Hi everyone! My name is Taylor Pino, and I am the Under his Cover Clan born for the Meadow People Clan. My maternal grandfather is Water flowing together Clan and my paternal grandfather is Mexican Clan. I am proud to call Crownpoint, New Mexico my home, but it didn’t start out here! I was born in Las Cruces, New Mexico where I resided there for the first 2 years of my life. I currently compete in the Sr. Girls Breakaway roping and Pole Bending for the Indian Junior Rodeo Association. For the 2023-2024 school year, I was elected to Presidency for my Senior Class of Crownpoint High. I am also the President of the Mathematical, Engineering, Science Achievement (M.E.S.A.) club representing Crownpoint in the West Region. I am also involved in other Rodeo Associations such as New Mexico Rodeo Association (NMRA), Indian National Finals Rodeo (INFR), All Indian Rodeo Association (AIRCA), Four States Junior Rodeo Association (FSJRA), Southwest Junior Rodeo Association(SWJRA), and Navajo Nation Rodeo Cowboys Association (NNRCA) as a competitor and a hazer for my uncle and our other bulldoggin’ buddies. I have held a membership with IJRA for 3 years, and having the opportunity to represent this association is something I take great pride in. Rodeo is a tough sport, and I am lucky enough to grow up under some of the best competitors. Having family members who have been to the bright lights of Vegas and a legacy that is constantly in the arena, it was understandable that when I told my mom that I wanted to start taking it more seriously. It wasn’t until about the age of 12 that I wanted to start practicing more and really start becoming active in the rodeo world. From a young age, I was always on the road traveling to all sorts of different steer wrestling jackpots, rodeos, meetings, and appearances across the nation, because of that I have always been well known by many different people who were able to open many doors for me. Being raised the way I have been, I’ve been taught that there is much more to the sport of Rodeo than just catching a steer or turning a barrel. With a legendary steer wrestling grandpa, Mr. Alvin Pino, and competitive family members, you tend to sit through quite a few lectures on how to properly do everything right! The biggest piece of advice I have continued to carry with me was told to me by my grandpa, Mr. Alvin Pino and he said: “No matter how good you are, you will never be as good as you want to be.” For me, that really puts things into perspective. As a competitor, you never really realize how far you have come or how good you are doing, because in your mind you’re still not the best you believe you can be. I believe that a good horse is a horse with a lot of heart. Those animals are your partners, we can’t compete without them. The horses that want to perform at their best will always teach you something beneficial to your career. Rodeo to me isn’t about winning every event or making it to every rodeo. It’s about creating a bond with your animals and learning how to be a better horseman. Of course, we always go in with the mindset to be the fastest, but I am just as happy leaving knowing that my horses did all they could to try and win. Rodeoing is about the lifelong friendships that you create as well as the memories you make on the road, knowing that everything you love is in that truck and trailer. I am grateful for the opportunity to share my passion and insights with rodeo enthusiasts nationwide. Throughout my reign as Miss IJRA, my goal is to represent my hometown, rodeo, and the western way of life to fans all throughout this great country. I am honored to share my enthusiasm and insight into the sport of rodeo and to its athletes, both human and animal. I will serve as an ambassador and role model by exemplifying rodeo’s virtues of fair play, sportsmanship, responsibility, accountability, and hard work. I look forward to this upcoming season with you all. I cannot wait to see what this journey will bring!

Taylor Pino

2024 Miss Indian Junior Rodeo Association