New Rose Queen Quickly Faces a Composure Test

Seconds after being named Tuesday to preside over the 1991 Tournament of Roses parade, Cara Payton Rullman, 17, faced her first test of composure as Rose Queen.

As the other six Rose Court finalists clustered around Rullman to congratulate her, finalist Tisha Mei-Lin Kong--apparently overcome by the emotions of the moment--fainted in Rullman’s arms. (

“What do we do now?” Rullman said. “This wasn’t rehearsed.”

But Kong recovered quickly and a smiling, yet startled, Rullman calmly turned around to pose for photographers.

The ceremony--with its small moment of drama--capped a month of competition among more than 700 San Gabriel Valley girls who vied for the title of the 73rd Rose Queen. Rullman, a San Marino High School senior and member of the varsity cheering squad, was selected to lead the 101st Rose Parade on New Year’s day.

The parade theme, “Fun ‘n’ Games,” mirrored the lighthearted approach with which Rullman entered the contest. About 35 of her San Marino friends competed, including Kong, a friend since the fourth grade, Rullman said.

Rullman lives in San Marino with her father, George; her mother, Linda; her 19-year-old sister, Courtney, and 12-year-old brother, Chas.

Rullman said she hopes to pursue a college degree in early childhood education.

For now, she wants to catch up on schoolwork missed during the weeks of Rose Queen competition.

Rullman also planned to visit her brother, hospitalized after a weekend accident in the San Gabriel Mountains. He broke his wrist on a Boy Scout hike.

“He was supposed to be here today and he has been at all the other events,” Rullman said. “I’ve been thinking about him a lot.”