Recognizing and Informing the Volunteers and Supporters of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo

MAGAZINE

February 1995—Vol III, No. 1

Fort Hood

AMARILLO

LUBBOCK

WACO

FORT WORTHDALLAS

EL PASO

AUSTIN

SAN ANTONIO

PASADENA

BEAUMONT

CORPUS CHRISTI

Wichita Falls

McAllen

San Angelo

Longview

TylerAbilene

Laredo

Victoria

Baytown Port Arthur

OdessaMidland

Killeen

Paris

Sherman Texarkana

Del Rio

Kingsville

Harlingen

College StationBryan

Temple

LufkinLufkin

Nacogdoches

HOUSTON

All 254 Texas Counties Hit the Highways to Houston

Magazine CommitteeOfficer in Charge

Suzanne Epps

ChairmanRoy Elledge Jr.

Vice Chairmen/Committee Editors

Bill BarrettPeter A. Ruman

Copy EditorNancy Leverett

Editorial BoardMark Anawaty

William C. “Bill” BooherJohn Murphy

Marshall R. Smith IIIStephen Stepinoff

ReportersSamuel N. Allen

Nancy BurchYahsmine Catli-Cowan

Deborah DahlkeCheryl Dorsett

Amy GlassFreeman GregoryWhitney Horton

Ann JacobsBeth JohnsonMark Jones

Charlotte KirkPamela Malone

Melissa ManningElise Oppmann

Beverly RosenbaumSundra Spears

Design/LayoutPegasus Design, Inc.

PhotographerSam Pierson

Magazine Staff/ManagementManagement Coordinators

Leroy ShaferSuzy Brown

Production EditorJohnnie Hendon

Staff Coordinator/EditorTeresa Padgett

PhotographerFrank Martin, D.V.M.

Cover photo Sam Pierson

Houston Livestock Show and RodeoExecutive Committee

Joseph T. Ainsworth, M.D. James O. Bloodworth Allen H. Carruth

James R. “Dick” Graves Hal Hillman Don D. Jordan

H. Stuart Lang Jr. Louis M. Pearce Jr. John O. Smith

Clayton Underwood Tommie Vaughn P. Michael Wells

James M. Windham Jr.

Lifetime Member - Executive CommitteeDouglas B. Marshall

Chairman of the BoardJames R. “Dick” Graves

PresidentDon D. Jordan

OfficersRichard E. Bean John H. Causey John T. Cook

George A. DeMontrond III C.R. “Bob” Devine Suzanne Epps

Wayne Hollis Jr. Jim Janke Robert V. McAnelly

John J. Montalbano David E. Mouton, M.D. Tom R. Northrup

Paul G. Somerville

General ManagerDan A. Gattis

Volume III, Issue 1, is published by the HoustonLivestock Show and Rodeo, Copyright 1995. Letters and

comments should be sent to: Marketing Department, Houston LivestockShow and Rodeo, P.O. Box 20070, Houston, Texas 77225-0070.

TABLE OF CONTENTSA Message From the President ——————————————1

Features

1995 Pre-Show Overview —————————————— 2

February Fever —————————————————— 4

All Trails Lead to The Show ————————————— 6

Life of a Rodeo Cowboy ——————————————— 8

How Rodeo Events are Scored ——————————— 10

Where Are They Now?——————————————— 12

Animal Care ——————————————————— 14

Committee Spotlight

Directions and Assistance Committee ———————— 16

Grand Entry Committee —————————————— 17

Livestock Committee ——————————————— 18

Lifetime Vice Presidents Committee ————————— 19

Executive Committee Portrait

Joseph T. Ainsworth, M.D. ————————————— 20

Department Profile

Agricultural Exhibits & Competition ————————— 21

Calendar of Events —————————————— Back Cover

MAGAZINE,

s we enter the peak time for our volunteer efforts, I’mgoing to ask you to give a little more!

You’ll never see my request listed on your committee duties and assignments, but it might be one of those things you do that makes a lasting impression.

I’m only asking you to do something that comes nat-urally to most of you anyway — be friendly. But,because many of us live in a big city with the inherentchallenges of a large population, we often do not smileat strangers. Forget that for at least these two weeks!Smile at everyone you see out here at the Show, espe-cially if you don’t know them.

No matter what we do at the Show, we’re all part ofthe Public Perception Committee. It’s public relationsmagnified by the 1.6 million spectators who enjoy ourShow. If you can make just one of those 1.6 millionpeople feel special in some way, you may very wellhave sold that person a Show ticket for next year.

If you overhear someone ask a question about rodeoor livestock that you can answer, offer your knowledge.Because of our increasingly urban population, many ofour spectators will never see a live cow or horse any-where but here at our Show.

Perhaps you don’t know a Berkshire from aHampshire (they’re pigs), but maybe you know whenthe shuttle bus runs, the fastest way to get to the carni-val, where the closest restrooms areor where you can find the best cup ofcoffee at the Show. Share yourknowledge! If you don’t find at leastone stranger who needs help or just afriendly smile every day you’re onthe grounds, you’re not lookingaround you.

If you have the opportunity, tellpeople about our educationalexhibits — the milking parlor, thebeef exhibit and the petting zoos.Tell them not to miss the Wild West

Show, the daily parade or the pig races. The HoustonLivestock Show and Rodeo is a spectacular event withliterally something for everyone.

Forget that you’ve been out here for days and have“seen it all.” Remember, for a moment, what it’s like tobe a wide-eyed 6-year-old surrounded by amazingsights like lop-eared bunnies and cows as big as cars.

Also, think how you’d feel as the parent of that same excited 6-year-old who desperately wants tosee the miniature horses, and you can’t find theAstrohall, much less the correct wing. As a volunteer,you probably know your way around quite well, so,once again, share your knowledge. It only takes a fewseconds to point a lost family in the right direction.

Let’s all take a moment as we walk around thegrounds to note where the information booths are andwhere the Directions and Assistance Committee mem-bers are stationed.

You also owe it to yourself to take time to look ateverything we have to offer. After all, it’s your HoustonLivestock Show and Rodeo.

As most of you are aware, parking continues to be achallenge, so I urge each of you to ride the shuttle busthis year whenever possible. Although your workschedule may not always coincide with the shuttle busschedule, it would be a tremendous help to the Show

and the patrons if you would utilizethe shuttle buses when attending therodeo performances or livestockshow as a guest. Your cooperationmay help many of our out-of-townguests and even local Houstonians bebetter accommodated out here.You and I, with our gold badges and

committee jackets, truly representthe Houston Livestock Show andRodeo to everyone who sees us. Let’smake sure we represent “The Showwith a Heart.”

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

A

D O N D . J O R D A NP R E S I D E N T

H E 1 9 9 4H O U S T O N

L I V E S T O C KS H O W A N D

R O D E O W A S AS T A R - S T U D D E D R E C O R D -

B R E A K I N G E X T R A V A G A N Z A . I FI T W E R E A N Y O T H E R E V E N T ,

I T W O U L D B E A H A R D A C T T OF O L L O W . B U T T H R O U G H O U T

T H E H I S T O R Y O F T H E S H O W ,T H I N G S J U S T K E E P G E T T I N G

B E T T E R E V E R Y Y E A R . T H E1 9 9 5 S H O W , T H E 6 3 R D A N N U A L

C E L E B R A T I O N , P R O M I S E S T OB E T H E B E S T O N E Y E T .

Last year, general attendance wasa record 1,616,113. To accommodatethe ever-increasing demand forrodeo tickets, the Show is beingexpanded by two performances in1995, with a Friday night openingand an additional matinee on thefirst Saturday.

To juggle the schedule for theadditional shows, other Show pro-motional activities will begin a weekearlier, with the downtown rodeoparade, the World’s ChampionshipBar-B-Que Contest and all Go Texancontest finals taking place the week-end prior to the opening of therodeo. The Conoco Rodeo Run, thedowntown parade and Go Texancontests, except for the team pen-ning competition, are on Feb. 11;this includes dominoes, hay haul-ing, washer pitching and horseshoepitching, all taking place on Showgrounds. Team penning action is inthe Astroarena on Sunday, Feb. 12.The trail rides also will concludethis weekend. The bar-b-que compe-tition is Friday, Feb. 10 throughSunday, Feb. 12 in the Astrodomeparking lot.

The first rodeo performancebegins on Friday, Feb. 17 at 7p.m., one day earlier than lastyear’s Show. In addition, there aretwo performances on the firstSaturday of the Show, Feb. 18. Allevening performances begin at 7p.m., all Saturday matinees at 11a.m., and all Sunday perfor-mances begin at 4 p.m.

Three new committees also have

1 9 9 5 P R E - S H O W O V E R V I E W

TStory byEliseOppmann

2

Friday, Feb. 17, 7 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alan Jackson

Saturday, Feb. 18, 11 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Clint Black

Saturday, Feb. 18, 7 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Clint Black

Sunday, Feb. 19, 4 p.m. . . . . . . . . . .Tanya Tucker / Tracy Byrd

Monday, Feb. 20, 7 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .George Strait

Tuesday, Feb. 21, 7 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .George Strait

Wednesday, Feb. 22, 7 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Vince Gill

Thursday, Feb. 23, 7 p.m. . . . . . .Natalie Cole / Peabo Bryson

Friday, Feb. 24, 7 p.m. . . . .Mark Chesnutt / Tracy Lawrence

Saturday, Feb. 25, 11 a.m. . . . . . .Billy Ray Cyrus / Pam Tillis

Saturday, Feb. 25, 7 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Clay Walker

Sunday, Feb. 26, 4 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Selena / Emilio

Monday, Feb. 27, 7 p.m. . . . . .Brooks & Dunn with David Ball

Tuesday, Feb. 28, 7 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Reba McEntire

Wednesday, March 1, 7 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Reba McEntire

Thursday, March 2, 7 p.m. . . . . . . .John Michael Montgomery

Friday, March 3, 7 p.m. . . .Hank Williams Jr. / Sawyer Brown

Saturday, March 4, 11 a.m. . . . . . . . . Little Texas / Toby Keith

Saturday, March 4, 7 p.m. . . . . . . . . .Mary Chapin Carpenter

/ The Mavericks

Sunday, March 5, 4 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Randy Travis

Tickets available at the Astrodome Box Office and at allTicketmaster outlets, including Sears,

Foley’s, Blockbuster Music, Fiesta and Drug Emporium

F E A T U R E

been added this year. The Graphicsand Signage Committee has devel-oped a system of signs, banners andgraphics to help spectators getaround the grounds more easily andefficiently. The Carnival Ticket SalesCommittee members are pre-sellingcarnival tickets and ticket packages.And the Miniature Horse ShowCommittee is assisting with theminiature horse show operations.

In a continuing effort to make the

Show both entertaining and educa-tional, a new beef cattle display willinform visitors about the nutritionalvalue of beef, the benefits of otherbeef cattle byproducts and theimportance of food safety issues.Popular exhibits returning to theShow include the milking parlor,petting zoos and pig races.

Please remember that your goldbadge admits you and one guest tothe Show, but it does not guarantee aseat in the rodeo. When a ticket

holder orAstrodomeusher asks

you to

move, please do so quickly andpleasantly.

The gold badge also allows youand your guest admission to theWorld’s Championship Bar-B-QueContest, the livestock show and thehorse show. It does not provideadmission to the executive suites,skyboxes, Corral Clubs, rodeo grandentry, rodeo chute area, entertainerdressing rooms, judging rings andarenas or other restricted areas.

Please follow these and otherrules governing the wearing of goldbadges. The badge is a symbol ofyour hard work and dedication tothe Show; wear it proudly and withrespect for your efforts and those ofyour fellow committee members.

Another privilege of the goldbadge is free riding privileges on theShow’s shuttle bus. Parking isalways a challenge at the Astrodomecomplex, and your parking passdoes not guarantee that a space willbe available. The shuttle bus will

run from 5 p.m. to midnightMonday through Friday, and 9a.m. to midnight Saturday and

Sunday. Please ride the shuttlewhenever you can, andencourage your friends to doso, too.

The 1995 Show promises tobe bigger and better than everbefore, thanks to the ideas andsuggestions of committee mem-bers. Your hard work and sup-port are appreciated by themanagement and staff of theHouston Livestock Show andRodeo. Let’s go rodeo!

3

F E A T U R E

All seats in the upper levels of theAstrodome are $10. Seats locatedbelow the upper level are sold asseason boxes. The cost of admissionto the Astrohall, Astroarena and car-nival, excluding the NCHA Finals, isincluded in the rodeo ticket cost.Tickets are available at the Astro-dome box office and at all Ticket-master outlets, including Sears,Foley’s, Blockbuster Music, Fiestaand Drug Emporium locations.

Tickets for admission only to the live-stock show and horse show events,other than NCHA competition, areavailable at a cost of $5 for adults and$1 for children ages 6-12. Childrenages 5 and under are admitted free.

The NCHA World’s ChampionshipFinals are scheduled for Thursdaythrough Sunday, Feb. 16-19. Advancetickets for NCHA events are avail-able from the rodeo ticket office andat the Astroarena the day of theevent. All reserved tickets are $10 perNCHA Finals performance. Ad-ditionally, $5 general admission tick-ets will be sold for this event at theentrance to the Astroarena.

A single ride coupon at the 1995 carni-val is 60 cents, and sheets of 28 ridecoupons are available for $15 at thecarnival. Family value packs areavailable at all Randalls FoodMarkets for $19.95 and will be avail-able throughout the duration of theShow. Family value packs includespecial food and beverage couponsand ride coupons.

F E A T U R E

he Houston Live-stock Show &Rodeo isn’t just an

event; it’s a passion.Although the Show itself lasts

only three weeks, that intangiblebut welcomed infliction known asFebruary Fever begins to permeatethe population in and far beyondthe Houston area long before thefirst trail riders come into town tokick off the start of the Show.

It’s a fever that doesn’t discrimi-nate; it inflicts the young and old,male and female, and people in

every conceivable profession.At least once a year, people from

all walks of life, from differentstates and even other countries,put aside whatever political orphilosophical differences theymay have to take part in the Show.

Julie Beard, a School Art

Committee and Corral ClubSkybox Committee member, callsherself an “average’’ Show partici-pant. She estimates she will spenda total of 80 hours working withand enjoying the Show this year.

“It’s fun, and with a committeelike School Art you fulfill a phil-anthropic need,’’ she said. “You’redoing something for a cause.’’February Fever like Beard’s is thedriving force that makes the Showso successful and causes it to drawmore than 1.6 million visitorsannually.

It is the reason the Show breaksnew records each year and culmi-nates in an educational commit-ment of more than $3.5 millionannually.

February Fever has no officialstarting day, but probably no whereis it so evident as in Western wear

sales. Stores enjoy what amountsto a second Christmas shoppingfrenzy as February Fever beginsheating up even before the first ofthe year.

In the case of Gwen Gerlofs, aTexas transplant from Michiganwho participates in the Salt GrassTrail Ride, she is working ondeveloping a team for the World’sChampionship Bar-B-Que Contest.Prior to the Show, she commis-sions her own seamstress to makeunique jackets she can wear to different events.

Gerlofs, like so many other afflict-ed with February Fever, is at a loss tounderstand why she gets so caughtup in the Show. “It’s hard toexplain,’’ she said. “It’s just a state of mind.”

“A lot of the people who fly infrom other cities and states willbuy thousands of dollars worth ofclothes,” said one local Westernstore owner. “We’ve had peoplecome in from China and Japan andbuy the latest fashions, eventhough they have never even wornor thought about wearing Westernclothes.’’

The start of the Western wearcraze at Show time may be attribut-able to those immortal words spo-ken by W.N. “Bill’’ Blanton prior tothe first Show in 1938. Blanton,then-vice president and generalmanager of the Houston Chamber ofCommerce, was attempting to moti-vate the Jaycees to sell more Showtickets when he said, “Grow beards,wear big hats, boots and spurs. Let’sput a little touch of the Wild Westinto this thing.’’

Along with establishing theunique Western flavor of the Show,Blanton may have unknowinglycontributed to the launch of whatare today six Go Texan committees,and the Area Go Texan subcommit-tees. Collectively they form a force of

F E B R U A R Y F E V E R

TStory byMark Jones

4

Volunteers experience the spirit and excitement of “February Fever.”

Sam

Pie

rson

more than 1,850 volunteers in a 59-county area who help spreadFebruary Fever by doing everythingfrom distributing promotional mate-rials and visiting elementary schoolsto conducting preliminary contestsin various Go Texan contests, suchas hay hauling, horseshoe pitchingand dominoes.

For most people, February Feverbegins to peak just after the first ofthe year. Men who don’t usuallywear beards begin growing them inanticipation of the Show.Restaurants create dishes withWestern themes just for the Showseason. Everyone from school stu-dents to attorneys hang up their reg-ular attire and don Western duds forGo Texan Day.

Many people schedule vacationsaround the Show, and civic organi-zations such as Rotary Clubs plangroup visits to the Show. Cars andtrucks don Show bumper stickers,and radio stations start ticket give-aways after the much-anticipatedperformance lineup is announced.“People start calling as early asSeptember trying to find out thelineup of performers,’’ reported onelocal radio station. The entertain-ment lineup is usually announced atthe beginning of January.

Radio stations also conductremote shows from the various GoTexan events throughout the greaterHouston area.

Banners, posters, brochures andcounter cards remind everyone theShow is right around the corner.Those who plan to participate inthe trail rides normally begin tak-ing practice rides months beforethe Show.

Even truck sales skyrocket during rodeo season. One promi-nent Houston automotive dealer-ship reported record sales lastFebruary. “We sold 210 newtrucks. We can never get enough

vehicles ordered for the season.’’Steve Watson, past officer in

charge of the Trail Ride Committeeand an owner in one of the SaltGrass Trail Ride wagons, will attendsome 10 meetings in preparation forthe big event. He says that over aperiod of years wagon teams mayspend about $50,000 in preparationfor the event buying suburbans,trailers, commercial kitchens, hiringchefs and entertainment and buyingfood and refreshments for all thetrail riders.

Robert V. McAnelly, Show vicepresident and officer in charge ofseveral Show committees, has beenattending committee meetings sinceJune of last year. As the Show nears,that number climbs to two or threeeach week, then three to four, aswell as Go Texan events on week-ends. “During rodeo, I juggle workand play,’’ said McAnelly, an attor-ney. “I put in about four or fivehours of work per day, and I file avacation letter so I don’t have to goto court.’’

February Fever reaches a peak asthe trail riders come into Houstonand hundreds of thousands of spec-tators line the streets of downtownHouston to see the Show parade.Filled with colorful floats, wagons,drill units on horseback, schoolbands, Show officials and muchmore, the parade officially kicks offthe Show. Along with the spectatorsdowntown, half a million more peo-ple tune in to live television broad-casts of the parade.

Just as the Show represents thevery fabric of Texas culture,February Fever is the thread thatbinds everyone together. No oneneeds to be a native Texan or alivestock producer to catch it.February Fever is a unique spiritand excitement that explains how anyone can be a cowboy or cowgirl.

5

February Fever is

such a tremendous

phenomenon that

even a book, appro-

priately titled

“February Fever,”

was written, detailing

its effect on the entire

community. Written

by Lynne Chesnar, the

book documents a

60-year history of the

Houston Livestock

Show and Rodeo,

beginning in 1932.

Copies of this

publication are

available for sale at

the Show offices.

FEBRUARY

F E A T U R E

hen it startsgetting coldand rainy,

it’s trail ride time,” said RobertMcAnelly, officer in charge of theTrail Ride Committee. The long-time tradition of braving the weath-er and saddling up to journey fromseveral points in Texas and outsidethe state to ride into Houston’sMemorial Park and the downtownparade continues to be a popularattraction for the Show.

Attracting more than 6,000 ridersfrom 14 organizations, the trail rideshave included participants whorecreate the pioneer days of the OldWest by traveling via horses andmule-drawn wagons from as long asthree weeks to a few days to reachthe city.

In 1952, the mayor of Brenham,Texas, Reese Lockett, joined with his“partners” Barker rancher E.H.Marks, KPRC news man Pat Flahertyand LH7 Ranch foreman JohnWarnasch to form the Salt GrassTrail as a publicity stunt. Namedafter salt grass, which grows in the

Gulf Coast throughout the winter,this organization became a sanc-tioned trail ride in 1955.

Other trail rides have sprung upover the years and are required to benon-profit organizations. The SaltGrass Trail Ride is the oldest andlargest. The longest ride is masteredby Los Vaqueros/Rio Grande, whichrides for three weeks and covers 386miles. The group originates inHidalgo, Texas.

There are beautiful horses of all

breeds saddled for the rides eachyear. The personality of each riderdetermines how elaborate or sim-ple the horses are outfitted. Thehorses sport quality leather gear,polished silver and horse saddleswhich could set a rider back a fewthousand dollars. For some rid-ers, the sheer pleasure of partici-pating is enough. Cowboy hatsand trusty old boots with the leg-endary denim jeans are the simpleattire of the trail rider.

Despite the rain and cold weath-er, which typifies the journey, “it’sstill the greatest sport,” said

Charlie Roberts, chairman of theTrail Ride Committee. Fellowshipand good, clean fun combine tomake this feature of the Show aunique and popular attraction.

There are hundreds of trooperswho have been riding for morethan a quarter of a century. JohnWarnasch, the only living originalmember of the Salt Grass Trailride, still rides on Wagon No. 1. Inaddition, many seniors and chil-dren journey each year and wouldnot miss out on the fun.Numerous riders take their vaca-tions each year to participate inthe ride. It is not unusual to findsecond- and third-generation rid-ers continuing the tradition of thewild, wild West once a year for anaverage one-week trek acrossTexas roads and byways.

In recent years, the brave cow-boys and cowgirls have addedmodern comforts. Now, manycamps make use of motor homes,and chuck wagons are staffed withhired caterers. The food offeredby the groups is scrumptious andeven reminiscent of the com-plaints staged by old wagon trailepisodes. Each member wagon isresponsible for providing foodand necessities as deemed appro-priate. Tents, sleeping bags, vansand even cellular phones can befound in the nightly campsites—which consist of fields, parks,parking lots and sometimes justthe side of the road.

Contests are also a part of thetrail ride festivities. The TrailRide Committee members serve asjudges of Western dress, equip-ment, authenticity and attentionto rules, which riders are requiredto follow. One goal of the riders isto score points and receive tro-phies, which are awarded at thefinale held in Memorial Park onthe last Friday of the ride. This

A L L T R A I L S L E A D T O T H E S H O W

“WStory bySundraSpears

6

F E A T U R E

Here comes one of the trail rides from Cat Spring, Texas.

Sam

Pie

rson

year’s event is held Feb. 10, andwill be seen on local television.

With safety in mind, organiza-tions must register their rides withthe Show by the designated dead-line. They must complete applica-tions to enroll the association and supply proof of liability insurance in order to be bona fideparticipants.

Trail Ride committee members,the governing body for the actualtrail rides, prohibit the wearing ofbaseball caps, tennis shoes and t-shirts. Displaying alcoholic bever-ages and improper conduct alsoare prohibited. Generally,Shetland ponies are not allowed toride, unless a rider of appropriateage and size is mounted. Mulesunder 48 inches also are not per-mitted to ride, nor is double-ridingallowed.

The Trail Ride Committee con-sists of 75 members, six vice chair-men and six captains. Daily visitsto various camps are conducted bymembers who give friendly assis-tance and judge the groups. Thehistory and camaraderie amongthe groups are as legendary as thehistory they portray.

Come February, it will be time fortrail riders to don their dusters andgrab their rain slickers for the timeof their lives where man, animalsand nature’s elements blend in nat-ural order, to produce fun andpeaceful interchange away fromthe hustle and bustle of city life.

Each rider is a winner for daringto participate and challenge theelements. This sport, where old-fashioned imagination sets thestage and determines the rules, isrefreshing. The trail riders deservea tip of the hat as they all jointogether in the downtown parade,letting the city of Houston knowthat February Fever hasarrived.

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F E A T U R EF E A T U R E

Los Vaqueros/Rio Grande Trail RideTrail Boss: Larry Ramirez

(713)458-5107386-mile ride from Hidalgo, Texas

Mission Trail RideTrail Boss: Joe Samaniego Jr.

(713)568-2595205-mile ride from San Antonio, Texas

Montgomery Trail RideTrail Boss: James Woodyard

(713)354-225385-mile ride from Conroe, Texas

Northeast Trail RideTrail Boss: Joseph Bruno

(713)631-445491-mile ride from Beaumont, Texas

Old Spanish Trail RideTrail Boss: Morris W. Brown

(713)458-0718216-mile ride from Logansport, La.

Prairie View Trail RideTrail Boss: James Francies Jr.

(409)857-509365-mile ride from Prairie View, Texas

Salt Grass Trail RideTrail Boss: Don Hildebrandt

(713)864-150082-mile ride from Cat Spring, Texas

Sam Houston Trail RideTrail Boss: Allen Maniha

(713)694-244670-mile ride from Montgomery, Texas

Southern Trail RideTrail Boss: Dick Allen

(713)441-8646116-mile ride from Bay City, Texas

Southwestern Trail RideTrail Boss: Fred Gray

(713)733-1760112-mile ride from Sargent, Texas

Spanish Trail RideTrail Boss: Joe Cantrell

(713)920-3912118-mile ride from Cold Spring, Texas

Texas Cattlemen’s Trail RideTrail Boss: George Theobold

(713)328-212587-mile ride from Anderson, Texas

Texas Independence Trail RideTrail Boss: Sonny Black

(713)470-1110108-mile ride from Brazoria, Texas

Valley Lodge Trail RideTrail Boss: Ken Caldwell

(713)375-584482-mile ride from Brookshire, Texas

1 9 9 5 T R A I L R I D E S

L I F E O F A R O D E O C O W B O Y

Story byNancy Burch

✩

8

F E A T U R E

oby Keith’s song,“Should’ve Been aCowboy,” evokes

nostalgic images of Roy Rogersand Gene Autry singing thosecampfire songs. Listening to himbrings back memories of westernheroes with silver saddles andfaithful sidekicks. But GarthBrooks paints perhaps a morerealistic image of a rodeo cow-boy’s life with his plaintivelament “Much Too Young (to FeelThis Damn Old)” when he com-plains, “The white line’s gettinglonger.” Nevertheless, while theperpetual quest for the best ridemay take its toll on a cowboy’sbody, the thrill of competitionand the chance to take home theprize money make it an irre-sistible attraction for many.

The lure of the rodeo continuesto attract young men and womento participate in grueling eventsthat exert enormous physicaldemands on their bodies, inreturn for a few brief moments inthe spotlight. A rodeo cowboy isa highly-trained athlete, just likehis counterparts on the footballfield or the basketball court.Many of the elite competitors youcheer on each year at the HoustonLivestock Show and Rodeo, all ofwhom are members of theProfessional Rodeo CowboysAssociation (PRCA), earn theirlivelihood in the arena.

Those few seconds the audi-ence sees him in the arena are buta very small part of a rodeo cow-boy’s life. The journey that ulti-mately puts him behind the chuteis a long, hard one, crisscrossedwith miles and miles of road trav-el and marked by more than a fewunplanned hard landings in thedust. Unlike other professionalathletes who fly from city to city,the cowboy travels for the most

part on the highway, sometimesaccompanied by his family.

For 29-year-old Joe Beaver, therodeo life is the only one he’sknown as an adult. Over the pastnine years, he has enjoyed greatsuccess, claiming five worldtitles in calf roping and consis-tently finishing near the top of

the All-Around Cowboy stand-ings. Beaver, a native of Victoria,Texas, and now a resident ofnearby Huntsville, started offwith a bang, winning Rookie ofthe Year honors in calf roping in1985, his first year as a member ofthe PRCA.

The Beaver family doesn’t have

T

Joe Beaver provides explosive action.

Dav

id J

enni

ngs

9

a lot of time to enjoy theirHuntsville home these days. Joeand his wife Jenna travel withtheir 4-year-old son Brody in amotor home. Behind it, they pulla trailer with four horses, Joe’stwo for calf and team roping,Jenna’s barrel racing horse andBrody’s pony. “We’re gone about220 days out of each year,” hesaid. “During that time I com-pete in 100 rodeos, beginning inOdessa (Texas) or Denver inJanuary and finishing in SanFrancisco in late November.”With luck, he finishes each yearat the National Finals Rodeo inLas Vegas in early December.

Beaver also spends timebetween rodeos working withyoung cowboys, teaching themroping skills. He conducts calfroping clinics at instructionalschools in Missouri andWyoming, as well as two eachyear in Huntsville. In 1995 hehas been invited to hold one inBrazil. “I feel like I can help tokeep some of these young kids offthe streets and out of trouble,”Beaver explained. “I try to makethem believe in themselves,whether they decide to stay withroping or go back to school andplay football.”

For 1994 Beaver came up just ascant fourteen dollars short ofwinning his sixth world title.Going into Las Vegas, he trailedfellow calf roper Herbert Theriotby a substantial margin, needingto win $67,000 to take over firstplace in the standings. An out-standing week of competitionbrought Beaver within an eyelashof a miracle finish. “I almostcaught him,” he said, “but it justwasn’t meant to be this year. Onmy next-to-last run I broke thebarrier. That’s something I veryseldom do.” The resulting 10-

second penalty made the differ-ence and he finished second. Inthe all-around cowboy division,he also finished second to fellowTexan Ty Murray.

Beaver anticipates that he willcontinue to compete for nine or10 more years. “As long as it’s funand I can contribute to the event,I’ll keep riding,” he said. “I’llknow when it’s time to quit” Forthe most part, he has remainedhealthy. He nonchalantly men-tions “having his knees workedon a couple of times,” clarifyingthat to mean surgery. He praisesthe recent development of sportsmedicine facilities at rodeos, amuch-needed addition to thesport. “The on-site presence ofsports medicine specialists whocan diagnose and treat injurieshas made a big difference,” hesaid. “Sometimes the doctor’sinsistence that you stay out for awhile can keep you from doingmore damage to yourself.”

Another recent developmentBeaver sees as making life a littleeasier for the rodeo cowboys is therise in endorsements. “The moneyearned this way really helps withthe travel expenses and othercosts,” he commented. “Landingan endorsement or two cuts downon the struggle a little bit.”

With the exception of a veryfew competitors, such as severaltimes all-around championMurray, the rodeo circuit is not apath to great riches like the NBAor the NFL. Cowboys vie againstone another day after day in townafter town for a few minutes ofglory and enough money to con-

tinue doing what they love. “Welook after each other, Beaver said.“We see each other almost everyday and we’re like a big family.”

Joe Beaver will be back inHouston this year, trying to get ahead start on reclaiming hisworld title. Family and friendsfrom Huntsville to Victoria willbe there, too, cheering him on ashe practices his special magicwith a rope. It’s a good bet you’llsee his name up thereamong the leaders.

F E A T U R E

magine if the DallasCowboys won the SuperBowl by five touchdowns,

but they were not declared the NFLChampions because their opponentdid not play hard enough to presenta good challenge.

For rodeo’s timed events—steerwrestling, team roping, calf ropingand barrel racing—contestants raceagainst the clock, and scores are rel-atively easy to determine: the fastesttime wins.

For roughstock events in therodeo arena—bareback, saddlebronc and bull riding—the scoringsystem is a bit trickier. It becomesa sport where the luck of the drawand the judges decision can meanthe world—the world championtitle, that is. Rodeo is the onlysport in the world in which a con-testant’s score is halfway deter-mined by his opponent.

The basic premise of scoring inall three roughstock events is that acowboy must stay on the animalfor eight seconds. While riding,the officials score the cowboysfrom the arena floor, often sprint-ing across the dirt to maintain thebest possible view of the contestantand the animal.

The Houston Rodeo employs thesame type of judging system as theNational Finals Rodeo, using fourjudges to compile a composite score.

A PERFECT SCORE

Each judge can award the cowboya possible 50 points on a ride. Thetotals of the four officials is thenadded together and divided in halfto get the contestant’s total points(which is a maximum of 50). Thesame is done for the bucking stock.

A perfect score is 100, but perfectscores are virtually unimaginable.

In fact, in the entire history of thesport, only one ride in roughstockevents has been awarded a perfectscore: bull rider Wade Leslie in1991. The highest bareback ridingscore ever recorded is 93, earned byJoe Alexander in 1974; and the high-est saddle bronc riding score is 95,by Doug Vold in 1979. Winningscores in bareback riding are usuallyin the high 70s, while saddle broncriders often record numbers in thehigh 70s and low 80s. Winning bullrides usually tally in a score in thelow- to mid-80s.

“Although winning rides aregetting higher scores than theydid 10 years ago, it is not verylikely that there will ever beanother perfect ride. If it doeshappen, it will probably be inthe bull riding event,” saidJack Hannum, PRCA supervi-sor of Wrangler judges andofficials. “Many judges feelthat if the bull is at hisabsolute best and worth all hispoints, then no man is going tobe able to ride him.”

BAREBACK RIDING

Although the scoring system is thesame for all three roughstock events,the judges are looking for a differentriding style in each event. The bare-back rider must secure his hand inthe rigging and lean back, almostlaying flat on the back of the horse.His objective is to maintain a consis-tent, rhythmic spurring action withthe horse. When the front feet of thehorse hit the ground, the cowboy’sfeet are fully extended to the horse’sneck. As the horse starts to buck orjump, the cowboy rakes his spurs—which have dulled rowels—alongthe top of the horse’s shoulders up to

the horse’s rigging, or as high as hecan. Depending on the bronc’sbucking action, a cowboy can repeatthis process anywhere from nine to12 times in an eight-second ride.

“You want a horse that jumpshigh, kicks high and lets therider spur him over the neck. Ifhe’ll buck straight, the cowboycan spur him better,” said stockcontractor Mike Cervi, whosupplies much of the buckinganimals for the rodeo. “Somehorses will buck and dive andtwist well, but they’re not nec-essarily a good ride, becausethe cowboy can’t get goodspurring action.”

SADDLE BRONC RIDING

This event also requires consistentspurring action. However, becausethe cowboy is sitting in a saddle andholding onto a halter rope, itrequires a different style of spurring.Like the bareback competition, thejudges are looking for good form andrhythmic leg movements in time tothe horse’s jumps. However, thespur stroke begins on the horse’sshoulders as the front feet of the ani-mal hit the ground. Then, as thehorse bucks, the cowboy sweeps hisfeet along the horse’s side and up tothe cantle—or back—of the saddle.As the horse begins his next jump,the cowboy’s feet snap forward andthe spur stroke is repeated.

“Bronc riding is a spurringcontest, and the judges arelooking for aggressiveness insetting the feet high, for syn-chronous timing and forgood contact with the horsethrough the length of thespur stroke,” Hannum said.

H O W R O D E O E V E N T S A R E S C O R E D

IStory byBeth Johnson

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F E A T U R E

F E A T U R E

“The horse is supposed toexhibit all those qualitiesthat make him rank—speed,power and the drop that cre-ates a centrifugal force whichpulls the rider down over thetop of the saddle. The horsealso should have a change indirection that is more than aslight circle.”

COWBOY NO-NOs

In all roughstock competition, tomake a legal ride and get a score, thecowboy cannot touch the animal orhimself with his free hand and muststay on the animal for the entireeight seconds. However, in bare-back and saddle bronc rigging, theofficials also are observing to makesure the “mark-out” rule has notbeen violated. If a bronc rider failsto keep his heels ahead of the horse’sshoulders on the first jump out ofthe chute, he is disqualified.

BULL RIDING

Bull riders also are scored on the100-point system. Unlike the othertwo roughstock events, the cowboyis not required to spur or mark outthe bull. However, a little spurringaction usually increases a cowboy’schance for a high score. The objec-tive in bull riding is not only to stayon the bull and stay alive, but therider must stay sitting straight, withhis free hand high in the air. Thehead must be tucked and he mustmaintain his position in the middleof the bull’s back.

“One word that describes bullriding more than anything elseis control. It is all about howrank of an animal the cowboyhas and how in control he is,”Hannum said. “Spurring andexposing on the part of therider as well as taking risks ongetting bucked off will earn the

rider some extra points.However, control is the prima-ry role in this event.”

For half of the score, the bull isexpected to heave its 2,000 poundsinto the air for some eye-poppingaerial acrobatics.

A CLOSER LOOK

For the armchair rodeo fan, yourfavorite events might look like wild,out-of-control rides on top of four-legged demons, and it is often con-fusing when spectacular rides don’ttranslate into top scores. Are thejudges blind? Although a few cow-boys may agree, judges’ vision isusually 20/20. They are just lookingfor more than excitement when itcomes to scoring these competitions.

The next time you go to the rodeo,enjoy the high-flyin’ excitement, butdon’t forget to look for theform and finesse.

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F E A T U R E

Eight seconds can be an eternity in the life of a rodeo cowboy.

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n the previous issue, weintroduced you to fiverecipients of Houston

Livestock Show and Rodeo schol-arships. Those Houston Rodeoscholars won their awards in theearly 1970s, when the Show andthe scholarship program eachwere experiencing growth spurts.Response to “Where Are TheyNow?” has been great - so greatthat you’ve asked for more sto-ries of Show scholarship recipi-ents. Here’s a look at more win-ners from two decades ago.

Ray DuBois never forgets his roots.From the humblest of beginnings,he has forged a career in colon can-cer research that may have foundan enzyme that is the key to pre-venting the nation’s second leadingcancer killer. For him, the key tohis future was the award of aHouston Livestock Show andRodeo scholarship in 1973.

Though born in Sinton, Texas,his family soon moved to Runge,Texas, a small town of 1,000 on theplains of South Texas. It had onepublic school that included all 12grades. His graduating classincluded 16 students.

Here, DuBois enjoyed the “oneadvantage of attending a small

school –I could participate in awide range of extracurricularactivities.” He showed steers andwas active in FFA.

When he received his Houstonscholarship, it enabled him to attendTexas A&M University, where hewas accepted into the undergradu-ate honors program in biochemistry.He completed two independentresearch projects and took the firststeps in a career that is almost mete-oric in its rise.

He graduated from Texas A&M in1977; received his PhD in biochem-istry from The University of TexasHealth Science Center in Dallas. Heobtained his M. D. degree from theUniversity of Texas Medical Schoolin San Antonio in 1985 and com-pleted his internship and residencyin Internal Medicine at JohnsHopkins. “I enjoyed the trainingprogram immensely and learned anincredible amount of medicine in avery short time.”

At Johns Hopkins, he joined theresearch laboratory of Nobel Prizewinner Dr. Daniel Nathans and didpostdoctoral research in molecularbiology and genetics.

In 1991, less than two decadesafter receiving his Houston schol-arship, DuBois joined the facultyat Vanderbilt University MedicalCenter in Nashville, Tenn., wherehe is now an Associate Professorof Medicine and Cell Biology,making great strides in cancerresearch, work that will one daybenefit all mankind.

He is ever aware of how his startcame about and the gratitude hefeels for the “Show with a heart.”

“I would like to help the HoustonLivestock Show and Rodeo scholar-ship program in any way that I can,”says the researcher who has neverforgotten his roots and, more impor-tantly, those responsible for thebeginning of his future.

Winning awards at Houston wasn’tnew for Chuck Real. After all, heand his family had exhibited prize-winning swine for years and he wasno stranger to blue ribbons and tro-phies with the bow-legged H. Yet,when he received his Houstonscholarship in 1970, he recalls“being really surprised,” since onlyseven of the prestigious awardswere given to 4-H recipients.

The impact of the award on hislife was immediate. “It meant a lotto me,” he recalls. “I was able topursue my college courses on afull-time basis. This permitted meto engage in many academic activ-ities,” things he would not havebeen able to do with Houston help.

He graduated cum laude fromTexas A&M University, with adegree in animal science. Follow-ing a two-year stint as a countyextension agent for CalhounCounty, he returned to Texas A &M to complete a masters degree,also cum laude.

Chuck Real has used his educa-tion and leadership skills to pro-mote agriculture with particularemphasis on the swine industry.Nationally known as a swinebreeder, he is the past president ofthe Texas Pork Producers Asso-ciation and a past director of the

W H E R E A R E T H E Y N O W ?

IStory byEditorialBoard

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S C H O L A R S H I P W I N N E R S ’ P R O F I L E

Raymond N.DuBois, M.D., Ph.D

Charles E. Real

Bexar County Farm Bureau andhas served on the Farm Bureau’sState Swine Commission.

Today, he and his wife and threechildren farm 600 acres in Marion,Texas, where he also raises pure-bred swine. When you ask himwhat he wants for the future, hewill tell you that he hopes his old-est son, now a senior in highschool, will follow in my foot-steps. That means an education atTexas A&M University, a love foragriculture and the pursuit of aHouston scholarship for anotherreal winner.

Some might consider Mike Trotter an“old timer.” He was awarded a$2,000 Houston Livestock Show andRodeo scholarship in 1968. Like theother two FFA recipients that year, hefelt “fantastic” when he knew he hadwon. But, there was more to come.

After one semester, the scholar-ship was retroactively increased to$4,000. It opened up the promise ofa bright future to him. Because ofhis Houston award, he was able togo to Texas A&M and focus on hisstudies rather than having to workhis way through school.

He graduated in 1972 with a bach-elor’s degree in animal science andpursued graduate and doctoral stud-ies, earning his PhD in agriculturefrom Kansas State University in 1978.

Currently, he works for PurinaMills as a swine nutrition consul-tant, providing technical support fortraining Purina Mills employeesand making nutritional recommen-dations for producer’s programs inIllinois, Missouri and Iowa.

He’s come a long way from hishometown of Olton, Texas, with theinitial help of his Houston scholar-ship. And, he is not the only memberof his family to be a Houston scholar.His brother Jerry, profiled in the lastissue, received a Show scholarship in1970. The Trotter brothers are count-ed among the first where more thanone family member would win cov-eted Houston awards.

His Houston scholarship “madethings so much easier,” he notes andsays “I will be eternally grateful tothe Houston Livestock Show andRodeo for providing me with thenecessary resources to pursue myundergraduate program.”

His boyish grin hasn’t changed fromthe picture where he displays hischampionship scramble heifer at the1967 Houston Livestock Show andRodeo. When he received his $4,000scholarship from Buddy Bray in1969, “I felt like I was one of the 10best students in the United States!”

Valedictorian of his high schoolclass in George West, Texas, Pugh

would graduated summa cum laudefrom Texas A&I University (nowTexas A&M University - Kingsville)with a degree in agriculture. Heintended to return to the family ranchin George West and eventually teachvocational agriculture. Today, heowns his own oilfield service andsales company in Kingsville, wherehe and his wife and six-year-olddaughter reside.

And, in his mother’s home in George West, you can still see hispictures from the 1967Houston Show.

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Richard M. Trotter

Bill Pugh

S C H O L A R S H I P W I N N E R S ’ P R O F I L E

Throughout the state of Texas, juniorexhibitors are preparing their animals for com-petition at the 1995 Houston Livestock Show.At the same time, hundreds of seniors in Texaspublic high schools are preparing applicationsfor one of the biggest prizes the organizationoffers—a Houston Livestock Show and Rodeoscholarship.

While each Show scholarship has slightlydifferent requirements, all applicants mustmeet standards of academic achievement, lead-ership, citizenship, community involvementand financial need. All recipients must attenda Texas college or university in pursuit of afour-year degree.

FFA and 4-H scholarship applications areavailable only from each respective organiza-tion. Applicants must be members in goodstanding of either FFA or 4-H. They must meetall other requirements and major in agricultureor life sciences.

Metropolitan scholarships are awarded to agraduating senior from each public highschool in Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston,Harris, Liberty, Montgomery and Waller coun-ties. Academic and other requirements apply,but there is no restriction on a major or field ofstudy. Applications are available throughhigh school counselors, and the deadline isMarch 15.

Go Tejano scholarships are presented to stu-dents of Hispanic descent, graduating frompublic high schools in Brazoria, Chambers, FortBend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomeryand Waller counties. Academic and otherrequirements also apply; however, there is norestriction on a major or field of study. Someapplicants will be called for a personal inter-view as part of the selection process.Applications are available from high schoolcounselors or from the rodeo scholarship officeat 794-9544. The deadline is March 10.

A N I M A L C A R E

Story byMark Jones

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F E A T U R E

ith a totalanimal popu-lation rival-

ing that of a small city, and witha commitment to excellence inthe livestock industry, HoustonLivestock Show and Rodeo offi-cials take proper animal care andhandling very seriously.

The Show strictly follows theguidelines of the Texas AnimalHealth Commission pertaining toanimal health. Additionally, theShow operates in compliancewith all animal-health regula-tions and animal cruelty laws asestablished by the state.

Every animal brought into theShow must have a valid certifi-cate of veterinary inspectionshowing that the animal is ingood health and is properly vac-cinated. “Even if an animalcomes in with (health) papers, itcan be disqualified if it is not intop shape,’’ said assistant live-stock superintendent Don M.McLeod. “The breeders associa-tion is supposed to make thatdecision; if it doesn’t, the Showcan.’’ Health papers must besigned by a licensed veterinarian.

The requirements for a healthcertificate are quite extensive andvary depending on the type ofanimal, and its age and sex, saidShow veterinarian Dr. TonyBarcelona. If any of the paper-work is incomplete, the animal isquarantined until it is examinedby a Show veterinarian.

The Show has three veterinari-ans—all members of the TexasVeterinary Medical Association—on call at all times to deal withany health problems that mightarise in the livestock portion of the Show, the horse show orthe rodeo.

A horse show veterinarian is oncall during all class A AmericanHorse Show Association-sanc-tioned horse events. A farrier—the Show’s blacksmith—also isemployed for the hoof-care needsof the horses.

During the Show, each stallspace for large animals is provid-ed with four to six inches of cleansand. Manure is cleaned up regu-larly, and new sand is brought into keep the space clean. Cleancedar shavings are provided asbedding for small animals such aspoultry and rabbits.

As an incentive to exhibitors,Good Herdsmen awards are pre-sented in the beef cattle, dairycattle, sheep, swine and angoraand dairy goats departments tothose in charge of livestockexhibits who do the best job. Tenareas are considered by the GoodHerdsmen Committee. Amongthose pertaining directly to ani-mal care are: orderliness andcleanliness of quarters, stalls andanimals; promptness in havingstalls or pens clean by 7 a.m. eachday; neat arrangement of traps,feed and forage; and having a rep-resentative or caretaker on dutyat the exhibit at all times between7 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily.

“It’s the (animal) owner’sresponsibility to keep stallsclean, but if they don’t do it, we’lltake it over and (the owner) has topay for it,’’ McLeod explained.

Cash awards, trophies andplaques are presented in both theopen and junior shows, with thelargest cash awards given in thejunior division. “The Showdonates some money so we cangive (junior exhibitors) a littlemore of an incentive to keep theirareas clean,’’ said Good

Herdsmen Committee captainShirley Houdek. “It’s a good wayfor 4-H Club and FFA chapters tomake a little money.’’

The Show also maintains a feedstore for the convenience ofexhibitors. “Most people havetoo many animals to bring theirown feed,’’ said Scooter Pizzitola,feed store manager. The store,operated by the Show, providescompetitively priced feeds for alllivestock, as well as for the pet-ting zoo animals.

“We went through about 7,000bales of hay—about 10 tractor-trailer loads—and about 160 tonsof bagged feeds,’’ Pizzitolaremarked of the 1994 Show.

The Breeders GreetersCommittee, which is responsiblefor greeting all Show exhibitors,assists exhibitors in obtainingstall assignments, in getting ani-mals and equipment safely to theassigned area, and in obtaininganimal-health clearances.

The Livestock Committee helpswith pedestrian and animal traf-fic control, keeping both peopleand animals safe as livestock istaken to the judging arenas andback to the stalls.

“A heavy, gritted-type roofingpaper is used to provide a non-slip surface for hoofed animalsbeing taken between stalls andthe judging arena,” explainedRoland Fulton, LivestockCommittee Chairman. “Thepaper also serves to guide theexhibitors to the arena so thatlivestock is not led unnecessarilythrough pedestrian traffic areas.”

In 1989 the Show began itsresidue-avoidance program,which essentially involves edu-cating exhibitors on properadministration of medications to

W

animals. The program primarilyaffects exhibitors of junior marketanimals, because their animalsare raised as food sources.

The program is designed toassure that animal purchasesfrom the market auctions are safeand includes collecting urinesamples from selected animals ofthree market species: steers, bar-rows and lambs. Testing is super-vised by Barcelona, and any ani-mal that tests positive is disqual-ified from the Show.

The Houston Rodeo is aProfessional Rodeo CowboysAssociation event, and, as such,it complies with all rules and reg-ulations implemented by theassociation to prevent cruel andpainful devices or practices. Any

contestant in violation of therules can be fined and dis-qualified from competition.Additionally, animal crueltyinvestigators are given free accessto the chute area and grounds ofthe rodeo, with the rodeo veteri-narian providing any requestedassistance.

With respect to the rodeo por-tion of the Show, veterinarian Dr.Frank Martin is in the rodeoarena for the complete time ofany performance, and completemedical facilities are on site.Even X-rays and infrared scanscan be immediately performed.The rodeo veterinarian alsoinspects the animals before andafter each performance and willadminister aid if any animal

becomes sick or is injured.Rodeo stock is used about two

times weekly during the rodeoseason, with the animals at homesix months of the year. The stockis never used twice in one day,and most stock is used only threetimes during the entire Show.

The required number of animals, along with additional stockin case of re-rides or injuries, isbrought in prior to the performanceand leaves after the performance.

As a practical matter, propercare of animals is of top concernto the rodeo stock contractor, MikeCervi, who has been providingrodeo stock for the Show for 22years. His livelihood is at stake,and so is 50 percent of therodeo contestants’ scores.

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F E A T U R EF E A T U R E

Dr. Frank Martin examines one of the rodeo bulls.

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C O M M I T T E E P R O F I L E S

lmost 100,000 visitorsattend the Show each day,enjoying the many commer-

cial and animal exhibits, and eat-ing everything from cotton candyto turkey legs, and searching foranimals, more food and eachother. Calmly standing amongthe crowd, wearing turquoisevests and friendly faces are theofficial “hosts” of the Show:members of the Directions andAssistance Committee.

Originally commissioned in1993, members were responsible

for the preparations of signs andbanners displayed throughoutShow grounds in addition tohelping patrons find their areasof interest. Currently, membersserve as a primary point of con-tact to the general public. Theyassist in locating activitiesthroughout the Astrodomain

complex and promptly aid withthe dispensation of lost childrenand articles. Last year, theyrecorded helping 100 lost chil-dren on one day alone.

The positive responses to thecommittee’s efforts have madequick growth a necessity. Thisyear, the committee has beenasked to work during the World’sChampionship Bar-B-Que Contestand the Go Texan contests.Additionally, personnel will bemanning information boothsthroughout Show grounds.

Special tours also have beenrequested, and the committeemembers proudly deliver themon a volunteer basis. Respon-sibilities of this group continue togrow and change as needs arise.For example, the original graph-ics and signage division of thecommittee responsibilities grew

such that it is now a separatecommittee.

Preparation and training gener-ate the committee’s success andgrowth. Each member is thor-oughly versed on the Show’s lay-out and trained to work profes-sionally answering visitors’ ques-tions and soothing the nerves oflost children. Training for rookiesand veterans alike every year pre-pares members to direct visitorsto and from every area in thefacilities, complete lost childrenand article reports as well ascommunicate using two-wayradios. The members are placedin populated areas of the Showand work closely with other com-mittees to ensure guests’ safety aswell as to assist in various com-munications. Vibrant andinformed, committee volunteerswork to anticipate the public’sneeds before they realize them.

“I have never seen a moredevoted group of people,” saidcommittee chairman, DaveSmith. “Members work between40-45 hours during the Show, andlast year, the committee collec-tively worked more than 8,600hours. We have such a well-rounded group with incrediblepersonalities.”

This year, the Directions andAssistance Committee’s officer incharge, Wayne Hollis, boasts 40new members and 170 returningveterans—all eager to provideevery visitor a feeling of friend-ship and cooperation, so thatthey may fully enjoy the experi-ence of attending the largest livestock show and rodeoon earth.

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

Story by WhitneyHorton

Directions and Assistance Committee

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Committee members prepare for the massive crowds.

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Story byFreemanGregory

odeo is a celebration—a grand-scale spectacle of cowboyskills fused with the pageantry

and romance of our Western her-itage. And every single one of theseopens with a parade.

The Show’s grand entry proces-sional is one of the country’sbiggest and best. It is so large andof such high-quality that it requiresextensive choreography, leadingrodeo announcer Bob Tallman toobserve at the 1994 event. “It’salmost an entire rodeo from what Iam used to.”

Last year, each grand entry aver-aged 395 people, 10 horse-drawnvehicles and 150 horses. From thecombined 18 performances at the1994 Show, more than 7,000 peoplewound their way around theAstrodome’s arena to the strains ofpatriotic music, waving wildly at therodeo audience and having a greattime. The result is a spectacularkick off to each rodeo performance.“Seeing all the people and thesmiles on their faces is truly gratify-ing,” said committee chairmanSteve Watson.

Something so complex needs afirm hand, and that’s the job of theShow’s Grand Entry Committee. Ittakes all 105 members of this groupto stage a grand entry—performingtasks like distributing identificationcredentials for all participants andmaking sure that everyone enters theprocessional at the correct time andin proper sequence.

The Grand Entry Committee wasformed 10 years ago because theopening march had grown large andunwieldy. Those who wanted toride in the grand entry simply board-ed a wagon or rode up on their ownmounts. From the first person into

the arena to the last person out, theprocession had grown to more than15 minutes in length. The Show rec-ognized a need to place control onthe grand entry while maintainingits festive spirit.

The committee quickly accom-plished those responsibilities.Today, the grand entry lasts about 10minutes, and places in the proces-

sional are designated for individualsaffiliated with charitable organiza-tions, Show officials, scholarshiprecipients and other dignitaries andShow guests. However, if you arethinking that all the spaces aretaken, think again. A significantportion of the places in the paradeare reserved for children who have

come to the performance that day.The horses in the grand entry are

ridden by and belong to ShowExecutive Committee members, offi-cers, lifetime vice presidents anddirectors. More than half of the wag-ons are filled with scholarship recip-ients and representatives from theircounties. Members of the GrandEntry Committee are responsible for

hosting these dignitaries—greetingthem upon arrival and introducingthem to the wranglers who takethem to their “spot” in the proces-sional. Once in the arena, grandentry participants are assisted by sixexperienced “riding cowboys,” whowatch for unruly horses orwayward wagons.

Lifetime Vice Presidents CommitteeGrand Entry Committee

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Another rodeo performance begins with a colorful grand entry.

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“This committee enjoys the opportunity to be the host to the manydignitaries, county representatives and other guests throughoutthe state, on their special day at the Houston Rodeo,” said JohnMontalbano, officer in charge of the committee.

C O M M I T T E E P R O F I L E S

hen you walk the grounds ofthe livestock show this year,take a good look at the thou-

sands of kids and cattle that fill theAstrohall. Did you ever wonderhow each steer, each exhibitor andall the equipment gets into theright place at the right time? Askany member of the LivestockCommittee and they can tell youexactly how—through lots of workand organization.

The Livestock Committee hasundergone radical changes in thelast decade. What is now called theLivestock Committee formerly wascomprised of several “splintergroups:” Branding, Ladies’Wristband, Motor Home Permit,Breeding Sheep and Goat Banquet,Sales Assistance and the GoodHerdsman committees. TheLivestock Committee, in the mid‘80s, absorbed all of these functionsto become one of the largest com-mittees (more than 350 members) ofthe Houston Livestock Show andRodeo today.

So how exactly do they get all theanimals and exhibitors in the rightplaces? Well, for the first week ofthe event, they work with the com-mercial exhibitors in the SalesPavilion to keep them organized andfocused on their animals. TheHouston Livestock Show attractsand impresses breeders and ranch-ers from across the globe, and, moreimportantly, keeps them comingback year after year.

Every Livestock Committee mem-ber agrees this group requires a greatdeal of work. In fact, it is estimatedthat Livestock Committee memberswork an average of 60 hours duringthe Show—and certainly there arethose who put in a lot more! AllenAcree, former chairman, said the

committee is “a true working com-mittee.” Each volunteer submits aschedule of six days he or she willbe available. From that schedule,each member is assigned to workfour nights. During the shifts, vol-unteers assist in many aspects of theShow, including controlling live-stock traffic, assisting the studentswith their “housekeeping” and help-ing the show judges to and from air-ports, hotels, and of course, theShow grounds. “Each and everyfunction of the committee is vital tothe success of the Show,” said

Roland Fulton, committee chair-man. “But safety of the students, thepedestrians and the animals is mostimportant. Our volunteers keep itsafe, and fun, for everyoneinvolved.”

Most Livestock Committee volun-teers will tell you that their favoritepart of the Show is working with the

kids. There is a real spirit of cama-raderie, and both sides learn quite alot. The payoff for the volunteersultimately is in the smiles of thehundreds of students, whom theyhelp make it through this huge andsometimes intimidating Show.Volunteers get to see “their” kids getbig rewards.

Paul Sommerville, officer incharge of the committee, said that“the Livestock Committee memberstake the naming of the grand cham-pion animals very personally. Afterall, they might have just spent

several days assisting those veryexhibitors prepare. It is a wonderfulfeeling and a great way to wrap upthis event. Just like everything,Show members are involved in, itcomes down to the kids and howmuch this event and this greatorganization mean to them.”

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

Story byAmy Glass

18

C O M M I T T E E P R O F I L E S

Livestock Committee

W

The Livestock Committee ensures smooth operation of the livestock showsin and out of the show rings.

Fran

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artin

, D

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.

hat began as an idea for con-tinued service to the Showbased on leadership experi-

ence has grown to become one of theShow’s greatest assets—the LifetimeVice Presidents Committee. Thiscommittee also holds the distinctionof being the most exclusive in itsmake-up; only former officers of theShow are eligible to serve.

The concept for the committeebegan in 1980 with conversationsbetween Clayton Underwood andFreeman Dunn. They eachobserved that once a vice presidenthad served the limit of three, one-year terms in office, the opportuni-ties for continued service were lim-ited. All former officers were morethan willing to “get back in the sad-dle” and take on basic committeeassignments, but it seemed to Dunnand Underwood this would not bemaking the most of the valuableexperience acquired while servingas an officer.

They researched the feasibility ofputting the former officers back towork in a fashion that would utilizethe leadership, experience and capa-bilities of this unique talent pool.

They took their idea to ShowPresident Allen H. “Buddy” Carruthwho enthusiastically endorsed theformation of a Lifetime VicePresidents Committee. Carruth pre-sented the proposal to the Show’sExecutive Committee for approvalin 1981 and the Committee gotunderway for the 1982 Show.

Freeman Dunn served as its firstchairman in his first year as a for-mer officer, while ClaytonUnderwood served as officer incharge of the committee.Currently, the Show’s presidentserves as the officer in charge of thecommittee. Every former officer is

eligible to serve on the committee.This unique group is charged gen-

erally with furthering the Show’sgoals and purposes and specificallywith approving membership appli-cations and representing the Showin an official capacity at variousevents and functions. Most impor-tantly, they take on special assign-ments that make excellent use of thevaried backgrounds of the commit-tee members.

Jim Verbois, the current chair-man, can point with pride to therole the committee played in reor-

ganizing the Show’s grand entry afew years ago. With the implemen-tation of committee recommenda-tions, the grand entry now goes offlike clockwork before each rodeoperformance, showcasing thosewho ride in it and kicking off theentertainment to a colorful, excitingand safe start.

A Lifetime Vice Presidents taskforce was instrumental in working

on the recent revision to theShow’s bylaws as well. In addi-tion, the committee works hard torepresent the Show at dozens ofofficial functions within the AreaGo Texan area spanning 59 coun-ties, Metro Go Texan functions inthe greater Houston area, and asspecial representatives at VIPfunctions throughout the year.Few are better qualified to extendShow hospitality to visitors andexplain the Show’s purpose thansomeone who has served in one ofthe Show’s highest positions.

As Verbois noted, the focus ofthe Lifetime Vice Presidents Com-mittee is one that reflects the ded-ication of every committee mem-ber. “We have the experience andthe know how when it comes tothe Show. All of us are dedicatedto serving the Show, and we justwant to keep on doing thatin the best way possible.”

19

Story bySam Allen

Lifetime Vice Presidents Committee

W

Lifetime vice presidents and their mounts step out smartly in anothersmooth running grand entry.

Sam

Pie

rson

C O M M I T T E E P R O F I L E S

e doesn’t look like Superman,but he must have special pow-ers. How else could one per-

son serve as vice president of patientcare at the enormous M.D. AndersonHospital, while at the same time,assume ultimate responsibility forall aspects of the Show as its presi-dent. Yet, while blending profes-sional and community involvementat the highest levels of service,Joseph T. “Dr. Joe” Ainsworthremains an extremely congenial andeasy-going man who identifies him-self as much a horseman as a com-munity leader.

Growing up in the country inMississippi instilled in Ainsworth alove for horses and cattle. In 1961,Ainsworth was happily and deeplyinvolved in his family medicinepractice when a friend suggestedthat he join the Show. An owner ofPalomino horses at the time,Ainsworth joined the PalominoHorse Show Committee and soonbecame its chairman.

He developed an intense inter-est and involvement in cuttinghorses and served on both theCutting Horse and Quarter Horsecommittees—yet, always a physi-cian, he also served as chairman ofthe Health Committee. Ainsworthbecame a Show director in 1970,was elected as a vice president in1980 and served as officer incharge of the eleven Horse Showcommittees.

Early in 1984, Ainsworth receiveda high honor in his profession whenhe was named vice president ofM.D. Anderson Hospital and wasresponsible for running all aspectsof patient care at the hospital. He

was quite surprised when only a fewmonths later, the Show’s ExecutiveCommittee informed him that hewas being considered for the Show’snext president. He responded thatalthough the requested appointmentwas one of the highest honors of hislife, he did not feel he could acceptthe position in light of his new pro-fessional responsibilities. TheCommittee’s insistent response wasthat he had the unique ability to doboth, and the presidency was his.

Ainsworth’s tenure as presidentfrom 1985 through 1987 witnessedsome of the most difficult economictimes our community has everfaced. Long-term, significant sup-porters of the Show saw their busi-nesses dwindle and were unable toprovide monetary contributions.

But at the heart of the Show dur-ing these difficult times was a manwho was able to bring his warm,strong personality and his businessskills to the benefit of the Show. Heunderstood the need for long-termplanning and initiated such a “plan”for the organization. Even moreimportantly, he understood the spir-it and feelings of the frustrated salescommittee members and urged themto “do your best,” knowing that thebest efforts of these volunteerswould make the Show survive.

He also made it clear to those whocould no longer contribute monetar-ily that they were still a part of theHouston Livestock Show and Rodeoand that there were many otherways in which they could providesupport.

Ainsworth received his medicaldegree in 1942 from TulaneUniversity School of Medicine. Hecompleted his internship in NewOrleans, La.; served in the U.S. AirForce, where he received his resi-dency training in internal medicine;completed his residency inLafayette, La.; then moved to

Houston in 1949. He met his wife,Genie, while in Lafayette, and theiralmost-50-year partnership has beena strong and supportive one—duringhis three-year term as president,Genie did not miss a single Showperformance.

Ainsworth believes that the heartand spirit of the Show are the effortsand energy of the volunteers. Yetthat effort and energy is effectiveonly as a result of the guidance andleadership of people like Dr.Joe Ainsworth.

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 byAnn Jacobs

20

O F F I C E R P R O F I L E

H

Dr. Joseph T.Ainsworth

Dr. Joseph T. Ainsworth

Sam

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21

Story byBeverlyRosenbaum

STREAMLINING AGRICULTURAL EXHIBITS & COMPETITION

S T A F F P R O F I L E

id you ever think about what acircus would be without ani-mals? Well, just think what the

Show would be like without live-stock! When it comes to the live-stock segment of the HoustonLivestock Show and Rodeo,Assistant General Manager ofAgricultural Exhibits andCompetition, Don Jobes Jr., has beenholding the reins for 27 years.

Considering the large number ofentries by domestic and interna-tional ranchers and breeders andthe tremendous amount of juniorexhibitors, precise planning andcoordination are paramount toensure a successful livestock show.

The responsibility of workingwith 39 committees and keepingtrack of 10,000 junior livestockexhibitors, 3,000 open show live-stock exhibitors and 8,000 horseexhibitors with 27,000 combinedhead of livestock entries is handledyear-round by Jobes’ staff. Theyalso handle more than 1,000 live-stock trophies and 500 horse showawards. This group includesExecutive Assistant Ruby Black,Livestock Secretary ShirleyCarbone, Horse Show Director JudyJordan, Calf Scramble Director BeaBaker, Livestock Director RandyJones, Data Processing SupervisorHolly Bryant and LivestockAssistant Catherine Fertak.Additional data entry personnelare hired to keep the computershumming as Show time approach-es. Preparation for each year’sevent spans two years to scheduleevents and negotiate contracts forjudges and superintendents.

One of the fundamental keys tothe entire process is the depart-ment’s production and distributionof both the livestock and horseshow premium books, which con-tain the entry request cards for all the participants. Additionally,

they list the schedule of eventsand guaranteed premiums(prizes), which are in the form ofmoney, saddles, trailers, gift cer-tificates and any other prize dona-tion that the committee volun-teers in this departmentcan solicit.

The junior live-stock exhibitorsare limited tomembers of4-H and

FFA chapters within the state ofTexas, while the open livestockshow includes exhibitors from allover the world. “Part of the reasonthe open show is so large isbecause of the International follow-ing,” explained Jobes. “We get2,500 international guests frommore than 60 countries.”

After the premium books are dis-tributed in October, the livestockdepartment is in full gear. Entrycards sent in by the hundreds eachmust be entered into a computer,with the exhibitor’s name, home-town, 4-H or FFA Club and nameof his/her animal as well as itsbirth date. Data encoders inputextensive information into theShow’s computer system—vitalinformation which becomes thebasis for everything from pressreleases to judges’ sheets.

Identification cards also areimmediately ordered—everythingfrom tags for exhibitors, stalls,pens and aisles to lot numbercards for every animal sold in thejunior market auctions. Trophiesare ordered as well as thousands

of banners, ribbons and plaquesthat will be given to the Show’s1995 winners.

During the actual two-week runof the Show, the livestock depart-ment runs like clockwork. Im-mediately following every compe-tition, the judges’ sheets areprocessed and results are distrib-uted. During the open show, pre-mium checks are promptly pre-pared for the winners—evenbefore the junior exhibitors arrive.

The second week of the live-stock show—the junior show—means processing judges sheetsfor contest winners and preparingfor the junior market auctions.The night before each sale, thedepartment prepares a listing ofeach lot number with theexhibitor’s name, hometown,breed of animal and the animal’sbirth date.

The job in the livestock depart-ment never ends, because by thetime the last piece of livestockleaves, Jobes and his staff are wellinto plans for improving thenext Show.

DS

am P

iers

on

Don Jobes Jr., one of the Show’s assistant general managers.

Nonprofit OrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDHOUSTON, TXPermit No. 9791Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

P.O. Box 20070Houston, Texas 77225-0070

8-Membership Dance in Astrohall10-World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest begins11-Downtown rodeo parade androdeo run; Go Texan hay hauling,dominoes, and horseshoe andwasher pitching contests12-Go Texan team penning competition15-Horse Show opens inAstroarena17-Opening of rodeo, livestockshow and carnival; first rodeo per-formance at 7p.m.; school art, pho-tography and quilt contest winningentries on display18-25 International Days22-24 International LivestockCongress

1-4 Rodeo, livestock and horseshows, all show activities open5 Rodeo finals, 4 p.m. 14, 17 Spring Break; Show offices

closed

D A T E S T O R E M E M B E R

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