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By Matt Crownover
Chronicle staff

     Royalty is nothing new to Rose Dick.
     Dick, this year’s Miss Omak Stampede Encampment Queen, is the fourth member of her family to earn the distinction.
     Dick, born in Omak and raised in Disautel, follows in the footsteps of her three aunts — Vera Best, Teresa Best and Bernadine Phillips — in representing the Colville Confederated Tribes as encampment queen.
     She is the daughter of Barney Dick and Rose Peone. She was raised by Vera Best and Alfred Carden, and attended Paschal Sherman Indian School before transferring to Omak High School her sophomore year.
     She graduated from Omak in 2008.
     Since royalty representation ran in her family, Dick said it felt right to try out for encampment queen. She learned in October she was the winner.
     “I knew it would make my family happy and I also wanted to help represent the tribe,” Dick said.
     She said she was encouraged by her grandparents, the late Alec and Julianne Dick, to get involved with the rodeo. Alec (Alex) Dick was a longtime Suicide Race competitor and won more races than any other competitor.
     Leading up to the 75th Omak Stampede, Dick has participated in powwows and was featured in the Brewster Bonanza Days parade June 13-15. Dick and Miss Omak Stampede Page Davisson also filmed a commercial in Spokane for the Omak Stampede.
     During Stampede week, Dick will be featured alongside Davisson in the grand parade in downtown Omak Aug. 10. She will ride one of two horses, Bleezy or Jasper.
     She also will be featured at the Omak Chamber of Commerce-Stampede kickoff luncheon Aug. 5 and will raise the flag every morning during Stampede week at the encampment.
     Dick’s other grandparents, Eloise and Albert Best, helped start the encampment queen tradition in 1983. Colville Business Council members Dale Kohler and Eddie Palmanteer Jr. liked the idea and asked Eloise Best to oversee the project, Dick said.
     Christine Edwards, 16, was chosen as the first encampment queen. According to Best, Millie F. Martin, Stephani Ann McCraigie and Janice Lynn Dick also tried out for the part.
     Best said she is pleased to see her granddaughter get involved.
     “I wanted her to be a part of it because it’s the 75th one and we’re all very proud of her,” said Best, whose uncle, Matthew Swimptkin, previously owned the property where East Side Park is now.
     Dick said she embraces the events and responsibilities that go along with being encampment queen.
     “I figured it would help me stay busy,” she said.
     In her free time Dick said she likes to play basketball, swim and hang out with her friends. She said she plans to attend Wenatchee Valley College at Omak in the winter.