A rich tradition of cowboys, livestock—and volunteers

In January of 1931, seven men sat down for lunch at the Texas State Hotel. Nobody really knows what they ate or what they drank, but what they talked about sparked a 73-year Houston tradition as big as the state it’s held in.

On that January afternoon, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was born.

Get along, little livestock show, get along

Back then it was known as the Houston Fat Stock Show and Livestock Exposition. It was first held in April the following year –1932– at the Democratic Convention Hall in Houston. Over the years it grew in both size and popularity. In 1938, the show added the first downtown parade in show history, as well as the spectacle that would one day be named RODEOHOUSTONÔ. In 1942, Gene Autry became the show’s first “star” entertainer, starting a list that would later include such superstars as Elvis Presley, Roy Rogers, The Jackson Five, Charley Pride, Reba McEntire, George Strait, Bon Jovi, and Bill Cosby.

The Rodeo Heads Down a New Trail

In 1952, The Saltgrass Trailride began, bringing hundreds on horseback to the growing show. Then, with the building of the Eighth Wonder of the World—The Houston Astrodome—the show would enjoy a larger new home and a much larger crowd. The new home allowed the show to reach levels of comfort and enjoyment never dreamed of by the seven men back in 1931, and the possibilities seemed endless.

The show continued its meteoric rise. In 2003, perhaps the most exciting milestone—the brand new Reliant Stadium, with retractable roof and room for 60,000, opened its doors to the show for the first time. And paid attendance shattered the previous mark with over 1.2 million people experiencing the show in its new home. The show now boasts over 33,000 annual livestock entries, six Pro Rodeo events and more than $8 million in scholarships and educational programming. But none of this extravaganza would be possible without one of its most important features—volunteers.