For 80 years, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ has been the world's largest livestock exhibition and world's richest regular-season rodeo. Since its beginning in 1932, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has committed approximately $283 million to scholarships, research, endowments, calf scramble participants, junior show exhibitors, School Art participants, and other educational and youth programs. Of that total, the Show has committed more than $165 million in direct educational program support, since the first scholarship was awarded in 1957. Because college is only a dream for so many students, the Show has made an extraordinary impact on the lives of countless young men and women in its quest to benefit the youth of Texas and support them through education. Currently, more than 2,000 students are on Show scholarships, attending more than 100 different Texas colleges and universities.
The other unique aspect to the Houston Rodeo is that it is supported by a volunteer staff of 27,000 people, serving on more than 100 committees, who annually contribute their time, resources, and talent. For the last 5 years I have been one of those volunteers, serving on the Gatekeeper committee. My committee is responsible for scanning tickets at the various entry points to the rodeo. Each year we work 5-6 shifts, 8 hours each shift (standing 8 hours on hard concrete makes me appreciate my desk job!). While the volunteers get some fun perks (like free entry to the rodeo and concerts), it is never far from our minds that what we are doing is in support of helping kids get a college education. The best shift to work is the night of the scholarship dinner and seeing the recipients and their families enter the show to receive their awards.
The rodeo lasts for 3.5 weeks every March so if you are ever in Houston during that time and want to see the world’s largest rodeo, catch a concert or possibly eat something fried (oreos/twinkies/red velvet cake or my favorite, chicken-fried bacon), let me know and I’ll show you around! Every dime spent goes to a very worthy cause….educating the next generation.