Hilary Zender of Bellingham was crowned the first Miss Lynden Rodeo Queen at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds in Lynden on January 24, 2009. The pageant included a horsemanship competition, in which participants demonstrated their riding skills in front of a panel of judges. "This is a privilege," Zender said. "Rodeo is definitely a passion of mine." Organizers of the Lynden Rodeo hope to make the pageant an annual event.