Eight days of pageantry begin Sunday with the Miss Rodeo America competition in Las Vegas, Nevada, where Powell’s Nicki Seckman will be competing for the title as Miss Rodeo Wyoming.

“It’s a long eight-day pageant and it’s pretty tiring,” said Seckman.

About 30 women, ages 18-25, will be competing for the title. All contestants must be a reigning state title holder.

Seckman’s journey to Las Vegas began in 2015 when she became Miss Cody Stampede. The previous year she was the Miss Cody Stampede lady-in-waiting.

The lady-in-waiting tenure provides a year for the title holder to prepare to reign, which includes getting all the necessary clothes, figuring out the necessary duties and attending events.

As Miss Cody Stampede, Seckman was required to run for Miss Rodeo Wyoming, and as Miss Rodeo Wyoming, she is required to run for Miss Rodeo America.

“It’s kinda like a staircase,” said Seckman. “You have your local levels — which is local rodeos — then you have your state and then your national.”

Having the title of Miss Rodeo America means being the official ambassador for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), the No. 1 sanctioning body in the sport of rodeo. It requires travel all around the country for the year to speak at booked events such as rodeos and fairs.

“It’s a lot of work to run for this pageant and to be a state title holder,” said Seckman, with a request for “thoughts and prayers for me as I go to run for Miss Rodeo America.”

At the beginning of this event, cell phones, computers, etc. are taken away.

“We are kind of secluded, I guess, from the outside world. But it’s probably a nice thing,” said Seckman, noting that it can get overwhelming receiving texts and messages over social media while trying to compete.

Miss Rodeo America was originally organized in 1955 under the name International Rodeo Management, with the first-ever  pageant held in Casper.

Some events include a fashion show, horsemanship competition, horsemanship interviews, personality interviews, speech/public speaking and coronation.

The fashion show will be televised on the Wrangler Network and will include several different outfits including a fashion forward outfit which is designed by the competitors.

The horsemanship competition includes two rounds with a reining pattern in the first round and rail work in the second round.

“It’s not our own horses,” said Seckman of the horsemanship competition. “We draw horses, so it’s random stock contractor horses that we’ve never seen.”

A different horse will be drawn for each round, and new saddles are ridden.

“It’s a little more challenging than people think,” said Seckman.

Horsemanship interviews take place between the judges and the contestant where questions are asked related to rodeo knowledge and equine science.

Personality interviews are conducted between the contestant and the four judges.

“Those are probably my favorite part of the whole pageant,” said Seckman. “It’s more to just to get to know you as a person.”

Judges ask questions related to the contestant’s character and personality like, “Why do you want to be Miss Rodeo America?”

The public speaking event is an extemporaneous speech competition where four or five topics are presented, and contestants have 10 minutes to prepare a speech.

The coronation event will crown the new 2017 Miss Rodeo America and will start with a variation of the dance routine from the fashion show.

Competitors will also participate in the Justin Boot Parade, where contestants design their own boots.

At the Miss Rodeo America competition, each event requires a different outfit. So for Miss Rodeo America contestants, that translates to nine breakfast outfits, various outfits for the fashion show, horsemanship competition and outfits for all the other events.

“I have boxes and boxes of hats and boots and accessories and clothes,” Seckman said of her wardrobe she’ll be taking to Vegas.

A complete list of events with times can be found at missrodeoamerica.com and the Wrangler website. Televised events will be broadcast on the Wrangler Network. Fans can also follow Seckman online at the Miss Rodeo America Facebook page.