The name Dakota (pronounced da-KOH-tah), is of Native American Indian origin, and its meaning is "forever smiling". And since being crowned the new Miss Rodeo USA, Dakota Missildine is ‘forever smiling’.

As this year’s Miss Limestone Sheriff’s Rodeo, Dakota was sponsored in the pageant by the local committee, and entered a fierce competition this past week involving contestants from across the country. The culmination came Sunday in Oklahoma City, OK, during the final performance of the 40th International Finals Rodeo.

Dakota is the 22 year old daughter of Pam and Todd Missildine of Grady, Ala., and is a senior broadcast journalism major at Troy University. She currently serves as Troy’s Women’s Rodeo Team Captain where she competes in the breakaway roping, goat tying and barrel racing. She is also a member of the 3.0 GPA Athlete Club, Student Athletic Advisory Committee, and a sports anchor for the Trojan Vision News.

Dakota plans to pursue a career in the broadcasting and public relations fields surrounding the rodeo industry. She hopes to establish her own business one day teaching rodeo pageantry to young people specializing in personality, appearance, poise, and the history of rodeo and the western way of life.
In addition to the overall title, Dakota earned the Horsemanship, Speech and Photogenic awards. “My platform for Miss Rodeo USA is ‘Golden Heart’, a program I’ve developed to teach others about opening their heart and living by the Golden Rule- do unto others as you would have them do unto you. While growing up I’ve been able to witness first-hand how rodeo competitors take care of each other and are essentially a close knit rodeo family,” said Miss Missildine.

“I am very thankful for the support of the Limestone Sheriff’s Rodeo committee and for the sacrifices so many people made to prepare and encourage me, and most of all to be there when I won. Part of my success is due to the prestige of the Miss Limestone Rodeo Pageant and to be so far from home and hear others speak so highly of our pageant, made me realize how important it is,” added Miss Missildine.

“Dakota is a very classy young woman and we appreciate her serving as our ambassador this year. We are very proud of her selection as Miss Rodeo USA, as she joins other Miss Limestone Rodeo contestants that have succeeded at the International level of competition: Rebecca Passion, 2001; Kelly Lochridge, 2002 first runnerup; Leslie Burgreen, 2003; and, Kristen Scott, 2008. The success of Dakota will help to promote our local pageant, and will make our entire rodeo more beneficial toward raising funds for equipment and training needs of the sheriff’s office,” said Sheriff Mike Blakely.