By Adrian Stewart
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Four UA students were crowned as royalty, at least for a few days, as members of the Tucson Rodeo Days' Royal Court.
Jennifer Colaric and Debbie Quaid were selected as princesses while Jill Lyn Duke and Joanna Owen were named attendants. All went through a competitive process together with the Queen of the Rodeo, Charlene "Dinky" Whitfield, who is a Northern Arizona University alumna.
These newly-designated nobility were excited to be members of the Royal Court and to be able to participate in all the duties, official and unofficial, of their positions.
The royal students rode in Wednesday's opening ceremonies and yesterday in the Rodeo Parade.
As an unofficial perk, Quaid met actor Tom Selleck, best known for the 1980s television show "Magnum P.I.," who was at the rodeo researching a movie.
As part of their duties, the regal students visited the Cactus Moon, a local country bar, for a publicity event. Colaric, who is underage, said, "This was all worth it just to go to the Cactus Moon on Saturday night!"
Colaric, an undeclared freshman, rode her quarterhorse Cajun, which she calls a "big, black brat." She is in the College of Agriculture now but says she is thinking about a change, possibly into business.
Quaid, a psychology senior who is taking a break from her studies, rode her horse Riot, whose minor injury prevented her from competing at this year's rodeo. As a collegiate barrel-racing champion in 1991, she won the Grand Canyon Region and placed third in the nation.
Although she has her professional barrel racer permit, Quaid plans to get a real estate license after she graduates in December.
"I'll need a job where I can set my own hours if I'm going to be on the rodeo circuit," says Quaid.
Duke and Owen are the court's attendants. Duke is a health sciences freshman and Owen is a history senior.