Past Royalty
Current RoyaltyMiss SMRA 2008 – Kitty Kincaid
Kitty Kincaid was born and raised on a 300-acre farm in Kentucky where the family grew row crops (yes, she has plowed tobacco with a mule!) as well as beef cattle, hogs, chickens and sheep. Her passion, however, has always been horses. While she has never participated in a rodeo event, from an early age she rode her pony in all the local parades and began showing western pleasure as a teen. Kitty went on to show flat-shod plantation horses and 5-gaited saddlebreds for several years. Kitty has performed all across the country and continues to make the 97-mile trek from her home in Kentucky to Nashville on a weekly basis where she enjoys co-producing a gospel show, singing karaoke, and performing for benefit programs. Kitty loves meeting new people and wishes to thank Jack Marshall, who introduced her to SMRA. She also thanks SMRA for accepting her and being so generous in a myriad of ways and looks forward to working with the Royalty Team.
Mr. SMRA 2007 – Justin James
Justin is a 30-year-old cowboy who was born and raised in South Dakota. After achieving his BS degree in Biology, he decided, along with a fellow college band member to move to Nashville to give country music a try. Although Justin found that the country music scene wasn’t quite for him, he certainly has found a place for himself here in Nashville. A chance meeting with Tom Sheridan, who is a founding father of SMRA, catapulted Justin right into the rodeo scene. Justin has been involved with SMRA for almost three and a half years now. He was Mr. SMRA 2004 and represented SMRA at the international competition in Omaha, NE. He received 4th place. Justin is passionate about gay rodeo, emphasizing the fundraising aspect of the rodeo umbrella.
Mr. SMRA 2006 – Duane "Skip" Flathers
Duane "Skip" Flathers was born and raised in the small town of Dewitt, Iowa, close to the Mississippi river where his family milked cows and raised beef cattle. While growing up in rural Iowa, as the middle child of five, he was involved in 4-H and FFA and he showed cattle, hogs, sheep and other animals, eventually leading Skip to show cattle and sheep for a living. Skip attended Junior College and received a Science Degree in animal science. He was offered an opportunity to pursue an additional degree in the field but turned it down to work with live stock. It was his work with a major breeder of cattle in Iowa that allowed him to make contacts with many well-known breeders across the United States. Skip has since shown live stock in every state but three. Currently a freelance cattle shower (mostly Black Angus) and different breeds of sheep, Skip travels the United States representing various breeders at State Fairs and Cattle Shows. He helps children and young adults get involved with showing livestock and works with families who he hopes will continue to do what he does for a living. Skip is currently working with the fourth generation of people from families that he has been working with for more than forty years. Skip became interested in gay rodeo while living in Iowa and joined Heartland Rodeo Association (HGRA). Skip has been a member of Smoky Mountain Rodeo Association for three years and was selected to serve as Mr. SMRA in 2006. To Skip, the best part of SMRA is its dedicated members and all the wonderful people that he meet through our organization across the United States and Canada. Skip says that rodeos are a part of his life and he loves meeting and working with rodeo people. Skip resides in Nashville, Tennessee with his partner, Terry, who has become interested in his career and has come to enjoy the rodeo as much as Skip.
Mr. SMRA 2004 – Justin James
Mr. SMRA 2004 First Runner Up – Jason Haywood
