SIDNEY, Neb. — The Cheyenne County Fair & Rodeo crowned a new queen on Tuesday before the PRCA Rodeo. 

Sidney’s Austin Hurt is the 2025 Fair & Rodeo Queen, with fellow Sidney resident Aspyn King announced as her lady-in-waiting.

For Hurt, a freshman at Sidney High School, the honor fulfills a lifelong dream rooted in her passion for horses and rodeo.

“It’s amazing. It’s a lot, but it’s amazing,” Hurt said following the coronation. “My whole entire life I’ve always wanted to do horses. After I started riding, I wanted to be in the rodeo. This is my way to be in the rodeo.”

The daughter of Whitney Hurt and the late Andrew Hurt, Austin is active in 4-H, showing horses, pigs and goats. She plans to continue her rodeo career with the Nebraska High School Rodeo Association and The National Little Britches Rodeo Association, while participating in basketball, track and FFA during the school year.

“I want to accomplish that we can get our queen program up and going,” she added. “We’re starting from scratch and we’re just going to keep on rolling.”

Joining her in representing Cheyenne County is lady-in-waiting Aspyn King, a 15-year-old sophomore enrolled in Arizona State University Digital. A competitor in the Nebraska High School Rodeo Association, King hopes to one day become a professional horse trainer.

“We have more rodeos, fairs and parades to go to,” said King. “We’re going to represent Cheyenne County more and more.”

King, who also shows horses in 4-H, is especially looking forward to a popular event on Wednesday. “I’m definitely looking forward to the rubber check race,” she said. “It’s always fun and exciting.”

Wednesday is also Military and First Responders Appreciation Night. All military and first responders get into the rubber check race for free.

The Cheyenne County Fair & Rodeo continues this week in Sidney, with a truck and tractor pull on Thursday, the Hunter Hayes concert on Friday and demolition derby on Saturday. There are also exhibits, 4-H shows and the 4-H livestock auction at 9 a.m. on Saturday. Tickets are on sale at the gate or at cheyennecountyfair.com.