Mother Lode Round-Up Queen

Hannah Fletcher is 17 years old and from Oakdale. She is a junior at Oakdale High School where she participates in the school marching band, playing the Alto Saxophone. She enjoys playing at football games and helping the band win marching competitions. She is also an active member of FFA. Hannah is also a member of River Oaks 4H in Oakdale, holding positions as Treasurer, Vice President and President. She enjoys showing her horses Summer and Monty, dog Maverick, and market swine at the Stanislaus County Fair. Hannah is competing for the 2026 Mother Lode Round-Up Queen because this rodeo represents far more than a weekend of competition—it represents tradition, community, and the western values she is proud to stand for. She has participated in this rodeo as a past queen and spectator, and each time it gets more and more special. She would be proud to represent the TCSP and Mother Lode Round-Up.

KaeLee Gates is a 22-year-old resident of Copperopolis who is honored and excited to compete in the 2026 Mother Lode Round-Up Queen competition. She proudly held the titles of 2023 Miss Folsom Pro Rodeo Queen and 2025 Miss Grand National Rodeo, experiences that strengthened her love for rodeo and the community it represents. KaeLee is passionate about rodeo and the values it instills in future generations, including integrity, respect, and hard work. If crowned this year’s queen, her lifelong ties to agriculture in a small community, coupled with her rodeo experience, will allow her to encourage and serve as a positive role model for the next generation. It would be both a privilege and an honor for KaeLee to represent the Mother Lode Round-Up and the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Posse as the 2026 Mother Lode Round-Up Queen.

Taryl Townsend is 23 years old and originally from Boulevard, California. She recently made the move to Sonora and is proud to now call the Mother Lode home. Raised in agriculture, she learned early on the value of hard work, responsibility, and showing up even when the job isn’t easy — lessons that continue to guide her every day.

Horses have always been at the heart of Taryl’s life. Over the past three years, she stepped into the world of packing and the backcountry — not just as a hobby, but as a challenge that shaped her. The mountains taught her resilience, patience, and grit. What started as something new quickly became a passion that pushed her to grow stronger in confidence and character.

Taryl is currently pursuing a career in agricultural education because she believes deeply in pouring into the next generation. She knows agriculture is more than an industry — it’s a way of life built on tradition, stewardship, and community. She believes growth comes from discipline, knowledge, faith, and the willingness to keep striving to be better than yesterday.

She is honored to be running for rodeo queen and is ready to represent her community with authenticity, humility, work ethic, and heart — carrying both grit and grace wherever she goes.

Ginna Hahn was born and raised in Sonora and attended Mother Lode Adventist Junior Academy through 10th grade. She then moved on to Sonora High School, where she graduated in 2020. She now works in the construction industry as a carpenter and certified welder with Boyer Construction.

Hahn says, “It has been a dream of mine for a long time. It almost doesn’t feel real. I have grown up with the Posse, and have been with the Posse ever since I was born.”

Hahn says the most challenging aspects of the competition were the speech, one-on-one interview, and the on-stage elements. There was also a horsemanship competition and selling the most pre-rodeo tickets.

2023 first runner-up was KaeLee Gates, and the second runner-up was Tommi Cover.