by Carol Mowdy Bond
Just a tiny four-year-old, Carleigh Harp stood by the fence and watched while the family horse, Tonka, approached her. “I reached out to touch her velvety nose, and in that moment, something clicked,” Harp says.
Harp’s family owns Harp Acres near Newcastle, Oklahoma, where her horses have always lived. She began to ride at age four and spent daily time with her horses. Besides Tonka, the family horses have included Molly, Poco, and Shylah.
“I loved brushing their coats until they shone and carefully tying little bows in their manes while playing ‘horse beauty shop,’” says Harp, who was born and raised in Oklahoma City, where her parents still live.
“As a young girl, horses felt like magical giants to me,” she says. “They were gentle, strong, and full of wonder, and they were my escape, my friends, and my safe place. Horses understood me without a single word. They gave me confidence when I needed it most, and they taught me the beauty of trust, patience, and unspoken connections.”
Besides horses, farm machinery has always fascinated Harp. She still gets a thrill out of driving tractors, backhoes, and any heavy machinery on the family spread.
Pursuing Other Interests
Harp pursued other interests too. She began to take dance lessons at age four. By age six, Tahitian dancing had captured her attention.
“Tahitian dancing is more than just movement,” Harp says. “It is storytelling through every step, gesture, and expression. When I dance, I feel deeply connected to something bigger than myself.”
At Westmoore High School in Moore Public School District, Harp was a member of the National Honor Society, and she earned awards in academics, cheerleading, and track. She also received one of only 160 prestigious Oklahoma City Community Foundation scholarships.
In August 2024, Harp launched into her college career at the University of Central Oklahoma. She was accepted into the Forensic Science Institute to pursue her goal of becoming an FBI agent specializing in behavioral analysis. With a double major in criminology and forensics, she plans to graduate in 2028, and she is on the dean’s honor roll.
Making a Difference
But reflecting back to sixth grade, Harp was just 12 years old when the current Miss Tulsa spoke to her school class about bullying. “I realized that pageants weren’t just about crowns and gowns,” Harp says. “They were a platform to make a difference, raise awareness, and build confidence. That sparked something inside me, and I wanted to be part of something bigger where I could use my voice to encourage others and stand against negativity.”
Harp competed in more than 100 pageants. In a seven-year time span, she won more than 100 titles, including several national titles.
In 2024, Harp competed with more than 100 young women from across the United States at the Mansion Theatre for the Performing Arts in Branson, Missouri. On July 27, 2024, she was crowned as the 2024–2025 Princess of America Superstar, which is her current national title.
Her pageant platform, “Stronger Together,” focuses on a core principle of inclusivity. “This platform recognizes that everyone has something valuable to offer, whether it is a skill, a passion, or simply a desire to help others,” Harp says. Through “Stronger Together,” Harp promotes unity, kindness, and support within her community. The focus has taught her how fulfilling it is to be a voice for others.
“The Princess of America Pageant is unique because it goes beyond traditional pageantry by focusing on individuality, community involvement, and personal growth,” says Harp, who is Italian-American (her mother’s family is Italian and Portuguese). “It celebrates girls and young women for who they are, encouraging authenticity, confidence, and kindness. This pageant values volunteerism, leadership, and using your voice to make a difference. It is not just about competing. It’s about building lifelong memories, forming genuine connections, and being inspired to grow into the best version of yourself.”
Finding a Sense of Home
Harp’s latest pageant competition reflected the family’s Newcastle land where Oklahoma wildflowers still captivate her. “I love them so much that they even inspired me to incorporate them into my ‘statewear costume’ for the Princess of America Pageant,” she says. “My costume represented our state wildflower, the Indian blanket. The judges loved my costume, and I won the overall national statewear competition for the senior division of the pageant.”
In July 2025, Harp will crown her successor for the Princess of America Superstar title in Branson. At age 19, she is juggling college, pageantry, and change. On top of it all, she has signed with the Tabb Agency in Oklahoma City to pursue her interests in modeling and acting.
However, reaching back to her origins, Harp says, “Horses are a quiet reminder of who I’ve always been. I don’t spend as much time with horses anymore. But they represent a part of my life that was simple, grounded, and full of wonder. In the chaos of new responsibilities and shifting dreams, horses still feel like home, a safe space that will always be there, even if from a distance.”
