Contestant #3: Taryl Townsend is 23 years old and originally from Boulevard, California. She recently made the move to Sonora and is proud to now call the Mother Lode home. Raised in agriculture, she learned early on the value of hard work, responsibility, and showing up even when the job isn't easy — lessons that continue to guide her every day.
Horses have always been at the heart of Taryl's life. Over the past three years, she stepped into the world of packing and the backcountry — not just as a hobby, but as a challenge that shaped her. The mountains taught her resilience, patience, and grit. What started as something new quickly became a passion that pushed her to grow stronger in confidence and character.
Taryl is currently pursuing a career in agricultural education because she believes deeply in pouring into the next generation. She knows agriculture is more than an industry — it's a way of life built on tradition, stewardship, and community. She believes growth comes from discipline, knowledge, faith, and the willingness to keep striving to be better than yesterday.
She is honored to be running for rodeo queen and is ready to represent her community with authenticity, humility, work ethic, and heart — carrying both grit and grace wherever she goes.