Jackson, Wyoming Wednesday, July 22, 2015 One dollar

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28A Hospital prices to rise 3%30A To DUI, or not to DUI?32A Habitat ReStore finds a home

By Emma Breysse

A bonfire of marijuana smells a lot worse than it sounds like it should.

At least if you’re also burning the cookie tins, metal grinders, plastic pill containers and glass pipes that

contain it.Given that, it’s hardly a surprise

that when the Jackson Police Depart-ment disposes of more than 10 years’ worth of confiscated drug evidence, the county’s burn hut smells more like a recipe for lung cancer than for an afternoon high.

In one burn June 17, Sgt. Roger Schultz and Det. Andy Pearson dis-posed of two truckloads of drugs and drug paraphernalia that have

been taking up space in long-term evidence storage. Some of it was old enough to vote.

“You wouldn’t want to smoke this even if it weren’t a crime,” Schultz said. “And we could have one of these burns every week for a year before we ran out of stuff to burn.”

Schultz, who took over the Jack-son Police Department’s investiga-tions unit last year, is on a mission to do just that.

“I would love to run out of stuff to burn,” he said.

The range of items that became evidence in Jackson criminal cases over the years is straight out of a hoarding intervention.

Schultz and Pearson, who are spearheading the campaign to clear out the department’s evidence stor-age, will say as much.

“Police officers are basically

By Ben Graham and Mike Koshmrl

Snow King Mountain Resort deci-sion-makers said this week they will begin seeking approval for a gondola, top-to-bottom zip line and boundary expansion that would make the Town Hill two-thirds larger.

The King’s president, Max Chap-man, outlined the ambitious plans for Jackson’s historical community ski area at a town meeting Monday. The aim, Chapman said, is to create a ski hill that will serve locals while also holding its own against other resorts in the region and across the country.

“The goal that we’re trying to have for Snow King is to create a truly first-class recreational area that will be for the benefit of our locals as well as our visitors,” Chapman said, “and can compete with anybody in the area or anyone in the country in terms of quality and experience.”

Other additions grouped into Snow King’s latest plans include lift-ac-cessed mountain bike trails, a “first class” restaurant on the summit to replace the Panorama House, a new road and maybe even an observatory.

The zip line, according to Snow King’s website, would be the steep-est in the country, capable of reaching speeds up to 70 mph.

An environmental review of the proposals is likely to take a year and

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By Mike Koshmrl

Two or three millennia ago, American Indians used the flats above the wetlands along what’s now the northern Moose-Wilson Road as a base camp during seasonal sojourns in Jackson Hole.

For thousands of years these natives moved through the valley, tossing aside chunks of obsidian — scraps from tool-making — and leaving behind arrowheads, knife blades and utensils. The circles of stones they used to hold down the edg-es of their tipis remain in place where they left them, telling part of the story of their passing.

Archeologists at Grand Teton National Park are just now

Snow King details Phase 2

Artifact trove tells history

Cops get busy destroying evidence ... and that’s good

Expansion of area boundaries, gondola and more aim to create a ‘first-class’ ski resort.

Evidence shows ancient campsitesin Moose-Wilson corridor where game was processed and weapons made.

Jackson police tackle decades-long backlogof obsolete items.

InSIDe© 2015 Teton Media Works

RYAN JONES / NEWS&GUIDE

Susan Hindman kisses granddaughter Bailey Chamberland while Del Hindman holds grandaughter Ashlyn Chamberland on Saturday at the Teton County Fair and Rodeo Royalty Pageant. For more, see Valley section.

See HISTORY on 22A

PRICE CHAMBERS / NEWS&GUIDE

Archeologists Jacquelin St. Clair and Shannon Dennison investigate artifacts found along Moose-Wilson Road.

See evIDenCe on 20A

See SnOw KInG on 23A

valleyR Park loveIn its first full summer, the new park along the Snake is attracting many people who love the place, 3B.

Obituaries: 16B

Circling the SquareThese people love to go to Town Square and shoot it out — over and over, 18B.

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

By Johanna Love

During the Teton County Fair and Rodeo Royalty Pageant, two themes are apparent: These girls

love to ride horses, and they love their friends.

Answering an ice-breaker question about her favorite food at the start of the modeling and speeches portion of Saturday’s pageant, Bailey Chamber-land, 11, answered instantly.

“A dill pickle, because I have great memories of dill pickles,” Bailey said. “After I run barrels I always split a pickle with Gracie.”

Gracie Hardeman, 10, is Bailey’s best friend and the reigning PeeWee Prin-cess. At the Jackson Hole Rodeo twice a week in the summer, the girls trade off spending $1 of their hard-earned barrel racing winnings on a celebratory pickle, then split it.

Although Bailey’s aim on Saturday was to knock the sash and tiara off her

best friend, the competition was good-natured.

“Whoever wins, whoever loses,” Bai-ley said, before Gracie finished her sen-tence for her: “We’re always best friends, no matter what.”

The 10 royalty candidates strode

down a T-shaped runway in the Teton County Fair building, modeling their finest Western wear to the tunes of clas-sic country songs before launching into a short monologue.

Judges Grant and Landa Scheer and former Miss Wyoming Rebecca Wright

took note of perfectly sprayed curls, good command of the microphone, pre-sentation and confidence.

The oldest participant, Claire An-drews, 18, was competing against her-self for the title of Lady in Waiting, a step below Queen. She modeled a tur-quoise satin fishtail gown with black lace at the neck, hem and cuffs. Her speech about the Code of the West drew applause for the tightly worded portrait it painted of Wyoming residents, includ-ing “Be tough but fair” and “talk less and say more.”

Her younger sister, Sarah Andrews, 16, went head-to-head for the title of Se-nior Princess against Lexi Daugherty, also 16. Each modeled competently, An-drews in lavender leather and Daugh-erty in black lace. Andrews’ well-deliv-ered speech focused on how the sport of rodeo brings small Wyoming towns together, and Daugherty’s skipped from hunting to 4-H to various facts about the state. What it lacked in cohesion, Daugherty’s speech made up in sound bites.

From early mornings and late nights “feeding, watering and exercising our college savings plan,” Daugherty said, to competitions where “a judge can

Fast friends among princessesWhether racing through the arena or promoting rodeo, queens of the arena stick together.

RYAN JONES / NEWS&GUIDE PHOTOS

Chloe Edwards takes the stage during the modeling and speech portion of the Teton County Fair and Rodeo Royalty Pageant on Saturday at the Teton County Fairgrounds. Ten girls, ages 5 to 18, were judged on their poise, riding skills and rodeo knowledge.

Ribbons hang from inside the Lutz family’s horse trailer. Jordan Lutz, 13, is a Junior Princess in the 2015 Royalty Court.

See faSt fRiendS on 12B

12B - JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Sarah Andrews rides a prescribed pattern in Heritage Arena.

Gracie Perry puts away her saddle following the pageant.RYAN JONES / NEWS&GUIDE PHOTOS

Teton County Fair Manager Tracy Ross crowns Sarah Andrews after the judging of the contestants. Andrews has been involved in rodeo royalty pageants for years.

clearly sense a slacker,” she feels blessed to live in the Cowboy State.

“The only true way Wyoming’s magic is felt is when it is lived,” Daugherty said.

Another tight contest emerged for the title of Junior Princess, pitting 13-year-old reigning princess Jordan Lutz against Gracie Perry, 15.

Jordan’s gown was a stunning cream-col-ored leather with gold rhinestones and fringe from the knee to the floor. Jordan showed her knowledge of rodeo by describing the disci-plines of team roping, barrel racing and sad-dle bronc riding.

Gracie wore a red leather ankle-length skirt and vest over a white button-down. She incorporated fancier footwork into her mod-eling portion and spoke slowly and clearly to the judges while describing the feeling of spurring her horse down the home stretch af-ter turning the third barrel: “I hear the audi-ence roar. It is my favorite thing in the whole world.”

Jordan gave Gracie a high-five as she sat back down.

For the PeeWee Princess contest between Bailey and Gracie Hardeman, each confident-ly delivered a short speech about her horse. Both girls’ monologues relied heavily on rhyme, but Bailey may have gained an edge with the perfectly timed line “Win or lose, fast or slow, doesn’t matter to me, as long as I get to rodeo.”

The smallest contestants were Ashlyn Chamberland, 6, and 5-year-old twins Chloe and Mylie Edwards. Claire Andrews escorted

the twins one at a time to the runway, and they each answered a question. Ashlyn got a hearty laugh when asked “What is the barrel pattern name?”

“First, second and third,” she said.After one-on-one interviews with the judg-

es, the girls grabbed a bite to eat and changed into jeans and white shirts for the horsewom-anship portion of the contest. Most seemed relieved to get out of the fancy duds and into the saddle.

“The hardest part is over,” Claire Andrews said. “I’m always nervous I’m going to trip and fall off the stage.”

The 5-year-old twins are embarking on a path their mom’s boots traveled, grandmoth-er Connie Tafoya said.

“They’re really shy, so getting up there by themselves was a really big deal,” Tafoya said. Her daughter, the twins’ mother, Jodi Tafoya Edwards, “started with Peewee Princess all the way through. It’s a family tradition.”

Edwards said she was just as quiet as a child, and the pageants helped her confidence.

“Public speaking, being in front of a crowd, and just getting confidence as a woman,” Ed-wards said.

As a bonus, she said, the event is “helping them get prepared for kindergarten.”

Watching her girls talk and horse around with the older girls, Edwards noted another important part of the rodeo royalty group: “I love that they’re all such good friends. I’ve had friendships that have lasted since we were PeeWees.”

After another two hours of the PeeWee, Ju-nior and Senior princess contestants riding a prescribed pattern on horseback and answer-

fast friendsContinued from cover

JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, July 22, 2015 - 13B

Brad Luense comforts Jordan Lutz following the news she didn’t earn the tiara for 2016 Junior Princess.

Jordan Lutz models a stunning leather dress during the speech portion of the contest. Her monologue described the disciplines of team roping, barrel racing and saddle bronc riding.

Claire Andrews talks with Future Princess Ashlyn Chamberland, who was joined by 5-year-old twins Mylie and Chloe Edwards.

RYAN JONES / NEWS&GUIDE PHOTOS

Teton County Fair Manager Tracy Ross crowns Sarah Andrews after the judging of the contestants. Andrews has been involved in rodeo royalty pageants for years.

the twins one at a time to the runway, and they each answered a question. Ashlyn got a hearty laugh when asked “What is the barrel pattern name?”

“First, second and third,” she said.After one-on-one interviews with the judg-

es, the girls grabbed a bite to eat and changed into jeans and white shirts for the horsewom-anship portion of the contest. Most seemed relieved to get out of the fancy duds and into the saddle.

“The hardest part is over,” Claire Andrews said. “I’m always nervous I’m going to trip and fall off the stage.”

The 5-year-old twins are embarking on a path their mom’s boots traveled, grandmoth-er Connie Tafoya said.

“They’re really shy, so getting up there by themselves was a really big deal,” Tafoya said. Her daughter, the twins’ mother, Jodi Tafoya Edwards, “started with Peewee Princess all the way through. It’s a family tradition.”

Edwards said she was just as quiet as a child, and the pageants helped her confidence.

“Public speaking, being in front of a crowd, and just getting confidence as a woman,” Ed-wards said.

As a bonus, she said, the event is “helping them get prepared for kindergarten.”

Watching her girls talk and horse around with the older girls, Edwards noted another important part of the rodeo royalty group: “I love that they’re all such good friends. I’ve had friendships that have lasted since we were PeeWees.”

After another two hours of the PeeWee, Ju-nior and Senior princess contestants riding a prescribed pattern on horseback and answer-

ing judges’ questions about veterinary sci-ence, tack and general horse knowledge, the pressure was on. Girls led their horses out to their trailers and filed back in, fidgeting with their parents in the stands.

When pageant coordinator Jennifer Cyr announced the winners, the girls who didn’t get the tiaras put on brave faces and cheered for their friends. The new titles take effect Jan. 1 and will last through 2016. Whether their sashes say “Princess” or “Princess At-tendant,” it doesn’t matter. They still get to be ambassadors for the sport of rodeo. And they’re still royalty. Most importantly, they’re still friends.

Contact Johanna Love at 732-7071 or features@jhnewsandguide.com.

Rodeo Royalty 2016Here are the results for the 2016 Teton County

Fair and Rodeo Royalty Pageant. The new titles take effect on Jan. 1.

Lady in Waiting: Claire AndrewsSenior Princess: Sarah AndrewsSenior Princess Attendant: Lexi DaughertyJunior Princess: Gracie PerryJunior Princess Attendant: Jordan LutzPeeWee Princess: Bailey ChamberlandPeeWee Princess Attendant: Gracie HardemanFuture Princesses: Ashlyn Chamberland, Chloe

Edwards, Mylie Edwards