PENDLETON -- Community and leadership are top of mind for the Pendleton Round-Up's Queen Olivia Corbett.
Corbett, 21, officially stepped into the role as rodeo queen for the 116th Pendleton Round-Up, which will take place Sept. 12-19. Four other young women -- Cora Habein, 19, Dakota McLaughlin, 18, Faith Olson, 18, and Isabella Orr, 21 -- round out the court as princesses.
"I'm definitely most excited about getting to know the four girls that I'm with," Corbett said about the year ahead. "The most special part about being on the Pendleton Round-Up Court is how close you get with the other women that you're on with."
The Coreys, a longtime Round-Up volunteer family who have had many members participate in the court over the years, hosted a kick-off breakfast Saturday, Nov. 29., to celebrate Corbett and the other four court members. Each of the women received gifts to mark the beginning of their reign, including the official earrings they'll wear as well as scrapbooks from Sydney Dodge, the 2025 Round-Up queen.
Dodge said she's excited for a new round of women to get the experience of representing Round-Up to the world.
"It'll be super exciting and such a fun time for them," she said. "I think you learn so much about yourself getting the opportunity to represent the Pendleton Round-Up, and I think it really pushes you to be a good leader and really be a good team player."
Her advice to the court matched the scrapbook she gifted each of them: hold on to every moment, because the year goes by quickly.
The court serves for the year leading up to the Round-Up by attending other rodeos around the state and country, representing Pendleton. Round-Up director Stuart Roberts and his wife, Lisa, support this year's court. Roberts introduced each of the princesses and Queen Olivia as well as newly-elected Round-Up Association President Pat Reay to the breakfast attendees.
Reay, who served many years as publicity director, said the ladies will have a busy 286 days leading up to the 2026 Round-Up.
"Remember, all eyes are watching you," he said. "Smile, every little girl is looking up to you."
It was a reminder none of the women -- who have, themselves, dreamed of the roles since childhood -- needed.
Corbett, who is studying business administration with an emphasis in management at Whitworth University near Spokane, was a princess in the 2024 Round-Up Court. She's the daughter of Robb Corbett, Pendleton city manager, and Liz Corbett, Blue Mountain Community College service specialist. She started volunteering with the Round-Up when she was 9.
"Being able to represent the community that's done so much for me and set me up the way that it has, it means a lot," she said. "The Pendleton Round-Up is a great organization and it's an honor to be able to lead the way this year."
This year, Corbett said she's looking forward to serving the Pendleton community and supporting her court as they step into their public-facing leadership positions.
"Studying business management and leadership, I think I've really adopted a servant leadership mindset," she said,"so how can I help these girls become even better people than they already are, on the court but also off the court."
For Orr, who's from Ukiah, being a princess always has been a goal.
"I was a little girl watching them do their fast lap," she said,"and I was like,'Oh my gosh, those are the coolest people I’ve ever seen in my entire life. I want to be just like them someday.'"
Now, working as a veterinary assistant after earning her associate of science degree from BMCC, the feeling of actually being a princess didn't set in until she put on her official silver court badge Saturday morning, which names her as a 2026 princess.
"It made it so official and it felt so real at that point," she said.
Her fellow princess, Olson, from Pendleton, said she’s particularly excited for all the travel the year will bring.
“There are so many different places we get to go to,” Olson said,“and being able to travel and just represent Pendleton and the community is going to be awesome.”
Her aunt served on the court in 2012 and as queen in 2013, which helped inspire her own efforts to be on the court. She’ll be balancing college classes at BMCC while she serves as princess.
Olson’s not the only princess balancing her volunteer work with her education. Habein, who grew up on a ranch near Drewsey, is studying business administration at Central Oregon Community College in Bend. She said she’s honored to be part of the history of the rodeo.
“I’ve always wanted to be part of representing the Western way of life in a princess role and being able to travel and really promote Oregon, especially,” she said. “Pendleton really spoke to me because they really preach about the things that are important in the Western heritage.”
Habein raises Angus cattle, showing them nationally, on her family’s ranch in Harney County.
Her fellow princess McLaughlin hopes to go into marketing after she earns a degree in agriculture business and marketing. She said Round-Up is her favorite week of the year -- and she hasn’t missed a single one, even attending when she was just 2 months old.
“I love Pendleton,I love the Round-Up,everything in between,so being able to hold the name and be a part of the Pendleton Round-Up,it warms my heart,”she said.“It makes me proud of myself.”