Emily Mae Ackerman comes to us from Jamestown, ND. She was born in 2007, and is a daughter of Cristal Ackerman, granddaughter of Barb Nelson, and niece of Alicia and Ben Perleberg.

 

Emily found her passion for horses and the outdoors as she grew up riding horses and helping at her uncle’s cattle ranch where they raised black angus. She learned to ride horse on her grandmother’s Percheron Quarter Horse mix, Emerald. Emily now has her own quarter horse that she loves dearly, Ace. Some of Emily’s fondest memories growing up would be taking four-wheeler rides, playing in the trees behind the house for hours throughout the day and coming up with all sorts of games, and spending time at the lake. Through all of her experiences, she has learned basic, but necessary life skills of facing adversity, creative thinking, self-awareness, and empathy which she now uses as she grows into her role of Miss Rodeo Mandan.

    

Emily started her education by attending St. John’s Catholic Elementary School in Jamestown, then continued at Jamestown Middle School, and is now a junior at Jamestown High School during the 2023-2024 school year. She is an active member of 4-H and FFA starting in 2022. Emily has since participated in a multitude of activities such as a pancake feed, rescue animal bed making, ring stewarding, showing beef, she also previously completed in the Stutsman County Fair queen contest where she was awarded Miss Congeniality.

 

Emily is described by others as hard working, kind, confident, and someone they love to spend time with. They confidently look up to her as she is also dedicated, responsible and determined with anything she has in front of her. Emily enjoys public speaking and taking time to help others.

 

Emily is motivated by her mother and grandmother who have paved the example of working toward your dreams and pushed her every step of the way.