then go back to college to become a large animal veterinarian. The purpose would be to provide service to ranchers that would be a cross between lawyer and vet.

“I think I’ll be inventing that profession,” she says. “If that doesn’t benefit a lot of people I’ll fall back on becoming a large animal vet or ecome a trial lawyer.”

2006 Ramona Rodeo Queen, Mackenzi Cayford