Growing up among California poppies and yellow mustard fields, this proud native of San Benito County, Emily Drost, enters our contest as Miss San Benito Rodeo. A lifelong horse lover, Emily has competed in rodeos and horse shows with horsemanship as her most awarded and favorite event. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with those she loves and her horses. Emily has volunteered with Cooper’s Calling, an organized group that helps those with special needs using equine-assisted activities. As a member of 4-H she held various leadership roles, including two years as club president. As Miss San Benito Rodeo, she has traveled to different rodeos, attended multiple community events and acted as an ambassador for her community.
Emily’s dedication to her community and love for helping others was rewarded with scholarships as she graduated from high school. She is currently completing her bachelor’s degree in Clinical Psychology with Grand Canyon University and plans to attend nursing school to become a Psychiatric Nurse to help those within her community. Inspired by her great-great aunt and California Rodeo Salinas Hall of Fame inductee, Lola Galli, Emily is honored to continue her family’s rodeo legacy.
Summer Fanning – Miss Old Santa Ynez Days Rodeo is thoroughly excited to be competing for the title of Miss California Rodeo Salinas while representing her hometown of Santa Ynez where she was raised on her family’s thoroughbred farm. As a third-generation horse trainer, she carries on the legacy by operating her own horse training business. In addition, she works as a trail guide sharing her passion for horses and western heritage with guests from around the world on one of the oldest ranches in California. Summer grew up competing in junior rodeos and fairs, raising livestock for 11 years and earning several champion breed awards. She and her sister now run their own herd of Black Angus cattle, with the goal of selling replacement heifers to local 4-H and FFA youth to show at local county fairs.
Outside of riding horses and working on the ranch, Summer enjoys working in her vegetable and flower garden. While currently studying Medical Assisting at Cuesta College, she hopes to blend her agricultural knowledge with healthcare to help others. Summer’s servant heart shines through her animal rescue efforts—fostering over 20 kittens and launching a TNR (trap, neuter, release) group—with a long-term goal of starting her own nonprofit animal rescue group.
With a lifelong love for horses, Rachel Lancaster - Miss Marine Corp. League #014 is actively pursuing a career in the equine industry. She grew up riding English and works professionally in that discipline, recently expanding into ranch reining to diversify her skills. Rachel hosts a hunter and jumper schooling series in California’s Central Valley, aiming to grow the industry and create an accessible and supportive environment for developing horses and riders. She hopes to one day offer similar opportunities within the western riding community and grow her events into nationally accredited shows. Among her accomplishments, Rachel was named the Interscholastic Equestrian Association Zone 10 Reserve Champion High Point Open Rider. This award is the accumulation of points against all the other top riders in Zone 10 which consists of California, Nevada and Hawaii. She is also a three-time recipient of the organization’s sportsmanship award. Rachel is proudest of being selected Miss Clovis Rodeo 2024.
Rachel has attended Clovis Community College and Cal State Fresno. Off the horse, she is an avid collector, analyzer and reader of classic literature. Moving forward she continues to learn from the books she reads, the trainers she rides with, and the horses she sits on.
Gracie Skow, Miss San Benito County Jr. Rodeo Association, was born and raised in San Benito County — a region steeped in vaquero heritage and cowboy tradition. A former varsity basketball player for 3 years, she was the recipient of the Richard Chamberlin Sportsmanship Award. Her passion for livestock and agriculture was shaped by over ten years as a 4-H member, where she raised nearly 25 projects, especially show lambs. In the future she plans to breed show lambs for 4-H members. Gracie is also a 4th generation cattle rancher involved in commercial Angus, where she enjoys all aspects of the cow/calf pair operations. Branding in the winter, doctoring in the spring, and shipping in the summer can be demanding but rewarding. An avid team roper and ACTRA member, she began roping at 14 and can often be found at jackpots and rodeos throughout the summer. Gracie finds team roping reigns supreme among other events but will occasionally pull out her breakaway rope.
She is currently attending Gavilan College with plans to transfer to UC Davis next spring to pursue a degree in Agriculture Education with a minor in Animal Science. Gracie is proud to represent her community and hopes to inspire youth to stay involved in agriculture.
