2016 Sisters Rodeo queen chosen

Alyson Fazzolari was chosen as Sisters Rodeo Queen in late September after an outstanding display of horsemanship on Zeus, her 13-year-old dark bay horse.

Aly Fazz, as she is familiarly known, grew up in Oregon City on acreage where animals have been part of her family her entire life. She began caring for dogs, cats, goats and horses at a young age. She entered the equestrian show ring at the age of five.

“I was immediately hooked,” she expressed about riding, and the results have been impressive. She won the Oregon State 4H Hunt Seat Championship her freshman year on a horse she trained. Her high school Cow Team Penning team qualified for the Oregon and Washington Regionals this year, and she was the reining Clackamas County 4H Barrel Racing champion in 2014.

Fazzolari, with a dazzling smile and dark brown eyes that were complemented by a beautiful Western outfit, spoke to the rodeo crowd about patriotism and freedom. She noted that rodeo is the sport that represents “your freedom, my freedom, animals’ freedom, this country’s freedom and rodeo’s freedom.”

“I want to represent that feeling,” she said, “in a sport, she believes, that shows respect for people and animals alike.”

Aly successfully competed in horse show riding for nine years as a 4H equestrian and on the Oregon City High School Equestrian Team. At the beginning of her freshman year, she was bit by the horse “gaming” bug, especially barrel racing. She also played basketball and soccer and studied drama throughout high school, performing in many productions.

Her parents, Denise and Mike, said that this young woman is “a great kid, and always happy.” She has an older brother, Vinnie, who is an OSU graduate. Aly gives youth riding lessons and is an events manager for Portland Party Works.

The family has spent many years in Central Oregon, snow skiing, snowmobiling and exploring the outdoors and Deschutes River.

Every family summer began with Sisters Rodeo, and, like most young girls, Aly was enchanted by the rodeo queens, noting “the chills I got as a child as the rodeo queens smiled and waved at me.”

“I’ve always had a connection to Sisters and Central Oregon,” said the future queen. “I feel as if it’s been my second home.”

Sisters Rodeo will begin June 8 with Xtreme Bulls followed by four rodeo performances June 10-12. Ticket sales begin in December. Call the ticket hotline then at 541-549-0121 or

1-800-827-7522.For more information visit www.sistersrodeo.com.