The Miss Auburn Wild West Stampede first runner-up and her parents raised concern this week that rodeo officials would not award her, and the stampede queen, scholarship money promised to them at the beginning of the competition.

Auburn Wild West Stampede spokeswoman Karen Spencer said the claim is untrue.

Patricia Shier is a Foresthill resident whose daughter Samantha Shier competed in this year’s Miss Auburn Wild West Stampede competition. Samantha Shier was this year’s first runner-up.

Shier said about a day or two before the rodeo event announcing the winners, the girls were informed that they would no longer receive the monetary award because of projected low ticket sales for the rodeo.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Patricia Shier said. “It wasn’t the only reason my daughter competed, she would’ve been proud to represent Auburn, but (the scholarship) was definitely a contributing factor for her.”

Shier said she thought first place was to be awarded $5,000 and the first runner up would receive somewhere between $2,000 and $3,000.

When asked if that was the originally promised amount, Spencer laughed. She would not comment further except to say the board was still determining the amount.

“Whoever told Mrs. Shier that a scholarship would be withheld because of low ticket sales misinformed her,” Spencer said via e-mail. “The audit of ticket sales for 2008 is not completed.”

Shier said she contacted Betty Estep, Auburn Wild West Stampede board president, April 29 with her concerns. Estep replied the next day and told Shier that the board would investigate her concern, Shier said. Spencer also confirmed the exchange.

Spencer further asserted that the rodeo board has not eliminated the scholarships.

Shier said she is awaiting a response. She said her concern was raised when references to scholarship money were recently removed from the rodeo’s Miss Stampede contest Web site page. A check to the Web site auburnrodeo.com under the Miss Stampede contest headline did not mention a promise of scholarship money Tuesday.

While not saying whether the text promising scholarships had been removed or not, Spencer responded that rodeo officials are moving forward with removing contest entry information, vendor applications, sponsor package information and more from the Web site to prepare for next year’s event.

“The reference to scholarship was there and has not been disputed,” Spencer said.

Spencer said the board is still looking into Shier’s concern.

“There are certain girls who will receive scholarship money,” Spencer said Tuesday. She would not say which girls would be receiving any specific amount of money, however.

A call to board member Jim Roeder was unreturned as of press time. Spencer said she was unable to reach Estep to include her comments.

Spencer said this is the first time in several years that the competition planned to award scholarship money. She would not elaborate as to why.

Shier said she hopes rodeo officials follow through on a scholarship award that was promised back during the application process in February.

“It does put a bad light on an otherwise really nice event,” Shier said. “I think (the rodeo) is something fun for Auburn. It’s a great community event.”

The Journal's Jenifer Gee can be reached at jeniferg@goldcountrymedia.com or post a comment.