Welcome to the home of the world’s biggest rodeo. For 90 years, Houston has held the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo right in bayou city. For 21 days, the best of the best cowboys and cowgirls come to town to try and win it all.
2022 marks the 90th anniversary of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. With it being cut short in 2020 -and then not happening in 2021- this is something that many people have been looking forward to returning to. Millions of people attend this event every year, and there is something for people of all ages to enjoy. Having started in 1932, this event is a Houston staple in the spring. From showing animals, rodeo events, shopping, food, and a concert each night, there is a slim chance you will not find something to enjoy while you are here.
Students
The Houston Rodeo gives out over $14 million of scholarships each year. These are given to students who apply online and are involved in Go Tejano, FFA, 4-H, and live in the Houston area in general. FFA and 4-H are a huge part of the Houston Rodeo, as kids from all across Texas bring their livestock animals to show in front of world-class judges. Today, it is the largest and most prestigious livestock exhibition. Thousands of exhibitors come to the show, but only a few leave the green shavings with the title of the Houston Champion. From lambs, steers, pigs, goats, and even chickens and rabbits, you can come to watch kids of all ages show off the animal they worked hard to raise.
Not only are there livestock shows to watch, but the AGventure area gives younger kids a chance to see animals up close and personal. You can watch baby chicks hatch, momma pig give her piglets milk and go to the petting zoo. There is also plenty of shopping in the NRG Center for the parents to check out.
Rodeo Grounds
The carnival is always a fan-favorite for the kids- and even people who are kids at heart. There are hundreds of rides and good separation of child-friendly rides and adult rides. You can win a stuffed animal in the games, go on one of the biggest traveling Ferris wheels or ride on the crazy roller coasters.
If the carnival is not your cup of tea, my favorite part of the rodeo is hanging out in the World Champion Wine Garden. With plenty of tents and seating, sit back and relax. There are many good wines to choose from, but you do not have to be 21 to enjoy the seating. The food around the area is fantastic -but you cannot go wrong no matter where you eat- and they always have a live band. This is the perfect place to relax in between all the fun.
Rodeo
Starting at 6:45 pm on the weekdays -and 3:45 pm on the weekends- the rodeo is what most people come to enjoy. There are seven events: tie-down roping, bareback riding, team roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, barrel racing, and bull riding. In each event, you see the best of the best cowboys compete to win the prize money at the end. This is what the rodeo is all about, and anything can happen.
After these events, you have the calf scramble and mutton’ bustin’. The calf scramble involves 4-H and FFA students trying to catch a calf to bring and show the following year. While this may sound easy, the rodeo floor is a lot bigger than it seems, and it is a hard job to do.
The Mutton’ Bustin’ involves kids ages 5 and 6 riding on the back of sheep for as long as they can hold onto. A crowd favorite, this event is sure to get a smile on your face. Each participant gets a trophy, and the winner gets a belt buckle.
Concert
What many people attend the rodeo for is the star-studded rodeo lineup. After the rodeo events, there is an hour-long concert from the hottest names in the music industry. The star-pointed stage designed just for the rodeo has been home to many famous celebrities. George Strait, Justin Bieber, Luke Bryan, Elvis, and the Jackson 5 are just a few that have performed at the Houston Rodeo. The stage rotates, so no matter where you are sitting, you get the best view.
The Houston Rodeo is my favorite time of year. And if you ever get the chance, it is something I think everyone should experience. As Cody Johnson said, “welcome to the show.”