This article originally appeared in the 2025 Buffalo Chip Gazette print publication.

If you’ve ever been to the Chip during rally week, you’ve most certainly heard the roar of the crowd in front of Wolfman Jack Stage when the Miss Buffalo Chip contest kicks off. The women who step on stage bring the confidence and charisma to put themselves out there and compete to be crowned Miss Buffalo Chip. It’s wild, unforgettable and one of the most iconic events at The Best Party Anywhere®.

We caught up with one lovely lady who’s taken home the crown not just once, but twice, to get her take on what it’s really like behind the scenes, how she gets ready for showtime and why this contest is way more than just a bikini and a runway.

Gabby started her work life as the Chuck E. Cheese mouse at 16 and has spent every year since honing her craft in the service industry. Today, she balances dive-bar shifts with two Miss Buffalo Chip crowns and life on the International Bikini Team. She brings relentless optimism to every rally morning and every stride down the ramp. Read on for her behind-the-scenes rituals, her “knee-deep water” mindset and the small moments that made this two-wheeled world feel like home.

Who are you on and off stage?

I prefer to be known as Gabriela, or Gabby, on stage so I can keep my day job and my rally life separate. I’d describe myself as adventurous, bubbly and stupidly optimistic with a lot of things. They say good things happen to good people, and I’m just trying to do the best I can out here with the things I’ve got.

  

What do you do when you’re not on the Wolfman Jack Stage?

I’m a dive bar bartender by trade. I’ve been bartending since I was underage, at 19, and it’s opened a whole bunch of doors for me. I’ve done everything from being a server, a dental assistant for a couple of years, and I even started at Chuck E Cheese wearing the mouse costume. We do golf caddying, motorcycle detailing with Hunter Detail Products, rally bartending and promo events. I like to say I’m a jack of all trades, and as the saying goes, “It’s better to be a jack of all trades than a master of one,” I guess.

What first made you fall in love with motorcycles and biker culture?

My very first time I actually got involved with the motorcycle scene was my first year with the International Bikini Team. I always thought motorcycles were cool, but that thunder and rumble walking past a group, it’s a totally different feeling. I’ve mostly ridden as a backpack, but it felt so freeing. And bikers are such a genuine community. Big burly men with handlebar mustaches will wander up, call you a cutie patootie and tip you 20 bucks just because.

How did you first learn about the Sturgis Rally and the Buffalo Chip?

I watched videos of rallies across the country and thought “that looks like a blast.” My boss, Michelle, messaged me one day “It’s time to start thinking about the Buffalo Chip. I need like twenty something girls.” That was my cue to jump in. After our morning meeting where Greg laid out what was expected and told us you represent the Chip, I was in my camper. Everything clicked. I’m here, and this is awesome.

 

What inspired you to step into the Miss Buffalo Chip role, and how has that motivation evolved?

In 2018, I thought,  “I’m just going to humble myself, have fun, cheer everyone on and maybe I’ll learn something.” I didn’t expect to win. When they called my number out of 22 girls, I thought it was a mistake. Winning that first crown felt like climbing a massive mountain and reaching the top. My motivation now is the same joy and camaraderie sharing late night hairbrush rescues and cheering each other on that makes it feel like a giant sleepover with your best friends.

When rally morning arrives, how do you shift into Miss Buffalo Chip mode?

There’s that first staff meeting–rules one through forty-five. That meeting flips a switch in me. Rally mode is on. Right before I walk the ramp, I take a deep breath, shake off the jitters and remind myself I got this. The adrenaline kick from revving motorcycles makes you feel like you might actually be the shit.

What does your rally week diet look like?

I live on Uncrustables, Red Bulls, white Monsters and electrolytes. Once in a blue moon, I’ll shotgun a Coors Light at the bike wash or grab Wisconsin cheese curds. For a treat, I chase the pulled pork parfait or a late-night Hawaiian pizza slice. And water. Lots of it, because caffeine, heat and beer will dehydrate you in minutes.

How do hair, makeup and costume prep fuel your confidence on stage?

Costumes wear out fast. Sixth round in and your stockings might run. Seeing your final look in the mirror is a rush. Last year, I bulk ordered Shein pieces some girls ball out on custom outfits, but we all snap each other into place. Somehow, my hair and makeup magically stay flawless in that dry heat. My curls never fall, my foundation never slides, and that selfie moment before going onstage reminds me I belong there.

When you’re standing on the ramp before walking on stage what inner trick helps you stay grounded?

There’s something that I heard from a girl that does the bikini team with us. She always told me to just pretend that you’re walking in like knee-deep water. That image slows each step and drowns out my worst self-critic so I can own the stage.

What personal challenge caught you off guard during rally week, and how did you handle it?

Last August, I got so dehydrated I ended up in the ER at two in the morning with IV fluids, and I almost quit. My aunt in Gillette, Wyoming rushed me in. I hydrated, and two days later, I walked the ramp again, even if I was barely able to stand. Winning that second crown was life changing. Crying onstage, makeup running, knowing I nearly died that week and still climbed that mountain again. I’d tell anyone dig deep because you can do more than you think.

Who makes up your support squad and what roles do they play?

My trailer mates are my vent crew, pizza buddies and teary eye consolers. They get the drama, the lost gear, the late-night panic. We flip the script each morning. New event. New leaf. The real MVP is my husband back in West Virginia. He’s the frontman of a band, so he totally gets having a stage persona. He holds down the fort, checks in with me if I’m feeling low and never blinks an eye if I disappear for two weeks in a bikini.

Some women worry the Chip is dangerous. What do you say?

Anywhere can be risky, so travel with a buddy. Always. Stranger danger applies everywhere. But bikers have wives, sisters and daughters. They’re good people at heart. In all my years, I’ve never felt unsafe. It’s more like I found my home. Just don’t wander off on foot unless you’ve got a mission and a way back.

What’s one piece of advice for someone dreaming of rocking the Miss Buffalo Chip spotlight?

Be ready to laugh, cry, hustle and fail, and then pick yourself up and do it again. Trust your crew, embrace the chaos and remember showing up with your whole heart is already winning. This is the biggest wildest sleepover you’ll ever be at. Own your moment. Soak up everything, including the roar of engines and know that you belong on that ramp.

Head to the Wolfman Jack Stage each evening to catch Gabriela and the rest of the International Bikini Team take on the Miss Buffalo Chip competition. Don’t miss this chance to witness the fun and fierce spirit of rally week live.