2024 Missouri Beef Queen Rules & Regulations Qualifications to Compete
1. Contestants must be females, 16-21 years of age by December 31, 2023.
2. Contestants must be residents of the United States and the state of Missouri on the date of the contest.
3. Contestants must be unmarried, or at any time have been married, pregnant, or have a child. Contestants must have never been convicted of any crime or have any criminal charges pending.
4. Contestants must be a Collegiate or Junior member of Missouri Cattlemen’s Association (MCA) or Missouri CattleWomen (MCW) or her parent(s) must be a MCA or MCW member.
5. Contestants must be sponsored by a county cattlemen’s association (MCA affiliate), and each county may only sponsor one contestant per year. When no county organization exists, a district may sponsor one contestant per year. Collegiate CattleWomen, Collegiate Chapters and Missouri Junior Cattlemen’s Association (MJCA) are also allowed to sponsor one contestant per year.
6. Contestants must have an agriculture background and be interested in beef and the beef cattle industry.
7. Contestants must be willing to donate time to beef promotion throughout the year. She may not have previously reigned as Missouri Beef Queen. Previous contestants are eligible to re-enter the contest.
2024 Beef Queen Responsibilities
The Missouri Beef Queen will communicate with producers, consumers and answer questions about beef, the beef cattle industry, nutrition, and current issues. She will hand out ribbons and trophies at shows. She will speak to groups about beef and participate in radio, television, and newspaper interviews, and appear in group photographs at public events. She is strongly encouraged to develop contacts at area schools and civic clubs. She will be required to host or participate in an agriculture literacy event in her local community.
She will be required to represent the Missouri beef industry at:
• MCA Convention (early January)
• Beef Month Proclamation Signing, Jefferson City (April/May)
• MCA All-Breeds Junior Show, Sedalia (second weekend in June) • MCA Steak Fry, Sedalia (June)
• Missouri State Fair, Sedalia (Events include: Drive to Feed Kids, Steer Show, and the Governor’s Reception – ( August)
She may be asked to attend at least one optional event:
• Cattlemen’s RoundUp, St. Joseph (end of March)
• Missouri CattleWomen’s Day Out (spring)
• TEAM Beef Events (various dates)
• Cattlemen’s Classic Golf Tournament (June)
• Ozark Empire Fair, Springfield (end of July)
• Farm Safety College, Columbia (fall)
• Ozarks Fall Farm Fest, Springfield (first weekend in October)
• Missouri Livestock Symposium, Kirksville (early December)
**Dates are approximate on the above-mentioned events and are subject to change. Some locations of events vary year-to-year. In addition to the events listed above, the Beef Queen may be asked to attend county cattlemen’s meetings and events or other meetings and events deemed appropriate by MCA, MCW, Missouri Beef Industry Council (MBIC) and Missouri’s Cattlemen Foundation (MCF).
The Beef Queen may show her cattle at cattle shows, but she may not wear the crown, banner or be representing the Beef Queen and the cattle industry in any way.
While serving in official capacity, the Missouri Beef Queen will not at any time consume alcoholic beverages or illegal substances. Also, she will not enter any other queen contest without permission of the sponsoring organizations from the cattle industry.
In her year of reign, the Missouri Beef Queen will keep at least one active official social media account (X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, Blog, etc.) specifically related to her work as the Beef Queen. She will authorize the Missouri Beef Queen Chairperson and at least one MCW officer administrative access to the account. This will allow people in Missouri’s beef industry to know how the Beef Queen is working to promote cattle production and beef.
The Beef Queen will be required to join MCW or a Collegiate MCW Chapter if she is not currently a member.
Beef Queen Expenses
The requesting organization will pay mileage when the Beef Queen is representing MCA, MCW or MBIC, at their request. When the Beef Queen is requested to attend a county or district function by the county or district, they will pay their current rate for the Beef Queen’s mileage. The county or district is then responsible for the Beef Queen during her stay for the function. Mileage reimbursement should be calculated using the current Missouri state mileage rate, which can be found here: http://oa.mo.gov/accounting/state-employees/travel-portalinformation/mileage.
MCA will be exempted from reimbursing the Beef Queen for mileage while representing MCA at any events during the State Fair due to the expenses already covered by MCA for lodging, admission tickets, and parking passes provided to the Beef Queen. MCW will reimburse limited mileage during the State Fair.
The Beef Queen must turn in expenses while on official duty to the Beef Queen Chairpersons, Darla Haines, Carolyn Dieckman, or Jennifer Poor. All questions about expenses must be directed to Darla, Carolyn, or Jennifer. The Beef Queen must include in her expenses (1) name of event and location, (2) mileage and (3) any meals or other expenses incurred, with receipts, while on official duty. Expenses will need to be submitted within thirty days of event or when expenses incurred.
Beef Queen Chaperone
The Beef Queen contest committee will be responsible for the Queen’s schedule. If needed, they will assist the queen in making arrangements for a place to stay. It is strongly suggested that the Beef Queen be chaperoned by her parent(s) or an approved chaperone during all beef promotions and activities.
State Contest Details
Sponsor Responsibilities
Each contestant and her chaperone must register to attend the annual MCA Convention. Each county/district/Collegiate CattleWomen/MJCA is responsible for the cost of their contestant’s hotel room and her meals during the contest (the contestant’s registration is free). ONLY THE REIGNING MISSOURI BEEF QUEEN AND HER PARENT(S) OR GUARDIANS WILL RECEIVE COMPLIMENTARY MEAL TICKETS (TWO). THE QUEEN’S PARENT(S) ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR CONVENTION REGISTRATION.
At the MCA/MCW Convention, each contestant must be chaperoned either by her parent(s) OR an approved chaperone. If not rooming with her parent(s), contestants must have a room with her chaperone.
State Contest Rules
Each contestant must submit a completed application, resume, and a head-and-shoulders photograph to the Missouri Beef Queen chair. These materials must be submitted or postmarked by November 1, 2023—see complete instructions on the application. The completed application should be typed. The application and resume will be scored by the judges, and the photograph will be published in the Missouri Beef Cattleman magazine.
The state contest will occur on Saturday, January 20, 2024 during the 2024 Missouri Cattle Industry Convention held at Margaritaville in Osage Beach, MO. Coronation will follow the contest on Saturday evening, January 20, during the convention awards banquet.
Each contestant will complete a 10-minute professional interview with the judges. The interviews are not open to the public. Following the interview portion of the contest, each contestant will deliver a 5 to 8 minute speech, which should focus on the following topic: “Greatest challenge facing the beef community and the role young people can play in addressing that challenge.” Judges will not ask questions of the contestants during the speech portion of the contest. The speeches are open to the public; however, out of respect for all contestants, the contestants will not be allowed to sit in on other contestants’ speeches. Contestants are encouraged to wear business attire for their interview and speech. No videos allowed while participants give their speech.
A panel of three judges will evaluate the contestants. The judges will not be related to each other and will represent different professional backgrounds. Judges will score each contestant independently. The score of the application, resume, interview and speech will be totaled, and the contestant with the highest total points will be the Missouri Beef Queen, the second and third highest scores will be the respective runners-up. In the chance of a tie, the judges will be asked to rank the contestants to determine the winners.
The Beef Queen will receive a $1,000 scholarship, crown and bouquet. The first runner-up will receive a $500 scholarship and bouquet. The second runner-up will receive a $250 scholarship and a bouquet. All other contestants will receive a gift.
Contest expenses will be paid out of the MCW promotional fund. Scholarship expenses will be shared equally by MCA, MCW and MCF.
The Missouri Beef Queen is eligible and required to serve as a contestant in the Missouri State Fair Queen scholarship pageant. The contestant fee for the Missouri State Fair Queen pageant will be the responsibility of MCW.