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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Joseph T. Ainsworth, M.D.Jim BloodworthDon A. BuckalewJohn H. CauseyJ.M. ClepperDick GravesHal HillmanDon D. JordanH. Stuart Lang Jr.Louis M. Pearce Jr.John O. SmithTommie VaughnJames M. Windham Jr.

LIFETIME MEMBERS -EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Douglas B. MarshallClayton UnderwoodP. Michael Wells

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Don D. Jordan

PRESIDENT

Jim Bloodworth

OFFICERS

Jerry Johnston AndrewKen CaldwellJohn T. Cook IIICharles W. GrantRed GriffinJ. Grover KelleyDan Lehane, M.D.John J. MontalbanoKenneth C. MoursundDavid E. Mouton, M.D.Paul G. SomervilleLodie StapletonBill T. Teague

GENERAL MANAGER

Dan A. Gattis

The cover:The Show’sDowntown Parade

Photo by Sam Pierson

M A G A Z I N E

A Message from the President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Features

Sold! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

These Boots Were Made For... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Buy ’Em Up, Turn ’Em Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

10 Years Running . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

1997 Entertainers and Attractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Longhorns and Spaceships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Turn On, Tune In, Rock Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Committee Spotlights

Communications Broadcast Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Judging Contest Scoring Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Llama Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Executive Committee Portrait

John H. Causey . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Show News and Updates

Committeemen’s Two-Step . . . 20

Rodeo Round-Up . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Calendar of Events . . . . . Back Cover

MAGAZINE

MAGAZINE COMMITTEEMAGAZINE COMMITTEE

OFFICER IN CHARGE

J. Grover Kelley

CHAIRMAN

Peter A. Ruman

VICE CHAIRMAN

Bill Booher

EDITORIAL BOARD

Bill BarrettBill BludworthSuzanne EppsC. F. KendallJohn Murphy

Marshall R. Smith III

COPY EDITOR

Larry Levy

REPORTERS

Nancy BurchSyndy Arnold Davis

Cheryl DorsettAmy Glass

Freeman GregoryCarol HerringtonWhitney Horton

Charlotte HowardAnn Jacobs

Beth JohnsonMark Jones

Constance LoydPam Malone

Melissa ManningGordon Richardson IIBeverly Rosenbaum

Patrick ScherriebCarol Thobae

Leslie Worsham

DESIGN/LAYOUT

Pegasus Design, Inc.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Sam Pierson

MAGAZINE STAFF

MANAGEMENT

COORDINATORS

Leroy ShaferSuzy Brown

PRODUCTION EDITOR

Johnnie Westerhaus

STAFF COORDINATOR/EDITOR

Melissa Hernlund

Volume V, No. 1, is published by theHouston Livestock Show and Rodeo,

Copyright 1997. Letters and commentsshould be sent to: Marketing

Department, Houston Livestock Showand Rodeo, P.O. Box 20070, Houston,

Texas 77225-0070.

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

TTABLE OFABLE OF CONTENTSCONTENTS

Magazine

M A G A Z I N E 1

he HoustonLivestock Show

and Rodeo. Which partof that title reallydescribes this organiza-tion? This is the largestlivestock show in theworld. And, yes, we’vegot the richest regularseason rodeo in theworld. But the mosttelling part? “Houston!”

The HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo is a magical partof its hometown. Fromthe trail rides windingthrough Texas headingfor the skyscraper-linedstreets of downtownHouston to astronautstalking to Dome crowdsfrom the space shuttle,the Show paints aunique picture of the cityat which the rest of theworld can only marvel.

The Show encompas-ses all that is Houston.We have cowboys inbusiness suits andbankers in cowboy boots.This is Texas in all itsglory, from its glitteringurban grandeur to itsdusty Western roots.Little boys and girls ofevery ethnicity and fromall backgrounds gaze inawe at the huge bulls,baby goats, featheredchickens and furry llamasthat cover the Astrohalland Astroarena duringthe Show.

Houstonians flock tothe Dome to cheer oncowboys and cowgirlsfrom all over the UnitedStates and Canada,making these visiting

athletes feel like theheroes they try to be.One cowboy said that hejust stood at the bottomof the east ramp goinginto the Dome with hismouth open and won-dered how he would everbe able to ride in thismonstrous place. Hisentire Wyoming home-town would fit in a smallsection of seats! Heknew, however, as soonas the crowd startedyelling for him during hisride, that he’d found agreat place to compete.

Our hometown folksalso welcome andreward the young boysand girls of FFA and 4-Hwho come here from thesmallest towns in Texasto show their livestock.Where else in the worldcan youngsters fromanywhere in Texas evendream of receiving thefinancial rewards theyget at a typicalHoustonjuniorauction?

Themen,womenand chil-dren ofHoustongive a lot tothe Show,its visitors, its

exhibitors and its enter-tainers. More than oneHouston Rodeoperformer has literallycried at the enthusiasticresponse from the 60,000fans cheering in theAstrodome.

The Houston Live-stock Show and Rodeo,in turn, rewards andthanks Houstonians withmore than one-quarterof its total $4 million-plusscholarship and educa-tional commitment goingback to students fromthis city; with buildingsfully constructed andpaid for by the Showthat have become exhibi-tion halls and sales toolsfor convention boosters;and with an enthusiasmand excitement thatreally can’t be found any-where else in the world.

Olympics, SuperBowls, World Series—they’re all great for a

city, but theycome and go.

TheHoustonLivestockShow andRodeo isthe SuperBowl of

livestockshows and

rodeos and isa part of

this

community all year long.Nearly 12,000 volunteers— 95 percent from theHouston area — workthe entire year to makethe Show a success inFebruary. During thesummer, Show officialshand out more than $1million in scholarshipsto students from everynon-alternative publicschool in the area.

The Show givesHoustonians somethingto look forward to duringthe sometimes drearymonth of February eachyear. It gives “city folk”a reason to dress up likecowboys and cowgirls fora couple of weeks eachyear, and to remembertheir Western heritage.It also gives us all achance to make theworld a better place,and to have some fundoing it.

Statistics say thatyou’re probably nota native Houstonian.You’re just as likely tobe from Round Rockor Mexia, Ohio orMinnesota, Canada orVietnam. But whenit’s Go Texan time onthe calendar, we’re allpart of this big-heartedcommunity.

A M E S S A G E F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T

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portion ofPresident

John F. Kennedy’s estatewas auctioned last yearand everyone in theworld turned theircollective attention tothe event. Houstonenjoys its own brand ofattention-getting auc-tions, very different insubstance, but no lessimpressive in proceeds.In the five junior auc-tions that took placeduring the 1996 Show,$4,679,950 was spent onlivestock and artwork.The numbers are stag-gering. Nevertheless,the wildly-successfulauctions of the HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo could never takeplace without the gen-erosity of the bidders,the hard work of Showvolunteers, the skill ofthe auctioneer andforemost, the youngexhibitors who raise theanimals and motivatethe entire organization.

There are five juniorauctions during theShow: Poultry (Broilersand Turkey), Swine,Lamb, Steer and SchoolArt. Pre-sales of live-stock and art continuethroughout the year forthese auction commit-tees. In fact, more than50 percent of fundsraised annually by these

committees is due tosales made prior to theauctions. As soon asawards are presented fora year’s achievements insales, the past year isforgotten, new goals areset and the challengeahead begins.

The 1996 Show wel-comed a new committeeto the auction block,School Art. This commit-tee, established in themid-1960s, had a fantas-tic and inspiring firstauction, bringing in$40,000 for the GrandChampion piece of art-work and $26,000 for theReserve GrandChampion. School ArtCommittee ChairmanMelinda Ruman said,“We couldn’t have hadthe success we did with-out the other committeespitching in and showingus how it’s done.”

Working the inau-gural School Art Auctionwas “an honor and privi-lege” for Show auction-eer Randolph Holford.“I’ll never get to do afirst steer auction orturkey auction, but Igot to do this one, andI will never forget it,”he said. “You can’t everpredict how the firstone will go, but we werevery fortunate and had agenerous and energeticgroup of bidders.”

The auctioneer’spersonality, rapport withthe bidders and com-mand of the entire roomdictate the mood of thecrowd and the pace ofthe bidding. Biddersoften are “whipped intoa frenzy” — even afterthe champions havebeen sold. The SchoolArt Committee, afterselling its Grand andReserve Grand

Champions,auctioned 48pieces, not asingle piece ofwhich went forless than$1,700.“Everyone wasin awe whenwe finishedour first auc-tion,” saidRuman. “Anentire year’swork wentinto those

few hours, and theresults exceeded ourwildest expectations.”

The energy andexcitement start veryearly the morning ofeach auction and lastthroughout the day.“A chairman’s biggestfear is that nobody isgoing to show up,”recalled Brady Carruth,chairman of the LambAuction Committee.“Even after years andyears of success, thereis still that anxiety and

2 M A G A Z I N E

ASOLD!Lights, Camera, Auction

Story by Amy Glass

M A G A Z I N E 3

anticipation — but italways works out.”

While the chargedatmosphere is at itspeak during the auc-tions, major preparationtakes place weeksbefore. The actual judg-ing of art projectsbegins more than onemonth before the Show.The world’s largest“Pig Sift,” held at theWashington CountyFairgrounds, inBrenham, Texas, duringlate February, is thepreliminary judging forthe Junior MarketBarrow Show, leadingto the Junior MarketSwine Auction. It isthe largest non-touristgathering in the countyand the WashingtonCounty Chamber ofCommerce classifies itas a “convention.”

“This is where thecommittee membersget to know the kids.The excitement mountsfrom there, and doesn’twane until the last pigis out of the auctionarea,” said WilliePhillips, Swine AuctionCommittee chairman.

Last year, afterhundreds of pigs hadbeen sold and the finalentry of the SwineAuction went up on theblock, two friends andwell-known contributorsto the Show got into aheated competition.When bidding escalatedto more than $10,000,the entire room buzzedwith excitement.Each new bid broughtcheers and encourage-ment from the crowd.Finally, as the biddingreached $17,000, thedueling bidders called

a truce and split theprice of the hogbetween them.

The folks whopurchase items towardthe end of an auction areevery bit as importantas those who purchasethe big-ticket lots atthe beginning. Thesepeople, however, areoften given less timein the spotlight. “Thepeople who come in atthe tail end of theauction share their gen-erosity with a largernumber of kids,” saidCarruth. “They know itis important for all thesekids to be recognized.”

Ken Caldwell,current officer incharge of the SteerAuction Committee,was chairman of thecommittee when the1995 Grand ChampionSteer was purchasedfor a record-breakingprice of $500,000.“Within minutes wehad blown past theprevious record. When

the bidding finallystopped, all I could dowas stand there shakingmy head and grinningat my wife,” remem-bered Caldwell.“Having the McIngvalesbidding against theMelchers and theSteeles made the eventmagical. It took on a lifeof its own.” That biddingwas won by theMelchers and theSteeles who had decidedto collaborate justminutes before theauction began.

The PoultryAuction Committeeis the only committeethat experiences thethrill of auctioningtwo Grand Champions— the broilers and theturkey entries. Commit-tee Chairman Al Farracksaid, “Early discussionswith past championbuyers have given usa good indication thatthe 1997 poultryauction will be arecord setter.”

It is a tradition forthe Swine AuctionCommittee rookiesto join forces to purchasea pig. One of theexhibitors had surviveda flood that destroyedmost of her family’ssmall farm. The rookiespitched in and purchasedher pig for $1,700. “Mygroup of rookies wasstanding together whenthis little girl with tear-filled eyes came up tome to say ‘thank you‘for buying her pig,”recalled Mark White,vice chairman of salesof the Swine AuctionCommittee. “Then shethrew her arms aroundme and gave me thetightest hug. The worldwas a pretty goodplace at that moment.I saw a dream cometrue for that little girl —and I, along with every-one else there, wasreminded what theHouston LivestockShow and Rodeo isall about.”

The Show’s various auctions draw huge crowds who keep track of the bidding by way ofvideo monitors, showing animals and lot numbers to the buyers.

4 M A G A Z I N E

oday you canwalk into any

boot or Western clothingstore and choose fromhundreds of styles ofboots...ropers, lace-upsor more traditional styles.Among the seeminglyendless rows of footwear,you’ll find all kinds ofmaterials — cowhide,calfskin, pigskin, lizard,shark, buffalo, snake,ostrich, alligator, kanga-roo or even anteater.And if that doesn’t makeyour head spin, you canchoose from roundedtoes, pointed toes, lowheels, high heels, shortbarrels and long barrels.And, we haven’t eventouched colors, stitchingor designs!

But it wasn’t like thatyears ago when “cow-boys,” or cattle driversas they were called backthen, depended on these

boots for their livelihood.Unlike footwear oftoday, boots were morefunctional than decora-tive, made for ridinginstead of walking andconstantly evolving asboot makers, usuallyof European ancestry,made their way westwhere a growing marketawaited them. Boots, insome form or fashion,have been around forthousands of years; but,the origin of the actual“cowboy” boot is not asimple matter of pointingto one style or one periodof time. Instead, it can bedetermined that the bootis a mixture as strong asthe people who madetheir way west.

Some say that the firstcowboy boots werecastoff uniform bootsfrom the Civil War. Theseboots reached just under

the knee in back andarched over the knee infront with a slightly fullerleg. Although these werethe preferred style, cow-boys wore whatever wasavailable at that time.Boot makers were fewand far between. Becausethey were done by hand,boots took months tomake and usually costbetween $7 and $15.

By the 1870s, bootmakers began setting upshops along the greatcattle trails running fromTexas to small towns inKansas and Missouri.Cowboys would ridethrough these smalltowns on their waynorth, order their bootsand pick them up ontheir return trip. Later,as progress made itsway west in the 1880s,cowboys could purchaseready-made boots in

shops or order themthrough catalogues.

What is consideredthe true cowboy bootbegan with theCoffeyville patterndeveloped in the late1860s. It was made inCoffeyville, Kan., andwas a combination of theAmerican Cavalry andthe British Wellingtonboot. The boots were amatter of function ratherthan fashion. They weretypically tall so theycould protect the rider’slegs from thorny brushor limbs.

Boots also weredesigned to fit tight tohelp the rider maintainhis balance while in thesaddle. Chances werethat if a cowboy werethrown from his horseand had to walk home,he’d take off his bootsto do the walking.

Every part of the bootserved a purpose. Tallboots were difficult topull on or take off, sothey frequently had longstraps called mule earssewn on so that cowboyshad something to grip.And to keep the longbarrels from floppingover or bunching up,patterns of stitching weresewn into the upperleather of the boot tostiffen them. The stitch-ing on the toe of the bootkept the lining of theboot tight against theleather so the lining didnot bunch up and

Story by Pam MaloneT

These

were made for...

become uncomfortable.As chaps became morepopular, boots becameshorter, and the stitchingbecame more decorativethan functional.

One of the things thecowboy feared most wasbeing thrown from hishorse, getting one of hisboots hung up in a stir-rup and being draggedto death. The extremeunderslung or “slanted”heel gave him the bestchance of shaking loosefrom the stirrup in anemergency.

Boot heels went frombeing the width of theboot and relatively flat to2 inches in height, whatsome consider a highheel. The high heel alsohad a benefit—the cow-boy could slide his footthrough the stirrup untilthe heel came to restagainst it. This allowedhim to put his weighton the arch of the foot,rather than the ball,which was more com-fortable for long spellsin the saddle. Over time,as the cowboy dependedless on his horse andmore on his feet, theheel evolved in heightand slope.

Toes were anotherimportant issue. Theywere first seen as wideand square (duck-billed)or rounded. As fashionbecame more important,toes became morepointed which notonly contributed to amore flattering, smallerlook but also made iteasier for the cowboyto slide his foot throughthe stirrup.

The cattle drive erathat created the lore ofthe cowboy lasted less

than 20 years. But it waslong enough for thescreen stars of the 1920sand ‘30s to take theimage of that nomadicman and create a legendlarger than life. ActorsTom Mix and Will S. Hartcontributed greatly tothat romanticizedcowboy image and canbe credited with takingWestern wear fromsturdy dungarees andhomespun shirts tothe wildly designed,and often gaudy, frillyshirts, elaborately-styledboots and wide brimmedhats. Boots becamefashion statements.Elaborate designs,

colorful stitching andlooks, rather thanfunctionality, becamethe norm.

The Depression ofthe 1930s convertedmany working ranchesto dude ranches whichattracted visitors frommany different areas.Soon, Western wearbecame the style allacross the country.In 1934, Justin BootCompany createdthe first boot madeespecially for women—the Western Gypsy.Prior to this, womenhad to have their bootscustom made or wearmen’s smaller sizes.

During the 1950s,boot art reached itspinnacle; but, it wasn’tuntil the 1980s, when themovie industry released“Urban Cowboy,” thatthe rest of the worlddecided Western wearand boots were “cool.”Boot factories workedaround the clock to fillthe demand that wassweeping the country.

Today, thanks to theresurgence of countrymusic and the art ofmusic television,cowboy boots are anatural part of everydaylife. No longer do newboot wearers have tostand in a trough ofwater and allow theleather to dry to theirfeet to get a perfect fit.Greenhorns can nowwalk into any boot storeand find a style and fitthat will automaticallytransform them into thatmythical legend we nowcall the cowboy.

Nancy Sinatra wasright when she immortal-ized those words, “Theseboots were made forwalking.” You couldn’thave said that 100years ago.

M A G A Z I N E 5

The length of the top, the stitching, avariety of leathers and skins, the heeltype, the shape of the toe in addition tothe color and style offer a seeminglyendless combination for the discerningor confused boot buyer.

Information for thisarticle was obtained fromthe following sources:Ranch Dressing: TheStory of Western Wearby Jean Greenlaw; TheCowboy Boot Book and100 Years of WesternWear by Tyler Beard;Early AmericanCostumes by EstelleAnsley Worrell; 20thCentury Fashion; TheComplete Sourcebookby John Peacock; andKirby Hidy of the M.L.Leddy Boot Company.

6 M A G A Z I N E

Story by Beverly Rosenbaum

BUY ’EM UP,

TURN’EM BACK

hen is a bargainnot a bargain?

It’s when the public paysa scalped price for aHouston Rodeo ticket.

The Houston LivestockShow and Rodeo takesgreat pride in providing

the general public withaffordable family enter-tainment, suitable for allages to enjoy together.

Thousands of volun-teers expend great effortand numerous corporatesponsors generously underwrite perfor-mances and events tokeep the range of ticketprices within reachof most families.

Scalping of HoustonRodeo tickets, while notspecifically prohibited bystate law, undermines allof these efforts. Scalpingis defined as thesale/resale of tickets foran amount greater than

the stated face value ofeach ticket.

Until scalping is madeillegal in the state, theShow’s only recourse isto revoke ticket purchaseprivileges for seasonticket buyers who know-ingly scalp tickets aswell as to remove Showvolunteers from commit-tees if they are found tohave scalped tickets.

Also, board members inviolation of the Show’sticket resale policy willbe removed from theboard of directors.

Show President JimBloodworth believes thatone way to alleviate thescalping problem isincreasing the emphasison the Show’s ticketturnback program.When season ticketholders turn in theirunused tickets to theShow’s ticket window inthe Astrohall up to 2hours before each per-formance, they willreceive a receipt fortheir donation.Bloodworth thinks thatthis will produce athree-fold benefit:“First, a walk-upbuyer will have theopportunity to pur-chase a great seat; sec-ond, seats that wouldotherwise remain emptywill be filled; andthird, extra rev-enue accruesto theShow.”

Aprime seatis aterriblething towastefor avarietyof rea-sons.

The Show needs topresent full seats to thepay-per-view audience,as well as the upperreserve audience. Manypeople sitting in theupper levels lookingdown on empty seats donot understand that thoseseats have been sold andare held by season ticketholders. They then callcomplaining that those“empty seats” are notavailable to them. Theturnback program hasthe added benefit offilling empty seats thathave been previouslysold. Consequently,

Show Assistant Manager Carol Wyman, along with assistantticket director Paula Urban, research and cross referenceseason tickets buyers to keep known ticket scalpers offthe list.

W

M A G A Z I N E 7

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s Official Ticket Resale Policy

OBJECTIVE: To re-establish policy relative to the sale/resale of Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo tickets for

an amount in excess of the stated face value.

STATEMENT: The sale/resale of Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo tickets for an amount greater than the stated

face value of each ticket shall be strictly prohibited. All owners or holders of Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

tickets shall be bound by the conditions stated on the ticket. The Show shall make every effort to refrain from sell-

ing tickets to anyone who allegedly resells tickets for an amount greater that the stated face value. Owners of

Skybox and Executive Suite tickets may add surcharge to those tickets in order to recover cost of food and beverage

service. Any member found in violation of this policy shall be subject to expulsion from Houston Livestock Show

and Rodeo membership. A committee member found in violation of this policy shall be removed from any commit-

tee on which he serves. Board members found in violation of this policy shall be subject to removal from the board

of directors, pursuant to the procedure outlined in the bylaws of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

PROCEDURE: Upon written recommendation to the president, any committee member found to be involved in

the resale of tickets for an amount in excess of the stated face value shall be removed from committee participation. The

recommendation may be submitted by the appropriate committee chairman, officer in charge, or management or staff

coordinator. In all cases, the president shall have the authority to enforce this policy. If a deci-

sion is rendered in support of the recommendation for expulsion, the member shall be notified.

Any member, committee member or board member who has received notification of

expulsion shall have the right to an appeal. An appeal must be submitted, in writing, to

the president, within 20 days of notification of expulsion. All written appeals shall be

considered by the Executive Committee whose decision shall be final.SCALPING

members of the publicwanting to buy ticketshave another opportunityto purchase them at anaffordable price, ratherthen resorting to buyingfrom scalpers.

“We do not know-ingly sell tickets to any-one in the ticket resalebusiness,” said TomQuarles, Show assistantgeneral manager oflogistics and support,“because we feel thatit is not in the best inter-est of the organization.”

The Show’s revenue is notincreased by inflatedticket prices which causemany complaints.

“Our phone numberis printed on the backof the ticket, invitingbuyers to call and reportany instances of ticketsales above face value,”said Carol Wyman, assis-tant manager of ticketsales. ”Many buyers donot realize that theseticket resellers do notrepresent the Show.The only official public

ticket outlet other thanthe Astrodome Box Officeis Ticketmaster, whoadds a $2 conveniencefee for each ticket pur-chased at their outletsthroughout the greaterHouston metroplex area.”Quarles said that “theShow feels this provides atrue service to manyworking people who sim-ply could not come to theAstrodome ticket officeduring the day.”

A greater awarenessand utilization of the

Show’s ticket turnbackprogram will benefit theseason ticket holder, thepublic and the Show. Butmore importantly, bymaking sure every ticketis available at face valuefor people to attend therodeo, the leverage ofthose scalpers will be reduced. Hopefully, thiswill benefit the ticket-buying public which theHouston Livestock Showand Rodeo tries so hardto accommodate in a fairand equitable manner.

YEARSRUNNING Story by Syndy Arnold Davis

Each year more than 600volunteers—all employ-ees, retirees and familymembers of Conoco, andtheir “extended family,”which includes DuPontand on-site Marriottemployees, put on theirrunning shoes to getready for the Conoco10K Rodeo Run. TheRodeo Run, Houston’sonly point-to-point roadrace, celebrates its 10thyear as the lead-in to theannual Houston Live-stock Show and Rodeodowntown parade.

Due to this Texas-sizeemployee-volunteereffort, Conoco is ableto donate 100 percent ofthe race entry fees to theHouston Livestock Show

and Rodeo EducationalFund, raising $578,000in the past nine years.

The race has contin-ued to grow each year,from 3,000 entrants in1988 to 5,000 runnersexpected this year.

Conoco has two goalsfor the race: to raisemoney for scholarshipsand to host a first-classevent of which both itsvolunteers and all theHouston Livestock Showand Rodeo memberscan be proud.

Plans for the first racestarted back in 1987when several Conocoemployees, some ofthem runners and fitnessgurus, decided to dosomething positive for

the community, possiblycoordinating a runningevent. A few Showenthusiasts at Conoco,including GeorgeMcAteer, currentlychairman of the Show’sParade Committee,suggested the HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo and its scholarshipfund as a worthy cause.The two ideas cametogether to form theConoco 10K Rodeo Run.

“We didn’t knowwhat we were gettinginto when we startedplanning the first RodeoRun,” said CyndiTucker, who served onthe first steering commit-tee. “We were fortunateto have a big supporter

in Colin Lee, who was anexecutive vice presidentat Conoco at the time,and an avid runner. Hesaw to it that the newproject received man-agement support.” Leedied in a company planecrash in 1991. His effortswere a major factor inthe race’s creation andare much appreciatedby the volunteers today.

Because the RodeoRun was created byConoco employees, isorganized by them eachyear strictly on a volun-teer basis, and as allproceeds are donatedto the Show EducationalFund, it is totally acompany effort. As amember of this year’s

8 M A G A Z I N E

M A G A Z I N E 9

steering committee said,“Our employees feel likethey are a part of theRodeo and what theRodeo is doing. We willcontinue to do this aslong as the employeeswill get involved.”

Fun, camaraderieand the chance to servethe community are threeimportant reasons manyConoco employeesvolunteer. Come rainor shine — and there’sbeen plenty of both —volunteers will line thecourse from the down-town starting point to theAstrodome finish line.

The race takes off justminutes before theparade starts. Coordina-tion of the race and theparade from the samestarting point takesincredible organization.When the runners leavethe start line, volunteersmust be in place to takedown the start line setupand remove all traces ofthe nearly 5,000 runnerswho leave just before theparade begins.

“In a race wherethe finish line is morethan six miles away fromthe starting point, orga-nization becomes evenmore important. How dowe transport the runnersand their belongingsfrom one location toanother in a timely man-ner? Every runner getsa bag to hold their per-sonal items and then wehave a system in placeto get everyone’s stuffto the finish line beforethe runners get there. Iam proud to say over theyears we have only losttwo bags,” said MikeHaugsness, the race dayoperations coordinator.

Getting ready for raceday is no easy task. Notlong after the huge finishline marker for the 1996run was safely storedaway, planning for thisyear’s event began.Volunteering requires ayear-round commitmentfrom many of Conoco’sdedicated employees,and that commitmentis one of the reasons

“Runner’s World”magazine has rankedthe Conoco 10K RodeoRun as one of the top100 road races in theUnited States for thepast two years.

A great part of therace’s success is owedto the volunteers, whomake the run better eachyear. “Not only do wewant volunteers, but wewant them to understandwhy they are volun-teering — education ofour children through col-lege scholarships makesour community and theworld a better place,”said Mayra Simon, alongtime volunteer andmember of the race dayoperations team.

Volunteers areneeded for numeroustasks prior to and on raceday, including: registra-tion; preparation andstuffing of runners’ pack-ets; coordination of racecourse equipment andwater stations; runnertransportation; coordina-tion of time keeping andofficial scoring; andmuch, much more.

With all this work tobe done, race coordina-tors and team captainsstart recruiting company-wide in early November.“Our goal is to have atleast 500 volunteers inplace by Dec. 15 eachyear,” said JuanitaGarner, volunteer coordi-nator for this year’s race.Even with such a loftytask, employees don’tneed much encourage-ment to get involved.

Volunteers such asMike Wilt look forward tostaffing the water stationat the Astrodome alongwith his wife and daugh-ter and the families ofother long-standing vol-unteers. “It’s a reunion, ofsorts,” Wilt said. “After

about 10:30 a.m., we’rebusy, busy, busy ashordes of thirsty runnersline up for water. Many ofthe volunteers choose thesame activity each yearand bring their families.”

Last year more than100 volunteers finishedtheir duties prior to raceday and suited up to runin the race. As oneRodeo Run veteran putit, “I’m not a runner, butbecause of the excite-ment surrounding therace, I‘m in training. Thisyear I’m not only goingto volunteer, but I’m alsogoing to run.”

The Rodeo Runreaches many individualswho might not otherwisetake part in the Show’sfestivities. Participantsfrom across our state,and from all over theworld, run each year.The 9:45 a.m. start timeallows some runnersenough time to drive infrom out of town on raceday to participate.

Most runners com-ment positively on thevolunteer staff, with somecalling the race the mostorganized event theyhave seen. “I don’t thinkmost runners realize thetime and effort put intothis race,” said JustinChaston, a previouswinner of the Rodeo Run.“They just know thingsare going smoothly.”

Conoco employeeshave worked hard tomake the Rodeo Runwhat it is today. The racehas grown to be moresuccessful than any ofits original creators couldhave imagined, and isnow an integral partof the Houston LivestockShow and Rodeo.

10 M A G A Z I N E

CARNIVALAstrodome parking lot

Fri., Feb. 14, 21 & 28: 4 p.m. - 1 a.m.Sat., Feb. 15 & 22 & March 1: 10 a.m. - 1 a.m.

Sun., Feb. 16 & 23: 10 a.m. - midnightFinal Sun., March 2: 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Mon.-Thurs., Feb. 18-20 & 24-27: 4 p.m. - midnightPresident’s Day, Mon., Feb. 17: Noon - midnight

COWBOY CHURCHSundays, 10 a.m. • Feb. 16 & 23:

Arena Rooms 1 & 2 • March 2: Sales Pavilion

DAILY SHOW PARADEBegins at the Astrohall South Entrance

Weekdays: 5:30 p.m., Saturdays & Sundays: 3 p.m.

DESTINATION: AGVENTURE

This area (formerly Astrohall Plaza) is located outsidethe west entrance to the Astrohall. It will be an

entertaining area that centers around animal-relatedexhibits, events and attractions. It will host three

brand new agricultural educational exhibits for the1997 Show including poultry, swine and sheep andgoat. Also in this area will be the new AGVENTURE

HIDEOUT, a boot-scootin’, music-playin’ place to hangyour hat. Come join us at Destination AGVENTURE

and listen to some great entertainment, visit an exhibit, catch a race or ride a pony!

AGVENTURE HIDEOUTSunday - Thursday: 7 p.m. to midnight

Friday & Saturday: 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.

COUNTRY MUSIC PAVILION9 a.m. - 9 p.m. • Live shows daily

GREYHOUND RACESDaily: 10:30 & 11:30 a.m. & 12:30, 2:30, 3:30, 4:30, 5:30 & 6:30 p.m.

PETTING ZOOS2 locations • 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. daily

PIG RACESDaily: 10 a.m., noon & 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 p.m.

PONY RIDES9 a.m. - 9 p.m. daily

RODEO UNIVERSITY9 a.m. - 9 p.m. • Live shows daily

WORLD OF CATTLE9 a.m. - 9 p.m. daily

DOUBLE E PLAZAThe new Double E (Eats & Entertainment)Plaza is located between the Astrohall and

Astroarena and is home to lots of good food,the Clydesdale horses, exhibit booths and

a petting zoo.

EXCEPTIONAL RODEOMon., Feb. 17 - Wed., Feb. 19: 6 p.m.; Astrodome

Friday, Feb. 14, 7 p.m..............Alan Jackson & LeAnn RimesSaturday, Feb. 15, 11 a.m. ............................... Neal McCoy &................................................................................. Bryan WhiteSaturday, Feb. 15, 7 p.m........................................Collin Raye, ........................................................Trace Adkins & Gary AllanSunday, Feb. 16, 4 p.m. ..........Tim McGraw & Chris LeDouxMonday, Feb. 17, 7 p.m.......................................George StraitTuesday, Feb. 18, 7 p.m. .....................................George StraitWednesday, Feb. 19, 7 p.m..........................Brooks and DunnThursday, Feb. 20, 7 p.m..............................Brooks and DunnFriday, Feb. 21, 7 p.m. .....................Mary Chapin Carpenter,..................................................Patty Loveless & Kathy MatteaSaturday, Feb. 22, 11 a.m.......................Earth, Wind and Fire

Saturday, Feb. 22, 7 p.m......Tracy Lawrence & Rick TrevinoSunday, Feb. 23, 4 p.m. .......................Emilio & Grupo LimiteMonday, Feb. 24, 7 p.m. .......................................Clay WalkerTuesday, Feb. 25, 7 p.m....................................Reba McEntireWednesday, Feb. 26, 7 p.m. .............................Reba McEntireThursday, Feb. 27, 7 p.m. ..........................................WynonnaFriday, Feb. 28, 7 p.m. ...............................Hank Williams Jr.,...........................................................................Charlie Daniels,........................................................The Marshall Tucker Band................................................................................& Bo DiddleySaturday, March 1, 11 a.m. .........John Michael MontgomerySaturday, March 1, 7 p.m.........Mark Chesnutt & Terri ClarkSunday, March 2, 4 p.m. ...........................................Vince Gill

1 9 9 7 A T T R A C T I O N S & E V E N T S

M A G A Z I N E 11

GO TEXAN WEEKEND

WORLD’S CHAMPIONSHIP BAR-B-Q CONTESTThurs., Feb. 6: 4 p.m. - midnight • Fri., Feb. 7:

Noon - midnight • Sat., Feb. 8: 9 a.m. - midnightAstrodome parking lot

RODEO RUNSat., Feb. 8, 9:45 a.m., downtown Houston to Astrodome

PARADESat., Feb. 8, 10 a.m., downtown Houston

GO TEXAN CONTESTSDOMINOES, HAY HAULING, HORSESHOE &

WASHER PITCHING CONTESTSSat., Feb. 8, Astrodome Complex

QUILT & PHOTOGRAPHY CONTESTWINNERS DISPLAY

Sat., Feb. 8 - Sun., March 2; Western Heritage Gallery

TEAM PENNING CONTESTSunday, Feb. 9, 10 a.m., Astroarena

MILKING PARLORFri., Feb. 14: 3 - 8 p.m. • Sat., Feb. 15, 22,

March 1: 10 a.m. - noon & 3 - 8 p.m.Sun., Feb. 16, 23 & March 2: 1 - 3:30 p.m.

& 5:30 - 8 p.m. • Mon. - Fri., Feb. 17-21 & Feb. 24-28: 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. & 3:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Astrohall - demonstrations every half hour

WILD WEST SHOWAstroarena: Tues., Feb. 18 - Fri., Feb. 21 &

Mon., Feb. 24 - Fri., Feb. 28: 5:30 p.m. nightly

AUCTIONS & SALESAll auctions and sales are held in the Sales Pavilion.

Commercial Heifers: Sun., Feb. 16: NoonJr. Commercial Steers: Tues., Feb. 25: 5 p.m.Jr. Lambs: Fri., Feb. 28: NoonJr. Poultry: Wed., Feb. 26: NoonJr. Steers: Sat., March 1: 10 a.m.Jr. Swine: Thurs., Feb. 27: NoonPremier Horse Sale: Sat., Feb. 22: 7 p.m.Registered Range Bull Sale: Wed., Feb. 19: NoonSchool Art: Sun., March 2: 1 p.m.

HORSE, DONKEY & MULE SHOWSAll equine events are held in the Astroarena unless otherwise noted.

Appaloosa: Wed., Feb. 26 - Thurs., Feb. 27Arabian/Half Arabian: Mon., Feb. 24 - Tues., Feb. 25Cutting Horse Contests: Wed., Feb. 12 - Sun., Feb. 16Donkey & Mule Shows: Sat., March 1 - Sun., March 2Miniature: Sat., March 1 - Sun., March 2;

Astrohall Main ArenaNCHA Finals: Thurs., Feb. 13 - Sun., Feb. 16Paint: Thurs., Feb. 27 - Fri., Feb. 28Palomino: Thurs., Feb. 20 - Fri., Feb. 21Quarter Horse: Mon., Feb. 17 - Sun., Feb. 23Top Hands: Sat., Feb. 8

OPEN LIVESTOCK SHOWSAll open livestock competitions are held in the Astrohall.

Angora Goats: Sat., Feb. 22; East ArenaBeef Cattle: Fri., Feb. 14 - Fri., Feb. 21; Main ArenaBoer Goats: Mon., Feb. 17; East ArenaBreeding Poultry: Fri., Feb. 14 - Sun., Feb. 16;

East WingBreeding Rabbits: Tues., Feb. 18 - Wed., Feb. 19;

East WingBreeding Sheep: Thurs., Feb. 20 - Fri., Feb. 21;

East ArenaBreeding Swine: Thurs., Feb. 20; West ArenaCavies: Tues., Feb. 18; East WingDairy Cattle: Sun., March 2; Main ArenaDairy Goats: Fri., Feb. 14 - Sat., Feb. 15; East ArenaLlamas: Fri., Feb. 14 - Sun., Feb. 16; West ArenaSheep Dog Trials: Sun., Feb. 16 - Mon., Feb. 17;

Main Arena

JUNIOR LIVESTOCK SHOWSAll junior livestock competitions are held in the Astrohall unless otherwise noted.

Agricultural Mechanics Project:Fri., Feb. 28; AstroarenaNorth Annex

Angora Goats: Sat., Feb. 22; East ArenaBeef Scramble and 4-H/FFALivestock Judging Contest Heifers: Sat., Feb. 22;

Main ArenaBreeding Beef Heifers: Sat., Feb. 22 - Mon., Feb. 24;

Main ArenaBreeding Rabbits: Fri., Feb. 21 - Sat., Feb. 22;

East WingBreeding Sheep: Thurs., Feb. 20 - Fri., Feb. 21;

East ArenaDairy Cattle: Fri., Feb. 28; West ArenaDairy Goats: Sat., Feb. 15; East ArenaDairy Scramble & 4-H/FFA Dairy Judging Contest Heifers: Fri., Feb. 28;

West Arena4-H/FFA Dairy Judging Contests: Sat., March 1;

Main Arena4-H/FFA Livestock Judging Contest: Mon., Feb. 24;

AstrodomeHorse Judging Contest: Tues., Feb. 18; AstrodomeLlamas: Fri., Feb. 14 - Sat., Feb. 15; West ArenaMarket Barrows: Tues., Feb. 25 - Wed., Feb. 26;

West ArenaMarket Goats: Mon., Feb. 17; East ArenaMarket Lambs: Thurs., Feb. 27; East ArenaMarket Poultry: Mon., Feb. 24 - Tues., Feb. 25;

Fort Bend County FairgroundsMarket Steers: Thurs., Feb. 27 - Fri., Feb. 28;

Main ArenaRabbit Judging: Sat., Feb. 22; East Wing State FFA Tractor Mechanics Contest: Tues., Feb. 25;

Main ArenaWeigh & Grade Commercial Steers: Mon., Feb. 24;

Sales Pavilion

A new “agri-hi-tech”educational program,The Longhorn Project,is underway at theJohnson Space Center(JSC) at Clear Lake andthe Houston LivestockShow and Rodeo isinvolved in a big way.Through the efforts of theNASA/Clear Creek/Friendswood Metro GoTexan Subcommittee,JSC, the Clear CreekIndependent SchoolDistrict (CCISD), theTexas Department ofAgriculture and theTexas LonghornBreeders, a herd of long-horn cattle will roam thespace center and beviewed by over one mil-lion visitors each year.The longhorns are just apart of a multi-facetededucational programwhich includes researchbeing performed by JSCengineers on hybridgrass and other plantstudies. “Through agri-

culturaleducation, students learnscience, mathematics andtechnology skills that arethe cornerstone of exper-tise needed to run thespace program in thefuture.” said George W.S. Abbey, JSC director.

The Longhorn Projectis the brainchild of JSCdirector Abbey and JohnE. Wilson, Ph.D., CCISDsuperintendent. Abbey, aTexana enthusiast, cred-its a 1960s-era photo-

graph of cattle grazingon what used to be theWest Ranch, with spark-ing his desire to haveTexas Longhorns as thefocal point of the project.Of the 30,000 acre ranchonce owned by HumbleOil & Refining Co. co-founder and chairmanJames Marion West Sr.,1600 acres is now thehome of JSC. Abbey andWilson met in August1996, exchanged ideasabout the need of agri-cultural education, andthe rest is history.

The project’s 60 acresincludes a 10 acrewildlife habitat pond,7 acres of freshwaterponds available foraquaculture, an orchardand a garden, and 43acres set aside for thecattle. “It will be atremendous opportunityfor students and industryto work closely togetherto further education inthe field of agriculturewhile utilizing the state-of-the-art facility atJSC,” Wilson said.The project is beingimplemented in phases,beginning with fencingeight acres dedicatedto the Texas Longhorncattle. The initial phasealso involves construct-ing buildings, watertroughs and a barn.An additional 35 acreswill be developed asPhase II. Some of thelabor and materials willbe donated and JSCengineers will be help-ing in the design ofthe project. In addition,“Several aerospace

12 M A G A Z I N E

Longhornsand

SpaceshipsNO PLACE BUT HOUSTON

Story by Carol Herrington

M A G A Z I N E 13

employee groups haveoffered assistance witha variety of tasks,” saidDon Holick, projectmanager for JSC.

Abbey and RickPerry, Texas Departmentof Agriculture Commis-sioner, would like to seethe project continue togrow and to serve as amodel for other commu-nity-based programs.According to Abbey,neighboring school dis-tricts from Pasadena,Pearland, Deer Park andFriendswood have calledseeking informationabout the project. “Thisis a great collaborationbetween the state andfederal governments,private entities, theschool district and com-mercial enterprises,”said Wilson.“The onlylimitations to the projectare the limitations of ourimaginations.”

Wilson and Perryagreed that The Long-horn Project could nothave occurred at a bettertime. Sixteen percent ofTexas youth, ages 5 to19, are involved in 4-Hprograms, and morethan 100,000 high schoolstudents attend FFAclasses. This project mayhelp boost those figuressince Clear Lake HighSchool students, underthe supervision of theiragri-science teachers,will maintain the cattle.It is expected that theother CCISD highschools will becomeinvolved as well.

“The long-term goalis to provide a locationwhere history meets

technology and wherestudents can discoverunlimited opportunitiesavailable in agriculture.Students will work withplants and animals at ahands-on agriculturaleducational facility,” saidKeith Steffek, a Showdirector and HoustonMetro Go TexanCommittee chairman.

Texas Longhorns,known as “Texas Gold”in the 1800s, onceoutnumbered peoplein Texas. Their near-demise was hastened bythe extensive cattledrives occurring afterthe Civil War to meetthe demand for beef. Aninflux of European-bredshorthorn cattle, packingplenty of fat, causedranchers to raise theseanimals rather than therangy longhorns. Withtheir numbers dimin-ished, gene poolreduced, and no coordi-nated breeding program,longhorns fended forthemselves until theearly 1900s. In 1927, asmall herd of longhornbreeding stock was col-lected, saving the long-horns from probableextinction. “The TexasLonghorn is experienc-ing a resurgence, duein part to advancedtechnology and thelonghorn’s genetictraits, such as the leanbeef characteristics,”said Perry.

The Show’s participa-tion in the project willbe in acquiring equip-ment, cattle and otherdonations. The long-horns are being

provided by variousTexas Longhorn breed-ers. Funds for fencingand bricks for theviewing pavilion arebeing raised by HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo volunteersspearheaded by theNASA/Clear Creek/Friendswood Go TexanSubcommittee, chairedby Melba Eveler. Theviewing pavilion willgiveJSCvisitorsa briefhistory ofthe projectin addi-tion to theopportu-nity toview thelonghorns.The fenceenclosingthe eightacresadjacentto thepavilionwill costapproxi-mately $15,000.Traditional barbed wirewill be used on theremaining 35 acresand should be lessexpensive. “To raisefunds, we are sellingbricks,” said Eveler.“The bricks are $25 fordonor-name only, whilea $50 brick will containthe donor’s name,and a logo or brand.”Additional items such asa windmill, water tanksand a greenhouse arestill needed in order tomeet the March 1997completion schedule.

“This project is yetanother program that willbenefit our area youth,”said John Cook, officer incharge of the HoustonMetro Go Texan Com-mittee. “This is a greatplatform for the HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo to demonstrateits commitment toyouth and education.”

There is littledoubt that formerPresident Lyndon B.Johnson, a Texan, arancher and a teacher,would be proud to seeour state’s signaturelonghorns roamingthe space center thatbears his name. TheLonghorn Project,like the HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo, will preservea unique culture,educate our youthand encourage allof them to reach forthe stars.

J. B. Ragnar isthe first trophysteer to bedonated to TheLonghorn Project.The steer has a75-inch tip-to-tiphorn span.

an’t get ticketsbecause it’s sold

out? Got caught out oftown on a business orpleasure trip? Want toinvite friends andneighbors over andhave your own party?Tired from a hard weekat the office? Couldn’tfind a baby-sitter for thekids? Just want to sitback and enjoy theShow in the intimacy ofyour own home? Well,whatever the reason,RODEOHOUSTON is theright answer for you!

Seven incrediblestars, three action-packed nights ofrodeo— the HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo is once againpulling out all the stopsfor a three-event pay-per-view seriesRODEOHOUSTON. And,for the first time ever,RODEOHOUSTON willbe available oncable and satellitein every part of theUnited States andCanada.

GIRLS’ NIGHT OUTMary ChapinCarpenter, PattyLoveless andKathy Mattea—all on one

stage? It’s a dreamcome true for music fansof all types. The firstperformance,8 p.m.(CST), Friday,Feb. 21, will be a real“girls’ night out,” withthese three entertainers.Carpenter is one ofthe freshest voices incountry music withfive Grammy awardsand two Country MusicAssociation awards toher credit.

Loveless sings ofheartbreak and hope,making her listenersbelieve every wordof her songs. Withnumerous hits to hercredit, she sings aboutboth heartache andgetting over it withequal feeling andenthusiasm.

With roots inbluegrass and folkmusic, Mattea addsa new dimension totraditional countrymusic. Her heartfeltlyrics tell great storiesand she’s been honoredas the CMA’s FemaleVocalist of the Year ontwo occasions.

This extraordinarynight of live musicfollows highlights fromthe first go-round ofthe Houston Rodeo inthe Astrodome.

THESE BOYS WEREBORN TO BOOGIECountry, country-rock,rock ‘n’ roll—musiclovers will relish thissecond RODEOHOUSTON

performance. The

Astrodomewill be rocking Fridaynight, Feb. 28, 8 p.m.(CST), when HankWilliams Jr., CharlieDaniels, The MarshallTucker Band and rock‘n’ roll legend BoDiddley take the stage.Williams crosses allmusic genres and hasAcademy of CountryMusic, CMA andGrammy awards, inaddition to being theonly country music artistto have won an Emmy,to prove it.

Charlie Daniels isone of the most diverseentertainers in musictoday and has receivedawards from the CMA,ACM and the Gospel

TURN ON, TUNE IN,ROCK OUT

CPrepared by Show Staff

14 M A G A Z I N E

M A G A Z I N E 15

Music Association. ThisGrammy award winneris widely recognized forthe numerous charitieswith which he isinvolved.

Call its style Dixierock or Southerncountry — it doesn’t

matter. The MarshallTucker Band is oneof the great touringbands of the last 20years, and has earnedsix gold and two plat-inum albums.

“Legend” is anoverused word, but itdefinitely applies toguitar-great Bo Diddley.Starting his music careerin the 1940s, Diddleyhas toured with every-one from the Shirellesand the Everly Brothersto the Rolling Stonesand The Clash, andis a member of the

Rock and Roll Hallof Fame.

All of these greatentertainers will taketheir turn on stage ina live concert after thehighlights of thesecond go-round ofthe Houston Rodeo.

IT’S THAT THINGCALLED R-O-D-E-OThe stars of professionalrodeo also appear at theHouston Rodeo— theworld’s richest regular-season rodeo. Only thetop 64 cowboys andcowgirls in each eventare invited to competein Houston, providingsome of the mostexciting rodeo actionin the world.

The Houston Rodeoencompasses sevenprofessional rodeoevents: calf roping,saddle bronc riding,

steer wrestling, barebackriding, team roping,barrel racing and bullriding. A typical perfor-mance features severalworld champions, andthe best livestock in thesport. The professionalathletes are roping and

riding for nearly three-quarters of a million dol-lars in prize money infront of close to 60,000fans in the Dome.

RODEOHOUSTON

culminates with thebreath-taking finalsof the Houston Rodeo,live from the Astro-dome, Sunday, March 2,4 p.m. (CST). Moreinformation is availableon the web at:www.rodeohouston.com.

ORDER UP - NOW!RODEOHOUSTON

will be available on

cable pay-per-viewthroughout the UnitedStates and on satellitenetworks including,AlphaStar, DIRECTV,DISH Network,PRIMESTAR and TVNSatellite Theaters.RODEOHOUSTON willbe available in Canadaon cable and satellitefrom Allarcom.

The KrogerCompany, the officialsponsor of RODEO

HOUSTON, is offeringa $5 off coupon in theHouston area, availablein February.

The suggested pay-per-view price is$14.95 for each of theconcert/rodeo combina-tions, and $9.95 for theHouston Rodeo finals.“That’s not only a bar-gain for country musicfans and rodeo fans,”said Jim Bloodworth,president of theHouston LivestockShow and Rodeo, “butit’s a good way to let therest of the country knowwhat a great eventwe’ve got here inHouston.”

TM

Story by Whitney Horton

COMMUNICATIONSBROADCAST

ublicizing anevent in today’s

competitive globalmarket requires thetime and talents of manypeople. Professionaltechnical production andgreat voices prove essen-tial. Fortunately, theShow’s CommunicationsBroadcast Committeeprovides the necessaryskills and expertise tofulfill this need.

Historically, the Com-munications Committeewas a single groupresponsible for suchthings as taking calfscramble photos, writingpress releases for eachcalf scramble winner,voicing commercials andannouncements, and con-ducting market surveys.However, as the Showexpanded and evolved, so

did the committee. At onetime the CommunicationsCommittee had twochairmen, independentlyleading the broadcastand editorial divisionsof the committee.

Then in 1987, thecommittee separated intotwo distinct entities: theCommunications Broad-cast Committee and theCommunications Editor-ial Committee. Thebroadcast group formedunder the chairmanshipof then-KPRC Radiooperations managerDon Armstrong, withEd Stone serving as thecommittee’s officerin charge.

Now under the leader-ship of Danny Boze, theCommunications Broad-cast Committee busilyworks advertising the

Show, explaining eventsand announcing eachday’s activities. Mediacelebrities, like the pro-duction professionalsbehind the scenes, volun-teer their time and talentsto benefit youth and edu-cation. Through thesevolunteers, every typeof consumer—from thecountry music faithfulto the alternative musicmarket—are targetedand accessible.

Volunteers also usetheir professional talentsto provide the voices fortelevision and radio com-mercials as well as theinformational announce-ments played in theAstrohall and Astro-arena, Show documen-taries and the pay-per-view radio simulcast.Some put their technicalexpertise to work, pro-ducing and dubbingthe audio for radio andtelevision ads. Mediaprofessionals volunteer agreat deal of talent, sav-ing the Show thousandsof dollars each year andproviding a freshnessand variety of voices thatotherwise would beimpossible to obtain.

One of the Communi-cations BroadcastCommittee’s newestresponsibilities is audiomonitoring in the Astro-dome. At each rodeoperformance, committeemembers walk thedifferent Dome levels

to ensure that the manysound speakers through-out the Dome workcorrectly and deliverthe quality of soundnecessary to meetShow standards.

“The CommunicationsBroadcast Committee istypical of the progressiveapproach of the HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo,” said officer incharge Bill Teague.“It started with talent,expanded and acceptedincreased responsibility. Iam extremely impressedwith the quality of talentand dedication thatpeople choose to give tothe Show. The time theyspend is sacrificial.”

The CommunicationsBroadcast Committeeis as ever-changingand innovative as theShow itself. Futurecommittee duties mayinclude conducting pay-per-view market surveysand providing on-aircamera work. “Greatthings are happeningnow that will have animpact in the future,”said Boze.

“We are there tohelp the Show as muchas possible and arelooking forward to moreand more responsibili-ties,” added Boze.“It is all about the kidsand scholarships—wemay be a small commit-tee, but you’ll certainlyhear from us.”

H. F. Stone, who is employed at two of Houston’s morepopular radio stations, is representative of the talented

professionals who are members of theCommunications Broadcast

Committee.

16 M A G A Z I N E

PStory by Whitney Horton

C O M M I T T E E

M A G A Z I N E 17

magine holding13,000 scorecards,

each containing informa-tion about a contestant,the class for which he isbeing judged, as well asa column listing the 24possible combinationsof the numbers 1,2,3and 4. You anxiouslywait to receive the lastof the scorecards, know-ing they must be sorted,tabulated, scored andtriple-checked for theawards presentationceremony scheduled tocommence in two hours!This is the function ofthe Judging ContestScoring Committee.While today’s 30-mem-ber committee iscomputer-assisted, ithas not always beenthat way.

Before the committeewas formed in 1977, allthis work was done bya group of non-badge-earning volunteersstaffing a room full ofcalculators, doing allof the work by hand.The current committeechairman, KathrynBradley, was one ofthose early volunteers.She said, “The commit-tee is one which is little-known and little-seen.It is a behind-the-scenesoperation that performsa vital function for foursignificant contests.These contests teachyoung men and womenhow to make decisions.Success in these contestscan be the beginning of

a career in meat andlivestock buying andselling, as well as inauctioneering.”

There are fourjudging contests whoseresults are tabulated bythis committee — JuniorHorse, 4-H and FFALivestock, 4-H and FFADairy, and Junior andSenior IntercollegiateLivestock. These fourcontests generate atremendous amountof paperwork. “TheJunior Horse JudgingContest is the largestof its kind in the coun-try,” according to DonJobes, Show assistantgeneral manager.

Approximately 1,600contestants are dividedinto junior and seniordivisions. Each contes-tant judges eight differ-ent classes of horses —four halter and fourperformance. Each classcontains a group of fourhorses which must beranked in order ofquality by each contes-tant. There is a separate

scorecard for eachgroup of four horses— eight scorecardsfor each contestant.

As soon as thecards are turnedin, the committeegoes to work. Thescorecards are gatheredand sorted by the mem-bers who then input intoa computer (some byscanner) the informationthey receive. The com-mittee members thenperform two manualchecks and the computerperforms a third internalcheck for accuracy andcompleteness of theinformation. After thecomputer digests allof this information andcompares it to the “rightanswers” which havebeen provided by profes-sional judges, it generatesthe results and prints outa ranking of the top indi-vidual and team finishers.

The two-day Juniorand Senior Inter-collegiate LivestockJudging Contest usuallydraws 700 to 800

contestants who competeon teams of five or sixcontestants in 12 classes.Dairy Judging hasapproximately 300contestants judging sixclasses. Junior Livestockhas 1,200 to 1,400 con-testants judging sevenclasses. All these contestscan generate as manyas 34,000 scorecards.

The computerprogram used in thiscommittee’s workwas created in 1976through the joint effortof Richard W. Snyderand Bud Hilliard. Snydercontinues to be an activeworker on the commit-tee. The program wascreated in responseto a request for help fromDoug Shores, HarrisCounty extension agent,who is superintendentof the Junior HorseJudging Contest.

Ken Moursund,officer in chargeof the committee,compliments the group:“This is an extremelywell-organized anduniquely qualifiedcommittee that knowswhat to do and howto get it done.”

IJUDGING CONTEST SCORING

The Judging Contest Scoring Committee is important to thehundreds of serious youngsters who practice all year tocompete in the Show’s various judging contests.

Story by Bill Bludworth

S P O T L I G H T S

ince llamas firsthoofed their

way into the HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo’s livestock arena,visitors of all ages havebeen intrigued and fasci-nated by the curious,woolly animals.

According to Col. R. L.“Randy” Davis, chair-man of the LlamaCommittee, the firstllamas appeared in theShow’s arenas in 1988,when Show officialsdecided to expand theanimal exhibits.

“Originally, the llamaactivities were managedas a subcommittee of theLivestock Committee,”Davis said. ”Thanks tothe persistence of severalShow members and afew llama owners, thellamas returned in 1989,and later that year, theLlama Committee wasformed.” The commit-tee’s 15 founding mem-bers, some of whomwere the first llamaexhibitors at the Show,participated in their firstcommittee activities dur-ing the 1990 Show.

According to Davis,his 50 dedicated commit-tee volunteers work as ateam to raise scholarshipfunds, which totaled$50,000 in 1996, andto introduce childrento llamas throughthe committee’s“Lloan-a-Llama”program.

“Our enthusiastic vol-unteers eagerly promotethe therapeutic value ofllamas as pets throughthe Lloan-a-Llamaprogram, and have madethe llama show one of themore popular events,”said Dr. David Mouton,officer in charge.

Some of the firstparticipants in the pro-gram were children fromthe Boys/Girls Harbor inLa Porte, Texas. Sincethen, children fromMemorial Hall Schooland children with specialneeds from the Brook-wood Community Centeralso have participated inthis program.

During this competi-tion, these children are

each assigned aloaned llama and a

team leader fromthe committee,

and are taught to leadtheir llamas through anobstacle course. First -and second-place tro-phies are awarded to topfinishers, and all partici-pants receive ribbons.Last year, 65 childrenparticipated in the Lloan-a-Llama competition.

Now held on the firstSaturday of the Show,the llama show includesprofessional and youthshows for breeders, inaddition to halter andshowmanship classes.Breeders also cancompete for championand reserve championrecognition.

Llamas are membersof the camelid (camel)family. One of the oldestdomesticated animals inthe world, the llama is anexcellent pack animaland its wool is prized by

spinners andweavers.

Theaveragellamaweighs

between 300 and 450pounds, stands 40 to 45inches at the shoulderand has an average lifespan of about 20 years.

Gentle and intelligent,llamas are easy to train —they can quickly learnand retain several skillssuch as accepting a hal-ter, being led and pullinga cart, and at one golfcourse in New Mexico,they serve as golf cad-dies. Llamas are verysocial animals who areoften kept as pets and asguard animals—sheepherders often use them toguard against coyotes.Do they really spit? Onlywhen provoked, sayllama breeders. Theyalso hum when they’rehappy, much like a catpurring. Davis estimatedthat there are approxi-mately 50,000 llamas inthe United States.

During the year,committee members alsotake llamas to visit chil-dren’s homes, schoolsand other groups. “TheLlama Committee hasbeen successful becauseof the great people whocome together to makeeverything happen forthese kids,” Davis said.“While some membersof the committee arellama ranchers, othersare just ordinary peoplewho are interested inllamas and supportingthe Houston LivestockShow and Rodeo.”

18 M A G A Z I N E

Story by Melissa ManningSLLAMA

C O M M I T T E E S P O T L I G H T S

M A G A Z I N E 19

You immediatelyknow that this is aman whose contagiousenthusiasm invitesparticipation from othersand whose friendlinessand easy-going styleevidence personalinvolvement and interestin everyone. John H.Causey embodies thespecial qualities of lead-ership that have helpedthe Show grow inprominence and havehelped create its uniquestature in the world.

A horseman “sincebirth,” Causey wasdrawn to the HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo because of his life-long love of horses. Hebecame a member of theHorspitality Committeemore than 20 years agoand served with thatgroup continuously untilhe was appointed its vicechairman and then itschairman. Causey’sinvolvement broadenedwhen he became theGeneral Horse Showchairman, gainingresponsibility for all thehorse show committees.He became a directorof the Show in 1978and was elected a vicepresident in 1991and, not surprisingly,thereafter, he was

appointed theofficer in chargeof the 16 horse showcommittees. With onlyone year of rest followinghis three-year term as avice president, Causeywas elected to theShow’s Executive Com-mittee in May of 1996.

Causey is proud ofeach of the events thatconstitute the HoustonHorse Show, which isrecognized as one of thebiggest and best in thecountry. He points out thatfor almost every breedshown, the show is one ofthe largest held anywhere.

A resident of Conroe,Texas, for the past 26years, Causey owns andis president of CincoPipe and Supply, asupplier for the energyindustry, which hasoffices in Houston, Dallasand New Orleans.

Causey hasthree sons, one of

whom serves on theHorspitality Committee,one daughter and fivegrandchildren. His wifeBabs is a memberof both the Horse Salesand Breeders Greeterscommittees.

There’s no questionabout how Causeyspends his free time —on horseback. He isactively involved in teamroping, owns three rop-ing horses and devotesmany weekends to trav-eling with his horses tolocal or regional teamroping competitions.Causey’s versatility isdemonstrated by havinghad Six Pack, one of hiswell-trained horses,selected as OutstandingTrail Horse of the 1994Tejas Vaqueros Trek.

In addition to family,

work and Houston Live-stock Show and Rodeo,Causey spends his“spare” time working onMontgomery Countyactivities including beingon the executive commit-tee of the MontgomeryCounty Fair Associationand serving as officer incharge of the Mont-gomery County Rodeo.

As if that were notenough, he is also begin-ning a three-year term aspresident of the TejasVaqueros. Once in awhile he even gets to goout to his place in CampWood, Texas, where hefinds time to relax anddo a little hunting. Hemight even find a littletime to help friends workcattle in South Texas.

Causey finds manyaspects of the Showpersonally meaningful:the special camaraderiefound nowhere else,developing new friend-ships and strengtheningold ones. He best sumsup the spirit of theorganization and servesas an inspiration toothers when he stateshow important andsatisfying it is “to dogood work.”

E X E C U T I V E C O M M I T T E E P O R T R A I T

Story by Ann Jacobs

J O H N H . C A U S E Y

OMMITTEEMAN’STWO-STEP

20 M A G A Z I N E

If this sounds too easy, you can still try it the old-

fashioned way: enter any Astrodome public gate and

look for a parking spot in the committee reserved park-

ing lot off Naomi or in any general parking area. You

also may park and ride free with your gold badge

(guests must pay the regular fare) from any other

Rodeo Express park-n-ride location: Delmar Stadium,

METRO park-n-ride at 7821 North Shepherd,

Gulfgate Mall, 9009 West Loop South or the METRO

park-n-ride at the West Loop. These shuttles run

Monday through Friday, 5 p.m. to midnight, and

Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to midnight.

OMMITTEEMEN’STWO-STEP

It’s True, It’s New, It’s Reserved Just For You—

DO THE

It’s a park-n-ride lot justfor you hardworkingcowboys and cowgirlswho devote so muchtime to the HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo!

STEP1:PARK YOUR CAR!

Where?Rice UniversityStadium west parkinglot at Greenbriar andRice Boulevard

How?A valid 1997committee parkingsticker or hang tagon your car or truck

STEP2:GET ON THE BUSAND RIDE!

When?February 14-March 2

How long?Monday-Friday, 2 p.m. until 2 a.m.Saturday and Sunday,8 a.m. - 2 a.m.

The Wait?The buses run every20 to 30 minutes inboth directions and theride will take 15 to 30minutes depending onthe traffic (this isHouston, after all).

Just me?Nope—it’s for youand your guests thatrode with you in yourvehicle.

How much?It’s free—you’vealready paid yourdues!

Pick-up and drop-off?There’s a special pick-up tent at RiceStadium on the westside, and you’ll bedropped off at theRodeo Express ShuttleBus tent located atHolly Hall and CircleDrive near the eastramp to the Dome.

What if I needassistance?

The lot will be moni-tored by the RodeoExpress Committeeuntil 9 each nightand Houston LivestockShow and Rodeo secu-rity from open to close.

RIC

ES

TA

DIU

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M A G A Z I N E 21

LIVESTOCK SHOW

SEASON PASS

It’s a $20 ticket to aworld of attractions—the 1997 HoustonLivestock Show seasonpass. This pass includesadmission to the world’slargest livestock show,the horse show (exclud-ing NCHA Finals), thecarnival, commercialand educational exhib-its, special attractionsand the World’s Cham-pionship Bar-B-Quecontest. Passes can bepurchased at the Astro-dome Box Office and arevalid Feb. 6 - March 2.

MEMBERSHIP DANCEIt’s a party for thousands —and it’s on behalf of thethousands of hours annuallyput into this event. TheShow’s annual membershipdance will be heldWednesday, Feb. 5 in theAstrohall. The doors willopen at 7 p.m. and enter-tainment will include SteveWariner. Food may bebrought to the dance andbeverages may bepurchased with Corral Clubhospitality coupons. Joinus as we celebrate the open-ing of our 65th anniversaryevent.

SENIOR CITIZENPROMOTION

For the third year in a row,the Show will honor seniorcitizens during the twoweeks of the 1997 event,Tuesday through Friday,Feb. 18-21; and Feb. 25-28.During these days, from 9a.m. to 2 p.m., free admit-tance to the livestock showand horse show will begiven to senior citizens 60years and older when proofof age is shown. Childrenages 12 and youngeraccompanying seniorcitizens also will be admit-ted free of charge to thelivestock and horse shows.

I N F O R M A T I O N & U P D A T E SN E W S & H I G H L I G H T S

COMMITTEE

BADGE OFFICEThe Show’s membershipoffice retains all committeebadges once badge meet-ings have been held. Shouldyou be unable to attend yourbadge meeting, the mem-bership office currently isopen Monday - Friday from8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m for badgepickup purposes. BeginningFriday, Feb. 14, the officehours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.daily through March 2.Also, remember, committeebadges are non-transferableand are for the exclusiveuse of the individuals towhom they are issued.

NEW ATTRACTIONS

OPEN BREEDING BOER GOAT SHOWThe Houston Livestock Show will host its first everOpen Breeding Boer Goat Show, Monday, Feb. 17beginning at 8 a.m. in the East Arena. These muscu-lar goats are meat animals, imported originallyfrom Africa.

SHEEP DOG TRIALS There’s b-a-a-a-a-d competition scheduled the nightsof Feb. 16 and Feb. 17 in the Show’s main arena whenthe first sheep dog trials will be held. Trained dogshelp shepherd a herd of sheep through an obstaclecourse to a pen located at the end of the course. Onesheep is then separated from the herd by the dog,demonstrating further the dog’s control of the sheep.The dog performing the feats in the fastest time winsthe competition.

TOP HAND HORSE SHOWThe Show’s first Top Hand Horse Show will be heldSaturday, Feb. 8 in the Astroarena, when physicallyand mentally challenged horse show enthusiasts show-case their horsemanship skills. Coordinated by theSpecial Children Committee, this event will begin at9 a.m. and continue until 4 p.m. Assistance will beprovided by members of the Horspitality, Horse ShowAnnouncers and Horse Show Equipment committees.

‘97 STAR TRAIL INDUCTEESIn February 1996, the Show unveiled its Star Trail, an

area dedicated to honoring premier entertainers who

have made a significant impact on the Show. Brass sil-

houettes of the entertainers make up this tribute.

Inductees planned for the 1997 Show are Elvis Presley

and Charley Pride.

More information is available on the Web at hlsr.com.

M A G A Z I N E

Houston Livestock Show and RodeoP.O. Box 20070Houston, Texas 77225-0070Forward & Address Correction

MAGAZINE

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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For more information on Go Texan events, contact theGo Texan Director at (713) 791-9000.

F E B R U A R Y A P R I LM A R C H

F E B R U A R Y1 Conroe/Willis Go Texan

Parade1 Lamar/Needville Boot

Scootin’ Ball1 Grimes County Cook-Off

and Contests5 Membership Dance in

Astrohall6-8 World’s Championship

Bar-B-Que Contest,Astrodome parking lot

8 Downtown parade androdeo run; Go Texan hayhauling competition anddominoes, horseshoe andwasher pitching contests

9 Go Texan team penningcompetition

12 Horse show opens inAstroarena

14 Opening of livestock showand carnival; first rodeo per-formance at 7 p.m.; schoolart, photography and quiltentries on display

14 -23 International Days15 Rodeo performances at 11

a.m. and 7 p.m.16 Rodeo performance at 4 p.m.17-21 Nightly rodeo performance

at 7 p.m.18-20 International Livestock

Congress22 Rodeo performances at 11

a.m. and 7 p.m.; FFA Day23 Go Tejano Fiesta Charra23 Rodeo performance at 4 p.m.24-28 Nightly rodeo performance

at 7 p.m.

M A R C H1 Rodeo performances at 11

a.m. and 7 p.m.; 4-H Day2 Championship rodeo finals

at 4 p.m.14-15 Anderson County Cook-Off

and Contests22 Robertson County Cook-Off

and Contests28-31 Show offices closed

A P R I LNo events currently scheduled