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Royalty Standing Rules
2011 GWGRA Royalty
Jim Sparks, Mr. GWGRA 2011
Jim has been a delegate to the International Gay Rodeo conventions in New Orleans and Toronto. He also participated in IGRA University in Las Vegas. Jim has made many friends and learned a lot about gay rodeo through these events. Jim first became interested in the gay rodeo royalty with his efforts to assist his friends Gene Cheek and Crystal Wolf in their run and reign as GWGRA Royalty. He also went on to help several friends from other IGRA associations in their events. Finally, he declared himself as Candidate for Mr. GWGRA. As Mr. GWGRA, Jim plans to do all he can to encourage GWGRA events to be held in a variety of St. Louis and surrounding area locations to promote more awareness of the association and personally attend a variety of functions to encourage cooperation and support when possible.
2009 GWGRA Royalty
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Crystal Wolf, Miss GWGRA 2009 |
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Gene Cheek, Mr. GWGRA 2009
Mr. IGRA 2010, 1st Runner Up
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Born in St. Louis, Missouri, this Country and Gospel entertainer took competitions by storm: A finalist in the Little Bit of Texas, Star Mania National Talent Search, Winner of the Nashville North National Talent Search, just to name a few. As alumni in the rodeo association, his concerts have taken him throughout the Midwest.
Much of the passion Gene feels when he sings is carried over from the old gospel hymns he learned as a child. His musical direction turned to country music as he was growing up. There were many nights spent sitting by the record player listening to the songs of country music legends such as: Johnny Cash, Hank Williams Sr., Loretta Lynn, and his favorite, Barbara Fairchild. The turning point at which he knew he wanted to make country music his life was at his first concert where he saw Charley Pride on stage. Gene has been chosen as the feature performer at two major rodeo association events in both Oklahoma and Missouri. He currently performs locally in the St. Louis area and was recently a first place winner in the Nashville North National Talent Search Competition, and a co-winner in the Star Mania Talent Competition, where he won the right to compete in the grand championships in Las Vegas, Nevada and also a guest appearance on NBC’s Morning Show. Gene donates a good deal of his time and musical talents to local charitable organizations, for which he generally acts as master of ceremonies.Gene was also Vice President of MGRA’s St. Louis Chapter in 1991, President of MGRA’s Joplin Chapter in 1993, and the 2009 GWGRA Secretary.
2008 GWGRA Royalty
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Champagne Cocktail, Miss GWGRA 2008 |
Eighteen months ago, The Gateway Gay Rodeo Association approached me. I was asked to help with their organization by performing in their shows. And the idea of cowboys in Wranglers just made it impossible for me to resist. I started performing with them and was asked to consider running for Miss GWGRA 2008. I after careful deliberation took them up on their offer. I won 1st runner-up to Miss Mona with the GWGRA and do to personal reasons she had to resign which put me in the position of assuming the Title of Miss GWGRA 2008. The Rodeo association has been very good to me and I am proud to be a member of a great organization doing great things for their community. Wow where do I start, I did D.R.A.G. my first time on my 26th birthday in 1988. I was only going to do it just the one time. My friend “Sparkle” from Seattle was the first one to put me in D.R.A.G. I was completely amazed; I actually looked like Gloria Estefan, from Miami Sound Machine. I still have not figured out how she accomplished that. My shoes were two sized too small and 5” stilettos. I then started performing at the Double Header in Pioneer Square in Seattle Washington. I was doing regular shows there with help from Mr. George and Sparkle. I was then approached by Peaches O’Day Lane Dior, Then Queen of the United Ebony Council, Also Empress XXV of the Imperial Sovereign Court of the Olympic and Rainier Empire f Seattle Washington. She talked me into running for my first pageant. I won Miss Unity of The United Ebony Council in 1990, and Reigned for my year doing fund raising. I found that the Fund Raising aspect of performing was a better fit for me. I continued to perform in many cities from Seattle to St. Louis and many locations in Canada. I then moved to St. Louis in 1996 and performed for a while. Worked as the show director at the Victorian with Sky Phillip’s.
| Michael True, Mr. GWGRA 2008 |
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