The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was organized for charitable, educational and scientific purposes to encourage and promote the breeding, raising and marketing of better livestock and farm products at public fairs and to promote and maintain research and educational functions within the livestock industry. It is the general policy of the Show to utilize, in the fiscal year subsequent to which it is earned, the excess of its revenue over expenses for the furtherance of its exempt purpose, including the granting and/or funding of scholarships, educational endowments, agricultural research projects and other similar programs and the funding of related capital additions and improvements. The funds of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo are used exclusively to meet necessary expenses for its upkeep and operation and in furtherance of the exempt purpose of the organization.

  • Annual aggregate gross sales in the region are increased by $475,403,000.
  • Annual regional product is increased by $320,221,000.
  • Annual personal incomes are raised by $290,710,000.
  • 7,265 full-time equivalent jobs are created.
  • The local population is increased by 16,316 people.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is a charity which benefits the youth of Texas. Since the Show's beginning in 1932, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has contributed more than $330 million to scholarships, research, endowments, calf scramble participants, junior show exhibitors, School Art participants, and other educational and youth programs.

The Show's school tours program offers complimentary tickets to those scheduling group tours. The tours take place in AGVENTURE, which hosts a variety of livestock and activities focused on children of all ages. The tours are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis beginning Oct. 1 the year before the next Show. Learn more.

The mayor of Houston and the Harris County judge present proclamations each year declaring Go Texan Days. Go Texan Days last the duration of the Show, but most businesses and schools encourage employees and students to dress up and celebrate Go Texan Day the Friday prior to the downtown parade.

Tentative dates:
  • 2014: Tuesday, March 4 - Sunday, March 23
  • 2015: Tuesday, March 3 – Sunday, March 22

An individual must be a member of one of the sanctioned trail rides to ride a horse in the parade. Persons riding on floats are invited by the float presenters.

  • Currently, there are more than 27,000 volunteers serving on more than 100 different Show committees.
  • Committee members each donate an average of 67.7 hours of service to the Show every year.
  • Every single ZIP code in Harris County has committee members living in its neighborhoods.
  • The committee volunteer group is 41 percent female and 59 percent male.

All committee volunteers must be members of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Learn more

Accessible and handicap parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

During the World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest
  • Miller Lite Green Lot
  • All METRO Park & Ride locations and the OST 1 Rodeo Express Lot have accessible parking, with accessible buses to accommodate special-needs visitors.
During the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
  • Miller Lite Yellow Lot
  • Miller Lite Blue Lot
  • All METRO Park & Ride locations and the OST 1 Rodeo Express Lot have accessible parking, with accessible buses to accommodate special-needs visitors.
  • Tram and golf cart services are available to assist the public in accessing and getting around the grounds.

When you order organizational plates, TxDMV sets aside more than 70 percent of the annual $30 or $40 specialty plate fee for the Show's purposes. The specialty plate fee is collected in addition to the regular registration fee. Please note that this external site is not affiliated with the Show.

Visit the website for the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles for more information.

The star entertainers begin performing after the last rodeo event is completed each evening and the stage is set. Actual start times for the concert can vary day to day due to the varying number of rodeo competitors and other factors.

The safety of everyone is paramount for Show patrons to enjoy a fun atmosphere. Please note that all personal belongings (such as purses, camera cases, back packs, strollers, etc.) are subject to search at any given time on the Show grounds by Show officials and/or law enforcement officers for security reasons. Anyone refusing to be searched will not be allowed on the Show grounds. Video taping is not allowed within Reliant Stadium, nor are outside food and drinks, including those purchased elsewhere at Reliant Park.

  • Children under the age of 2 are admitted free into Reliant Stadium for the rodeo and star entertainer performances if they do not require a separate seat.
  • Children ages 2 and younger are admitted free to the livestock show, World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest and the Horse Show.
  • Only the top cowboys and cowgirls are invited to compete at RodeoHouston.
  • More than $2 million is awarded to the cowboys and cowgirls.
  • RodeoHouston is the world's largest rodeo.
  • RodeoHouston features seven events: bareback riding, barrel racing, bull riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping and tie-down roping.

Participants are selected in October and November for the calf scramble. Children must be older than 14 and younger than 18 on Jan. 1 of the Show year. They must be either a 4-H or FFA member and need to let their agricultural science teacher or county extension agent know that they are interested. Learn more.

There are seven rodeo events and each event has a limited number of contestants. Only the top cowboys and cowgirls are invited to attend. In other words, RodeoHouston features the best of the best.

RodeoHouston is the largest indoor rodeo in the world, offering a purse of more than $2 million.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ offers several different kinds of scholarships and eligibility requirements may vary. All applicants, however, must meet the following requirements:

  • Be a U.S. citizen; permanent residents are not eligible to apply.
  • Attend a public high school from which you will graduate at mid-term or in the spring of the year in which you seek an award. Students attending Charter Schools rated exemplary or recognized by the Texas Education Agency, are eligible to apply. Students who are home-schooled or who attend private or parochial schools may not apply.
  • Be a resident of the state of Texas.
  • Plan to attend a Texas college or university and have applied for admission to such an institution. The Show does not fund scholarships to attend out-of-state schools. Even if you plan to attend a school with an "open admissions" policy, you still must have applied at the time application is made.
  • Meet academic standards for class rank and SAT/ACT scores as stated within the application. No one may apply who has not taken either the SAT or ACT test and who cannot furnish documentation of scores.
  • Submit a completed application with appropriate documentation.

To apply for a 4-H, FFA or FCCLA scholarship, visit the coordinating organization's website. Scolarship Information

Applications for Metropolitan, Opportunity, School Art, Area Go Texan and Hildebrand scholarships must be submitted online. Scolarship Applications

Applications must be entered online, and a printed copy and the required documents must be mailed by the deadline date to:

Office of Educational Programs
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
P.O. Box 20070
Houston, TX 77225-0070

Yes, except for 4-H and FFA. You should apply for all Show scholarships for which you are eligible. However, 4-H and FFA prohibit a student from applying for both, regardless of your membership or eligibility; to do so results in disqualification from either organization.

No. Recipients can receive only one Show scholarship.

Deadlines vary with the type of scholarship. Learn more

No, with two exceptions. The only Show scholarships that require an applicant to have exhibited at the Show are the Ruth Hildebrand (for junior lamb exhibitors) and the School Art (participants in the school art program).

No, there are no restrictions on the major field of study for any Show scholarship, as long as the major leads to a four-year degree.

Yes, the Show funds its scholarship recipients who begin their academic pursuits at community colleges or junior colleges. However, the student must show academic progress and finish at a four-year institution if he/she has received a four-year award.

No, all recipients must attend a college or university in Texas.

Yes. Children of Show members or Show committee members are eligible to apply but receive no special consideration.

Applications are evaluated by independent committees using a comprehensive score sheet with points awarded for academics, leadership and financial need.

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