Melissa Hankins Reigns As Fourth Mother Lode Round Up Queen Candidate
Sonora, CA — The soon to be 19 year old (her birthday is Sunday) is a Sonora High graduate currently attending Columbia College.
This marks the second time Hankins has competed for the title. She says she practices with her quarterhorse on a daily basis preparing for the horsemanship competition Saturday morning at ten o´clock at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds.
She thinks the toughest part of the competition will be the horsemanship trials because each contestant must use a single horse for a number of differenct events. Traditionally, she says, horses are trained to compete in a single event.
Hankins is planning on transfering to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to gain her bachelor´s and master´s in mechanical engineering.
Hankins has decided to donate her share of her ticket selling campaign to the Hepatitis C Foundation. Years ago her father was injured in a motorcycle accident and he contracted hepatitis C through a blood transfusion. He recently died and that´s why his daughter has earmarked her funds for that non-profit organization.
The 2007 Mother Lode Roundup Queen will be selected Sunday evening at the Elks Lodge.
Written by Bill Johnson
