Comanche Little Ponies Crown New Royalty at Annual Powwow

On Saturday, May 9, Comanche Little Ponies held their annual Mother’s Day powwow at the Expo Center at Comanche County Fairgrounds in Lawton, Oklahoma.

The society crowned Isabela Ramirez as their new princess.

“I come from a long line of veterans, and I have a lot of respect for them, and I have a bunch of family within the organization,” she said. “I have my dad and a whole bunch of my uncles, and whenever they told me that they wanted me to be their princess, I really wanted to be able to honor and represent not only my family but this amazing organization.”

Ramirez is the former Comanche Nation Princess and took a month off from being in the powwow ring. She said it felt great to be back.

“I've definitely missed being in the circle as a princess,” Ramirez said. “I've taken a bit of a break after a Comanche Nation princess, but it feels really good to be back out here, especially with the Little Ponies. They are such an amazing organization and really friendly.”

She looks forward to being at the powwows co-hosted by the society.

“I want to represent this good organization in a good kind manner, and I hope just to get our name more out there,” Ramirez said.

She said she was nervous at first.

“I knew that this is such a good powwow,” Ramirez said. “I know it's a good organization, so knowing that I'm here with them, it really feels good, especially getting to see all the people coming in, and I get to see how much people love this organization.”

Outgoing Little Ponies Princess Arlene Schonchin said it was a bittersweet moment to leave the society.

“I love representing the Little Ponies. They became like a second family to me. We make jokes. We travel together all over. Just traveling with them in general is fun because we get to spend the whole weekend together, so we made a bond that was so close,” she said. “I'm not leaving them. This is not the last they're going to see of me. I'm always going to be around, and I'm always going to be part of the society. They became a second family to me, and…I'm going to miss representing the society.”

Schonchin’s favorite memory was going to Tonkawa.

“Yes, the heat was super hot, but it was just those laughs and those jokes that made it more fun, that kept us going through it and just laughing,” she said. “I remember one of the giveaways they gave Little Ponies like a brisket sandwich. They gave us sandwiches, so we ate, and it was so much fun.”

Schonchin said they have hospitality and enjoyed being taken care of by the Little Ponies.

“We get invited to like other tribes’ powwows, so us going and dancing, we show them our culture, our Comanche ways,” she said. “And so yes, that's what I love about traveling to other tribes because we get to spread our culture and we get to teach them what we do in our own Comanche ways.”

Schonchin wanted to thank the society for giving her the opportunity to represent them.