The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (TM), also called RodeoHouston(TM), is the world's largest livestock exhibition as well as the richest regular-season PRCA rodeo event. In 2007, attendance reached a record high of 1.8 million, keeping with an average of almost 2 million attendees a year, which requires the support of more than 21,000 volunteers on nearly 100 committees. Also, 2007 was deemed "the year of the volunteer." [1] The 20 day event is held at Reliant Park in Houston, Texas. It is kicked off by the Downtown Rodeo Roundup held near Houston City Hall, the Downtown Rodeo paradeand the ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run - 5k walk & run and the World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest. The Show features championship Rodeo action includingbull riding, livestock judging, concerts, a carnival, pig racing, barbecue and the Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition, shopping, sales and livestock auctions. Traditional trail rides, which start in different areas of Texas and end in Houston, precede the Rodeo events. [2]. The City of Houston celebrates this event with Go Texan Days, where residents are encouraged to dress in western wear for the duration of the Show. The rodeo has drawn some of the world's biggest stars and music legends including Hannah Montana, the Jonas Brothers,Selena, Elvis Presley, George Strait, Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks, Willie Nelson, and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

HOUSTON RODEO TICKETS Monster Jam Tickets Chicago Bulls Tickets Los Angeles Lakers Tickets New York Knicks Tickets Milwaukee Bucks Tickets Boston Celtics Tickets

Concert Performers

Image:Sheryl crow at houston livestock show and rodeo.jpg|thumb|Sheryl Crow at Houston

Livestock Show and Rodeo, 2007

The wide variety of entertainment at The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has proven to be a popular feature of the event, as it caters to a multitude of tastes. Previous performers include country, rock, blues, Tejano, and pop musicians, stand-up comedians, and even actors.

2009 Entertainment Lineup

Date	Artist	Attendance
Mar. 3	Rascal Flatts	59,401
Mar. 4	Alan Jackson	54,943
Mar. 5	Clay Walker	48,224
Mar. 6	Gladys Knight and Solange	49,474
Mar. 7	Trace Adkins	60,000
Mar. 8	Jonas Brothers	72,475
Mar. 9	Lady Antebellum	44,758
Mar. 10	Toby Keith	49,471
Mar. 11	Reba McEntire	55,681
Mar. 12	Brad Paisley	62,291
Mar. 13	Clint Black	50,641
Mar. 14	Josh Turner	58,179
Mar. 15	Ramon Ayala and Alacranes Musical	74,147
Mar. 16	Darius Rucker	49,411
Mar. 17	Keith Urban	61,613
Mar. 18	Gary Allan	62,836
Mar. 19	Pat Green	55,336
Mar. 20	Taylor Swift	72,058
Mar. 21	Brooks & Dunn	72,412
Mar. 22	ZZ Top	64,048

^[3]

Go Texan Day

The Friday before the Parade is also known as "Go Texan Day," where the entire population of Houston is encouraged to dress in Western attire, such as jeans, cowboy boots, and cowboy hats. While the concept was discussed in 1938 by the General Manager of the Houston Chamber of Commerce, it wasn't until the 1950s that it finally was put into practice. In 1954, Archer Romero chaired the first Go Texan Committee to encourage what would later become a Houston tradition during the rodeo. ^[4]

Rodeo Parade

In 1937, planning had begun for the first Rodeo Parade leading up to the 1938 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The first parade was headed by Mounted Police and various dignitaries on the city, county, and state levels, who also rode horseback. There were two bands with a Drum and Bugle Corp.

In 1952, the Salt Grass Trail ride was the first trail ride that was formed by only a few men. The following year, the publicity from that ride attracted more people to join.

All of the Trail Riders converge on Memorial Park to camp out for the night before heading down Memorial Drive to where it empties out onto Texas Ave to line up for the parade.

The parade has approximately 115 different groups joining in the festivities. There are 15 trail rides, 20 floats, 15 commercial wagons and stagecoaches, and 10 to 15 university and high-school marching bands in addition to Show officials, other elected officials and dignitaries on horseback and in vehicles. ^{[5] [6]}

Trail Rides

The Trail Rides (cavalcades) are a long tradition with the rodeo and gather at Memorial Park to camp for a rest and party before the big Annual Rodeo Parade through Downtown Houston.

• Salt Grass Trail Ride - ride from Cat Spring, Texas, established in 1952
• Sam Houston Trail Ride - ride from Montgomery, Texas, established in 1955
• Old Spanish Trail Ride - ride from Logansport, Louisiana, established in 1956
• Prairie View Trail Ride - ride from Sunnyside, Texas, established in 1957
• Valley Lodge Trail Ride - ride from Brookshire, Texas, established in 1959
• The Spanish Trail Ride - ride from Coldspring, Texas, established in 1961
• Texas Independence Trail Ride - ride from Brazoria, Texas, established in 1961
• Los Vaqueros Rio Grande Trail Ride - ride from Hidalgo, Texas, established in 1973
• Southwestern Trail Ride - ride from Brazoria, Texas, established in 1974
• Northeastern Trail Ride - ride from Beaumont, Texas, established in 1982
• Texas Cattlemen’s Trail Ride - ride from Anderson, Texas, established in 1986
• The Mission Trail Ride - ride from San Antonio, Texas, established in 1990
• Southwest Trail Ride - ride from Rosenberg, Texas, established in 1993

World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest

The World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest, also simply known as "The Cookoff," started in 1974 and has consistently drawn massive attendance numbers for the three-day event, drawing 217,640 visitors in 2009. It takes place on the southern parking lot of Reliant Stadium, with over 250 teams participating every year, and is generally considered a "Hot Ticket," as most are for members or by invitation only. While the event is open to the general public, those that can get into the tents are generally allowed an unlimited amount of food and beverages. ^{[7] [8] [9]}

BBQ Contest Attendance	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Thursday	25,459	25,627	15,946	29,570	21,113	28,415	30,421	33,568	34,223
Friday	56,459	61,564	39,532	60,580	61,735	50,929	66,850	70,121	76,889
Saturday	78,813	84,237	89,098	93,189	57,188	67,481	93,642	103,460	106,528
Totals	161,219	171,428	144,576	183,339	140,036	146,825	190,913	209,313	217,640

The Calf Scramble

Since the addition of the event in 1942, it has been one of the more popular events during the actual rodeo. The event features 14 calves and 28 students who must try to capture one of the calves, put a harness on it and bring it back into the "winners square" in order to claim the win. One of the rules is that as long as a contestant is actually in the act of holding the calf (i.e. Holding it by the tail) to get the harness on, no other participant may interfere unless the calf wriggles itself free. It's at this point where the calf is fair game once again. The event is held nightly between major events in the Reliant Stadium. Each of the students who catch a calf is awarded a $1,250 certificate to purchase a registered beef heifer. Raising and showing this heifer becomes a yearlong project as the scrambler sees to the grooming, feeding and care of the animal. The exhibitor returns to the Houston Livestock Show the following year for a special competition. Calf Scramble exhibitors receive a $250 bonus when they return to compete with their heifer, totaling their $1,500 certificate. ^[10]

Transportation

With a daily average attendance of the Rodeo of about 50,000 people ^[11], the city's transportation infrastructure is taxed as it must also compete with regular Houston Rush Hour on regular business days. There are a variety of ways into and out of the complex that include Park and Ride lots in certain parts of the city that are provided by the event as an express straight onto the property, Taxi, Self Parking, and METRORail. ^[12] The Coordinators of the event try to persuade attendees to use public transportation as the most convenient way to and from the Rodeo.

Attendance Records

Rank	Year	Artist	Attendance
1	2009	Ramón Ayala and Alacranes Musical - Go Tejano Day	74,147
2	2008	Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus	73,459
3	2007	Hannah Montana and The Cheetah Girls	73,291
4	2008	Brad Paisley	73,003
5	2006	Brooks and Dunn	72,867

Year	General Attendance	Rodeo Attendance
1982	1,095,155	646,735
1983	1,095,730	597,783
1984	1,014,550	592,403
1985	1,070,276	537,802
1986	1,120,796	547,763
1987	1,107,822	564,911
1988	1,194,179	640,117
1989	1,242,288	717,541
1990	1,323,865	784,483
1991	1,366,598	827,037
1992	1,501,818	928,304
1993	1,568,266	973,318
1994	1,616,113	985,871
1995	1,810,007	1,068,447
1996	1,830,265	1,061,344
1997	1,788,437	1,013,100
1998	1,769,359	923,313
1999	1,853,650	#1,101,507
2000	1,889,861	#1,101,478
2001	1,382,183	#1,031,570
2002	1,563,662	#1,091,955
2003	1,745,351	#1,215,913
2004	1,890,174	#1,126,092
2005	1,740,095	1,127,239
2006	1,688,103	1,115,558
2007	1,806,129	1,176,436
2008	1,802,158	1,206,551	2009	1,890,332	1,182,128

(*) denotes all-time attendance record (#) denotes paid attendance figures beginning in 1999 (actual turnstile figures were reported through 1998).

Milestones

See also

• Rodeo bareback rigging

Notes

1. Houston Livestock Show And Rodeo - History
2. "The Salt Grass Trail Ride". ''texasbob.com'' January 01, 2007. Last accessed January 11, 2007.
3. Artist Lineup
4. HLSR's History Page
5. Houston Livestock Show And Rodeo - "Bowlegged H" Magazine Archive - Committee Spotlights
6. Houston Livestock Show And Rodeo - Downtown Rodeo Parade and Route
7. World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest
8. BBQ Teams
9. World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest Attendance Figures
10. Rodeo Houston Website
11. HLSR Attandance Figures
12. HLSR Transportaion Options