Breckenridge Texan

Yanet Benitez crowned 2025 Buckaroo Queen by Sawyer Wimberley at 100th BHS Coronation

Yanet Benitez crowned 2025 Buckaroo Queen by Sawyer Wimberley at 100th BHS Coronation
January 27
20:57 2025

By Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan

On Saturday, Jan. 26, 2025, Breckenridge High School held the annual Coronation of the Buckaroo Queen in a special ceremony recognizing the 100th anniversary of the first such coronation. The event honored past Buckaroo Queens, Great Lord Chamberlains and others who have participated since 1925.

The 2025 Great Lord Chamberlain Sawyer Wimberley crowned Yanet Benitez as the Buckaroo Queen, surrounded by the Royal Court, in Bailey Auditorium.

In addition to the traditional presentation of the Buckaroo Queen, Great Lord Chamberlain and the Royal Court, this year’s ceremony also included the introduction of 29 previous queens and GLCs who wanted to participate, ranging from last year’s Queen Chloe Whitmire to the 1958 Buckaroo Queen Karen Munnerlyn Magg. (See the complete list of participants below.)

Abby Moore shows the Coronation audience the dress she wore as a trainbearer in 1991. The dress was made by her grandmother, Ima Jean Turner. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Breckenridge High School teacher Robert Burchett was the Master of Ceremonies for the ceremony, and BISD Library Director Abby Moore spoke throughout the event about the history of the BHS Coronation. Moore thoroughly researched the topic through 100 years worth of BHS yearbooks, old newspapers and personal accounts to create an in-depth history of the event, as well as a daily Facebook post featuring all of the Buckaroo Queens. (Click here to read more about the project.)

The entertainment included:

  • Cabel Perkins singing “Easy On Me,” accompanied by Jared McLane on guitar
  • The BHS/BJHS Drama Department, performing a skit about the Coronation through the years
  • Preslie Malcuit singing “Love Like This”
  • Fashion show
  • Emma Griffith, on vocals and guitar, “His Glory and My Good”
  • The BHS Drumline
  • Cabel Perkins and Preslie Malcuit, singing “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)”

During the fashion show portion of the entertainment, students wore Coronation dresses of several Buckaroo Queens and members of the Royal Court from years past.

Additionally, a variety of dresses, crown, photos and other items were on display in the foyer for attendees to enjoy as they entered Bailey Auditorium.

In closing out the entertainment and historical portion of the ceremony, Moore had one last thing to say to the audience: “I hope tonight I was able to take you back and answer the question that has plagued generations of BHS students over the years: Why do we do this? It’s a tradition, yes, but I think it’s something more than that. In a world where it seems like we’re divided over a million silly things, maybe this one silly thing, this ceremony, actually brings people together. And I think it does. It’s the common experience that bonds us through time, something so completely Buckaroo.”

She then asked for everyone in the audience who had ever had any involvement with the BHS Coronation, from building sets to being the queen, to stand up or raise their hand. As many attendees indicated their previous participation, Moore continued.

“So it’s not really about the Coronation at all. It’s about a shared experience in this specific town, in this specific school district, in this specific building, even, for the last 50 years,” she said. “It’s a wink and a nod to those kids of the 1920s who were bursting with the need to celebrate and remember their high school experience. It’s a tip of the hat to kids in the ’30s whose world stopped with the Great Depression, along with all those extra high school activities. It’s a salute to the kids in the ’40s, who continued their traditions despite so many of their classmates being overseas fighting the war, many of whom never came home and would have given anything to be back home, crowning the Queen of Buckaroo Kingdom. Sure, it’s changed a bit over the years. It has to. It should be representative of the era in which it exists. Change is OK, because the tradition remains. I want to thank these kids up here today for showing up and participating in this tradition. You guys are now part of this, too, along with hundreds of other kids that have stood together for Coronation over the last century, and to all of you in the audience, friends, family members, community members, and especially Buckaroos. Thank you for being with us tonight to mark the 100th Coronation of the Buckaroo Queen.”

The Royal Court watches as Buckaroo Queen Yanet Benitez enters the stage. Click here to see more photos from the ceremony. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

 

2025 coronation

Buckaroo Queen: Yanet Benitez
Great Lord Chamberlain: Sawyer Wimberley
Best All-Around: Joni Jackson and Isaac Hernandez
Most Popular: Karsyn Smalley and Antley Rodgers
Senior Favorites: Miley Roberts and Joshua Robertson-McClanahan
Junior Class Favorites: Lane Bartoskewitz and Chance Stewart
Sophomore Favorites: Kadynce Kennedy and Hayden Mendoza
Freshman Favorites: Kenzie Blackman and Cooper Wimberley
Homecoming Queen: Cabel Perkins
Homecoming King: Ayden Williamson
Senior Homecoming Court: Solae Mendez and Jack McKay
Senior Homecoming Court: Giselle Reyes and Nieko Martinez
Senior Homecoming Court: Kyelin Cope and Joel Medina
Junior Homecoming Princess and Prince: Yasmin Mendez and Joseph Juneau
Sophomore Homecoming Princess and Prince: Caegan Elder and Gunnar Pearce
Freshman Homecoming Princess and Prince: Paisley Herring and Slayden Young
Student Council Representatives: Ava Russell and John Sackett
Drama Sweetheart: Haley Graham
Drama Beau: Reyse Hash
Band Sweetheart: Allie Valdez
Band Beau: Malachi Harper
Drum Majors: Alyssa Contreras and Adrian Saucedo
Cheerleader Sweetheart: Adriana Perez
Football Hero: Jaxon Escalon
NHS Sweetheart: Maddison Shockley
NHS Beau: Alex Saucedo
FFA Sweetheart: Collom Perkins
FFA Beau: Emillio Castorena
Yearbook Representatives: Kodee Crawford and Kennet Medina
FCCLA Sweetheart and Beau: Kendra Palacios and Ramses Picaso

Master of Ceremonies: Robert Burchett
Trainbearers: Claire Wimberley and Lynli Ruiz
Crown-bearer: Colemyn McClymond
Flower-Bearer: Jackson Davis

The Head Usher was Timothy Newell. The senior ushers were Fabricio Davila and Delilah Hernandez. The junior ushers were Aubrey Diaz, Erik Saucedo, Christian Flores and Kinsey Mendoza. The sophomore ushers were Analia Palacios and Leo Mendoza. The freshman ushers were Lea Reyes and Brenham Walker.

The Light and Sound Technician was Cassie Johnson, and the Coronation Director was Leah Robertson. The event was sponsored by The Woman’s Forum. Photography and media was handled by Calvin Best and Elle Jackson.

In the entertainment portion, the BHS/BJHS drama students included Jose Torales, Cantyn McClymond, Preslie Malcuit, Hagen Johnson, Shaley Cone, Trenton Gollnisch, Nick de la Cruz, Rylee Woodrum, Aryssa Seabourn, Hayden Fulgham, Carter Carrion and Pazley Funderburg. The Fashion Show models were Amyra Aguilar, Bailey Hitchcock, Emma McCullough, Kayla Nickell, Mahaylee Seabourn, Paisley Thibodeaux, Dylan Tidwell, Kam Tidwell, Sayler Townson, Lakyn Arquitte, Aspen Johnson and Hayes Mitchell.

Cabel Perkins, left, and Jared McLane, right, perform “Easy On Me” for one of the entertainment segments during the Coronation. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Past Buckaroo Royalty Participating in 100th Coronation Ceremony

Karen Munnerlyn Magg, 1958 Buckaroo Queen

Ramona Choate Martinez, 1964 Buckaroo Queen

Dulan Elder, 1971 Great Lord Chamberlain

Billie Pierce Ruff, 1972 Buckaroo Queen

Richard Sorell, 1972 Great Lord Chamberlain

Shone Parks Campbell, 1975 Buckaroo Queen

Trissie Sullivan Dempsey, 1977 Buckaroo Queen

LaVonda Jones Popp, 1978 Buckaroo Queen

Debbie Henson Parker, 1979 Buckaroo Queen

Kathleen Thompson Baxley, 1980 Buckaroo Queen

Sherry Brooks Ellis, 1982 Buckaroo Queen

Carolyn Jones Moore, 1984 Buckaroo Queen

Rob Durham, 1989 Great Lord Chamberlain

Megan Fields Boukadoum, 1992 Buckaroo Queen

Tori Bradford Baisch, 1996 Buckaroo Queen

Stacey Gipson Beams, 1999 Buckaroo Queen

Coby Walker, 1999 Great Lord Chamberlain

Shaden Campbell Dossey, 2000 Buckaroo Queen

Cory Wimberley, 2000 Great Lord Chamberlain

Jessica Means Tarver, 2001 Buckaroo Queen

Eric Mendez, 2003 Great Lord Chamberlain

Aimee Coapland Robinson, 2004 Buckaroo Queen

Chelsey Bradford McClymond, 2005 Buckaroo Queen

Sumer Shortes Russell, 2006 Buckaroo Queen

Brooklynde Parks West, 2011 Buckaroo Queen

Kaitlyn Ellis, 2017 Buckaroo Queen

Marvin Phillips Jr., 2019 Great Lord Chamberlain

McKenna Adams, 2023 Buckaroo Queen

Chloe Whitmire, 2024 Buckaroo Queen

The 2025 Coronation was livestreamed on the BISD YouTube page. Click here to watch the ceremony online.

There was so much going on at this year’s BHS Coronation, Breckenridge Texan Publisher and Photographer Tony Pilkington divided the photos into two galleries. Click here to see the photo gallery of the crowning of Buckaroo Queen Yanet Benitez by Great Lord Chamberlain Sawyer Wimberley. Click here to see a photo gallery featuring the Buckaroo Queens and Great Lord Chamberlains from the past who were honored at the ceremony.

Prior to the introduction of the 2025 Buckaroo Queen and her Royal Court, the Queens and Great Lord Chamberlains from past years were honored. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Dresses and other memorabilia from past Coronations were on exhibit in the foyer of Bailey Auditorium on Saturday night. Debbie Henson Parker, the Buckaroo Queen of 1979, poses with her dress, which was on display. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

As part of the entertainment, the BHS/BJHS Drama Department presented a skit about the Coronation through the years. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

The Breckenridge High School drumline performed during the ceremony. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Coronation director Leah Robertson adjusts Buckaroo Queen Yanet Benitez’s train before she enters the auditorium. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Cutline, top photo: Buckaroo Queen Yanet Benitez and Great Lord Chamberlain Sawyer Wimberley are formally presented to the crowd at the 2025 Breckenridge High School Coronation. This year was the 100th coronation in the school’s history. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

 

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