Grants Pass is the whitewater rafting capital of Oregon, intersected by the powerful Rogue River, and home to Samantha Henricks, Miss Rodeo Oregon 2021. Known to most people as “Sam”, the 25-year-old daughter of Lyle and Lisa Henricks enjoys boating, fishing, trail riding, and spending time with friends and family. Sam is employed as a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant at Siskiyou Pediatrics and volunteers as the head coach of the Grants Pass High School Equestrian Team. She is currently enrolled at Rogue Community College where she is working to finish prerequisites before applying for Oregon State University's College of Veterinary Medicine to become a large animal Veterinarian.

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Sam grew up in the 4-H program, with horse and swine projects, and ultimately graduated as a nine-year member. In addition, she competed for multiple years in breed shows with her family's performance mules and was a decorated four-year member of Oregon High School Equestrian Teams. Sam has been a fan of rodeo for years but set forth to represent rodeo in 2015 as the Wild Rogue Pro Rodeo Princess and in 2016 as Queen. She also was the 2017 Miss Northwest Professional Rodeo Association Queen.  Sam states, “That is the great thing about rodeo. You can grow up a fifth-generation rancher, aspiring barrel racer, or you can grow up peeking through the rails. Either way, the rodeo family adopts you in.”

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During her reign as 2021 Miss Rodeo Oregon, Sam’s goal is to submerge herself into youth programs across the state. She hopes to inspire the younger generation to continue on with the agriculture values they have attained through programs like 4-H, FFA, High School Rodeo, Equestrian Team or open and jackpot shows as well as teach them they can use these values and influences long after they have graduated.  Sam believes youth demographics will give the western industry life for years to come, as this is exactly what these programs gave her.

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Sam is honored to represent the Beaver State and is proud to be a voice for not only the sport of rodeo, but the family values and western heritage that the sport embodies.  She will see you at the next rodeo!