Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo- Houston,TX
When you think of Texas, you think of cowboys. Usually the Dallas football team, but also the old school variety that rope and ride. People crazy enough to mount an angry bull, much to the delight of a cheering crowd. And while urban Houston may seem an unlikely location for such an activity, for two weeks every March it hosts a rodeo you won’t want to miss.
Long before today’s unfortunate strip mall sprawl, Harris county, with its mostly moderate climate, abundant water, and easy access to markets, was one of the top cattle raising regions in Texas. Despite local production, most cattle was shipped off to Chicago or Kansas City for processing, much to the ire of local stockyard owners. In 1931, over a long lunch at the Texas State Hotel, several area businessman decided to change that, and the Houston Fat Stock Show and Livestock Exposition was born.
The event would serve to promote the local cattle industry, present industry developments, and encourage better quality of livestock through competition. The first year was less than a success. Taking place in 1932, during the height of the Great Depression, the event held at the Sam Houston Hall drew only 2000 people over five days, even though free BBQ was offered to attendees. Overall, the show lost $2800. Houston proved it was not a cowtown, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t be with the proper marketing.
The event continued to evolve over the next decade. In 1938 it moved to the brand new Sam Houston Coliseum, and a Wild West theme emerged. Ticket agents donned boots, hats, and spurs, and a 65 piece cowboy orchestra was added. A parade, horse show, and rodeo were introduced to boost attendance, and it worked.
1942 saw the introduction of celebrity performers, starting with Gene Autry, known as “The Singing Cowboy.” This would prove to be their most successful marketing tactic over the years, and would later include acts such as Elvis, Garth Brooks, Brooks and Dunn, Willie Nelson and George Straight. Attendance skyrocketed. In the 1960s, the event took on its current name, and moved to the newly constructed Astrodome, which could better accommodate the growing crowds, and new events such as the World Championship BBQ Contest.
Over the decades, the rodeo became Houston’s signature event. Exhibit space increased, as did scholarship amounts and rodeo purses. When Houston gained a NFL team in 1999, a new stadium was constructed to house both the Texans and the rodeo. 2003 marked the first year the event took place at NRG stadium; by 2013 attendance was over 2.5 million.
While much has changed since the first livestock show, many traditions remain the same. People still ride into town on horseback, livestock is still exhibited, and wagons are raced. And while Houston never became a cowtown, it feels like one for a few weeks each spring.
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