From Bulldog Rider to Rodeo Royalty: Brogan Hill Crowned Miss Clovis Rodeo

CLOVIS, Calif. - There is a certain buzz around town when April rolls around. Big Hat Days kicks things off to start the month. The weather is nice, spring has sprung and over 100,000 people fill Pollasky Ave for the two-day event. Then comes the last weekend in April, and the Clovis Rodeo.

Beginning in 1914, the Clovis Rodeo has become a Central Valley staple for rodeo season. Everyone recognizes the last weekend in April as rodeo weekend in Clovis, and this year was no different. As it did in its beginning, the Clovis Rodeo continues to bring families and friends together to enjoy a time of friendship, fun and relaxation on the last full weekend in April.

Fresno State senior equestrian Brogan Hill is a native of Saint Anthony, Idaho, but moved to California to be a Bulldog as a reiner on the equestrian team in 2022. During her career, Hill was the only Division I equestrian out of the state of Idaho.

She has a background in the equine and agriculture areas, as she grew up around horses while her parents are potato farmers in Idaho. She has experience in many horse shows, earning several honors in her career as an individual and collegiate rider. At a young age, she told her parents she wanted to ride for a college team, and she made that dream a reality with Fresno State being her eventual home.

Before her riding career, she was involved in the rodeo queening world. She started at the age of four as an excited little girl who would see the pretty girls riding horses, and wanted to be like them. She was in that space until around the age of 16, when she decided to focus solely on her competition riding and earning a collegiate scholarship. In her early queening career, she has held many titles, with her last in 2017.

Fast forward nearly 10 years, and now, she has the title of Miss Clovis Rodeo 2026.

"I struggled with fully committing to doing the contest itself because it was kind of scary to put myself back out there in a very public view. I haven't done this for years," said Hill. "Part of me didn't want to do it, but I have always held three core values in my life in everything that I have done, especially with horses. Those are: always work hard, have perseverance, and never give up. Having those three things, I have been able to push through everything, and I have always done everything to the best of my ability in that moment. I am not always perfect. I cannot be 100% every day, but I am a woman of faith, and I have always believed that God is going to help me get there. Whatever His choice is, and whatever He wants me to do, He will either help me make it happen or He won't, and that is for my best interest at heart."

Hill was crowned Miss Clovis Rodeo last Wednesday on the opening day of the rodeo. Her title was earned after excelling in a variety of categories that involve poise, appearance and personality, as well as horsemanship skills and scholastic abilities.

"There is a lot that goes into it," said Hill on the queen competition. "There is a lot of preparation for it. You have to be very well-rounded in not only your riding, but your writing and public speaking as well."

In the tail-end of the 2025-26 Bulldog equestrian season, Hill had to balance life as a Division I athlete headed to nationals, being a master's student and her queen competition. The transition came easily, and it was like she didn't skip a beat.

"I've had that foundation since I was younger, and it came back to me more naturally than I thought."

Throughout this process, Hill was sponsored by the Clovis American Legion Post 147, which helped her to get out into the community and learn more about the history of Clovis. She has been blown away by the people she has met and the support that she has felt through this process.

"It has been fun," said Hill after his first week as Miss Clovis Rodeo. "I have done a lot of networking. I have had a lot of job offers already. It has been building a pathway for my future. It brings a lot of comfort and peace to me because, at this age, not a lot of people know what they are going to do. I still don't know what I want to do, but it gives me a lot of comfort knowing that people are there and want to support me and help me find a pathway to a career."

"I have enjoyed it so much. I forget how much I am in my element."

Hill will hold the title for one year, until the 2027 Clovis Rodeo. Parts of the job include representing the Clovis Rodeo at other rodeos and events around the country, as well as being out in the community here and serving as a public figure for the organization. Hill is excited to represent the Clovis Rodeo outside of the Central Valley, to bring some well-earned recognition to the area and our hometown rodeo.

"[The Clovis Rodeo] is actually in the Top 10 in the entire United States of rodeo," said Hill. "It is one of the biggest, most well-known and oldest rodeos that we have. It originally started in 1914, and the City of Clovis was originally founded in 1912. So this rodeo is just as old as Clovis, basically. It is the second-largest rodeo in the state of California. It is a PRCA Rodeo, which is a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Rodeo. This is where all the big dogs come in, and they can earn a lot of money, and it can help them get to the NFR. It is a pretty big deal."

Not only is the rodeo itself a big deal, but the notoriety of the Central Valley and bringing people together to celebrate the agriculture and the western way of life is what the Clovis Rodeo and Hill are proud of.

"I think it brings a lot more attention to, not just the rodeo aspect of our industry, but the agriculture side of everything. Fresno County is the No. 1 largest food-producing county there is in the entire United States, which is a really big deal. Bringing in a little bit more attention to this area helps bring awareness to people about the importance of this county and the rodeo. People forget that we are the backbone of the country and the Western way of life. People forget that without our agriculture and without the rodeo, it takes away the heritage and the backbone of our country."

Hill has studied agriculture at Fresno State's Jordan College of Agriculture. She earned her undergraduate degree in agriculture communications in the Spring of 2025, and is now the lone master's student in that same study at Fresno State. She is set to graduate with her master's in ag communications next spring.

Although her Bulldog equestrian career has come to an end, Hill made the most of it and leaves the program as a two-time All-Big 12 Reining selection and is a second-team reining All-American. She will always be known for her bright smile and beaming energy in the arena, throwing up her signature fist pump at the end of her rides. The smile and energy will still shine bright, this time as Miss Clovis Rodeo.

"I have always grown up with a mindset of if I want something, there is nothing that is going to hold me back," said Hill. "Don't get me wrong, there have been many things that have tried to hold me back, and there have been times where I've wanted to quit, but the problem is that I don't quit."

To follow along with Hill's journey as Miss Clovis Rodeo, follow her social media channels on Facebook and Instagram (@MissClovisRodeo).

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