Meredith Holland

2009 Miss Rodeo Kansas

Miss Rodeo Kansas 2009 is Meredith Holland of Bucyrus.  Meredith is a senior at Kansas State University where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies, with an emphasis on Public Relations.  She is the 23 year old daughter of Michele and Jim Holland, also of Bucyrus, and has four siblings. 

While finishing up her degree at Kansas State, Meredith stays involved with many organizations on campus and throughout the Manhattan community.  During her time at KSU, she has been a member of the K-State Singers, both the dance and theater departments, and works with the Women’s Center to provide sexual assault awareness and prevention training to the public.  The highlight of that work has been visiting with the graduating class at Blue Valley West High School for the last two years.  She believes heavily in the power of education and the responsibility that each of us possess to change the world around us.    After she completes both school and her work as Miss Rodeo Kansas, Meredith hopes to continue working in public education and victims advocacy, and pursue a career in vocal performance. 

Meredith began her involvement with rodeo queen pageants in 2001 with the Kansas High School Rodeo program. She won the title of Miss Rodeo K-State 2006 and  has continued to stay very active with the KSU pageant.   She has had the opportunity to judge various rodeo queen pageants.   Meredith’s rodeo career started much earlier as she began running barrels at age five.  Although Meredith waited to become involved in the flashy world of rodeo queen pageants, she has always loved to sparkle and is known to her friends as the “queen of the rhinestone.”

Meredith has been involved with both rodeo and horses her entire life.  She grew up on an American Quarter Horse ranch and started running barrels and poles with the American Quarter Horse Youth Association when she was 16.  At 17, she was the All American Quarter Horse Congress Reserve Champion and placed in the Top Ten in both events.  The Holland family also owns, breeds and shows the AQHA 2005 Superhorse, With All Probability, along with the 2007 and 2008 AQHYA World and Reserve World Champions.   Growing up surrounded by horses and rodeo, Meredith has developed a love and devotion to spreading its “gospel” of fairness and unparalleled sportsmanship wherever she goes. 

Meredith believes that with faith and trust, anything is possible.  Armed with compassion and patience, any problem can be kept small and resolved quickly.  A favorite saying of hers is “Let go and let God”, a motto she strives to live by more and more everyday.