ANAHOLA — Noel Tancayo has been in a saddle for as long as she can remember.
Before moving to Anahola several years ago, Tancayo grew up on a Moloka‘i ranch and was deeply entrenched in paniolo culture.
Now, she will represent Hawai‘i rodeo on the national stage, in her new role as Miss Rodeo Hawai‘i.
“I was raised with all these old-time paniolo cowboys,” said Tancayo. “I’ve had a passion for rodeo forever. Growing up how I did, that’s all you know.”
Tancayo, 20, was crowned in a small ceremony in front of her hometown friends and family on Moloka‘i last month, after performing a horsemanship routine.
“It was a bittersweet moment,” said the previous Miss Rodeo Hawai‘i, Gabrielle Berce. “Because I put a lot of my heart into the crown, it was a little difficult to watch it handed down. But I couldn’t be more proud to share it with Noel. She was a girl who I grew up competing alongside, and I know that she is a phenomenal individual and has a such a great heart.”
As Miss Rodeo Hawai‘i Tancayo attends various events and pageants throughout the state and on the mainland in an official role. Most recently she presented awards at the Makawao Stampede. She appreciates the opportunity the role gives her to educate people about paniolo culture.
“I wanted to reach out to people about the paniolo heritage,” said Tancayo. “Many people don’t realize that there is rodeo in Hawai‘i.”
This November, she will represent Hawai‘i at the Miss Rodeo America pageant in Las Vegas.
The national competition in November is a huge change of pace from the small-scale statewide event. While Miss Rodeo Hawai‘i tends to be small-scale — Tancayo and Berce both won their crowns without any competition — the national event is highly competitive, with representatives from all 50 states.
“It’s nothing compared to what I experienced as Miss Rodeo Hawai‘i,” said Berce. “The majority of these girls are traveling the professional rodeo circuit.”
The eight-day pageant features horsemanship competitions, fashion shows, interviews and knowledge tests. Winners can receive scholarships.
“I’m excited and nervous,” said Tancayo on the national pageant.
Outside of her role as Miss Rodeo Hawai‘i, Tancayo works as a biological science technician for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Department, and participates in a project to use dogs to keep the federally protected nene off the Lihu‘e Airport tarmac. She plans to pursue a degree in biology.
For her, it’s not as much about the competition as it is about the simple pleasure of riding.
“There are some people that are super competitive about it, but I’ve never been competitive,” said Tancayo. “I just like to go out on my horse. Me and him both have fun.”
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Guthrie Scrimgeour, reporter, can be reached at 647-0329 or gscrimgeour@thegardenisland.com.
