Little International Queen lives her dream
Representatives spend last days before event in spotlight
For 81st Little International Queen Sarah Gustin, Saturday night will not be spent like many college students typically spend time on the weekend.
Gustin will don her crown, sash and evening gown and ride into Shepperd Arena on a stagecoach.
Saturday night marks the final event of the 82nd Little International, where awards are given and the rest of the night is spent “dancing in the chips” to October Road.
Riding horses behind the stagecoach will be Little I Manager Ryan Hauck and Assistant Manager Luke Heller. Both will be wearing tuxedos and carrying flags.
“It gets really, really intense and fun, and the seats in Shepperd are just packed to the max,” Gustin said of the show.
Gustin is a member of Saddle and Sirloin, the largest and oldest student organization on campus. Membership of the group exceeds more than 200 students.
Little I is not an easy event to put on, as coordination and execution of the event requires the participation of all the Saddle and Sirloin members.
“It’s the largest student organization production in the state,” Gustin said. “If the kids wouldn’t pull together, this would not happen. We have one manager, and we have an assistant manager, and we have a queen, but it’s the whole organization that makes it go ‘round. It’s really a team effort.”
Gustin first participated in the judging event at Little I in fourth grade and said that was also when she first became acquainted with the organization — and the royalty who presided over the event.
“I saw the queen and I was like, ‘I want to do that someday,’” Gustin said.
In November 2006, Gustin competed against seven other candidates for the title of queen. After giving speeches to a panel of judges, the number of candidates was narrowed down to five. The top five candidates advance to the second day, where they give a speech in front of the entire club, which boasts more than 200 members.
The members ask questions of the candidates before voting for the top three. The winner is named Little International Queen, with the next two place-winners receiving the title of Little International Princess.
The 81st Little International Princessses are Ashley Vangsness and Lacey Schneider.
Gustin’s duties as queen began immediately, as she was responsible for setting up all the media contacts to promote Little I.
“I would say (the queen is) the poster child for the Little International … You kind of just become the face of it,” Gustin said.
Throughout the last two months, Gustin has traveled around the state with Hauck and Heller promoting the event in countless radio and television interviews.
All three students have been involved in Saddle and Sirloin since their freshman year.
“I really care about the club, and I really enjoy being in the club …that really makes it all worth it,” Gustin said.
Heller said he hasn’t been as involved in the publicity side as the queen and princesses have, although he did travel to Bismarck to invite Gov. John Hoeven to the event.
Heller didn’t know if the governor would be able to make it, but said “it’s good to get our image out there.”
In addition to promoting Little I, Hauck is in change of more than 30 committees and has to make sure everything is operating smoothly.
Hauck said he’s really enjoyed working the people he has, and Gustin agreed that building relationships with people is important to her.
“The best part about being the queen so far has been, I would say, the friendships and the relationships that have been built and grown so much stronger,” Gustin said.
Being queen has also been important to Gustin’s hometown of Mandan, N.D. Former Saddle and Sirloin members have sent congratulatory cards or e-mails to Gustin.
“That’s kind of neat because they all know what it’s about and it’s kind of like you get to represent the agriculture industry as a whole,” Gustin said.
Little I kicks off at 8 a.m. Friday with the 4-H and Future Farmers of America (FFA) livestock judging contest.