Financial Highlights

2009 Financial Highlights

• $55.9 million contributed to the production of the livestock show and rodeo
• over 26,000 livestock and horse show entrants participated in the three week event
• over 300,000 students participated in the Show’s School Art Program
• $8.0 million in new scholarships awarded to Texas youth
• $1.6 million invested in the Rodeo Institute for Teacher Excellence
• $1.7 million granted to other educational programs

In 1931, a group of cattlemen met to discuss the improvement and development of the cattle industry along the Gulf Coast area of Texas. That initial meeting was the beginning of the success story of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, a non-profit corporation dedicated to supporting agriculture and education, providing affordable family entertainment, and preserving Western heritage.

Throughout the last 77 years, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has fulfilled its purpose, making an impressive footprint on the livestock and agriculture industries and education.  Substantially all of the Show’s resources are dedicated to direct support of its agriculture and education programs, with 86 percent and 81 percent of operating revenues spent on program services in 2009 and 2008, respectively. Most importantly, the Show has played a notable role in enhancing the lives of young people in the state of Texas. 

More than 21,000 Show volunteers donated their time and talent to help produce the world’s largest livestock show, richest regular-season PRCA rodeo and the Southwest's premier family entertainment event. The following are highlights from the 2009 Show.

Agriculture
In 1932, the first Show was held with just a few hundred entries in the livestock competition. 77 years later at the 2009 Show, there were more than 26,000 entries in the livestock and horse show. To date, the Show has hosted more than 1 million junior and open livestock and horse entries.

The annual junior and open livestock shows support our core mission to “encourage and promote the breeding, raising and marketing of better livestock and farm products.” Considered “the Show to win” by Texas youth, the learning experience goes beyond the technical aspects of raising and showing livestock to include the invaluable opportunity for these youth to develop leadership skills, public speaking abilities, and strong personal responsibility.

• Texas 4-H and FFA students from almost every Texas county travel to Houston each year, vying for the prestigious title of Houston champion. Since 1932, the Show has contributed more than $110 million to these junior and youth show exhibitors through prizes, premiums and auction money.
• Since the beginning of the calf scramble program in 1942, more than 18,000 young Texans have been awarded more than $9.8 million worth of purchase certificates and bonuses.
• More than 75,000 children received a hands-on agricultural education through a school tour or field trip in Capital One Bank AGventure.
• The new educational exhibit, Fun on the Farm, enabled visitors to explore the world of agriculture through the process of producing farm products — from planting to market.
• Mutton bustin’ was a new event during each performance in Reliant Stadium, where children 4 to 6 years old competed, trying to ride sheep the longest.
• A 4-H Horticulture Contest was held for the first time, where Harris County 4-H clubs created planter exhibits with a Western heritage or commitment to community theme.
• An updated Champions Row in Reliant Center displayed the Junior Market Show Champions and explained the process of raising market animals.
• More than 20,500 young cowboys and cowgirls took a ride at the pony rides.
• Each of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo junior auctions brought in $1.1 million or more. Three of the junior auction Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion records were broken. The prices for the top winners were (*new world’s records):

• Grand Champion Work of Art, $155,000; and Reserve Grand Champion Work of Art, $145,000
• Grand Champion Barrow, $140,000; and *Reserve Grand Champion Barrow, $113,000
• Grand Champion Pen of Broilers, $130,000; and Reserve Grand Champion Pen of Broilers, $60,000
• *Grand Champion Goat, $120,000; and *Reserve Grand Champion Goat, $131,000
• Grand Champion Lamb, $170,000; and Reserve Grand Champion Lamb, $110,000
• Grand Champion Steer, $300,000; and Reserve Grand Champion Steer, $100,000
• Grand Champion Turkey, $95,000; and Reserve Grand Champion Turkey, $44,000

• The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Champion Wine Auction brought in $600 thousand, including $100,000 for the Grand Champion Best of Show and $55,000 for the Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show. 

Entertainment and Western Heritage
The founders of the Show believed that its educational mission would be best fulfilled in a public fair environment where the general public could learn about the agriculture and livestock industry. A full understanding of Texas’ agricultural and livestock industries is rooted in an appreciation of the state’s Western heritage. The Show is committed to preserving and celebrating the Houston area’s rich Western culture as part of its mission. Today, RODEOHOUSTON and many other family-oriented grounds activities support the facet of the Show’s mission.

• The 2009 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo entertained a record 1,890,332 visitors for general attendance (for all activities on the grounds), despite four days of cold, rainy weather. The previous general attendance record was set in 2004 with a total of 1,890,174 visitors.
• Rodeo paid attendance totaled 1,182,128 people enjoying action-packed rodeo and superstars in concert. This is the third highest paid Rodeo attendance in the Show’s history. The paid Rodeo attendance record was set in 2003 with a total of 1,215,913 RODEOHOUSTON fans.
• RODEOHOUSTON tickets average about $20 less than the national concert ticket cost.
• In 2009, the world's top 50 cowboys and cowgirls in each of seven events were invited to participate in the RodeoHouston BP Super Series, competing for a share of more than $1.4 million in prize money, the largest purse in regular-season PRCA rodeo.
• Since 1952, trail rides have grown into a signature tradition of the Show. Each year, more than 4,000 riders saddle up  to relive the Old West as part of 13 trail rides, heading to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo from points across Texas.
• More than 300,000 young amateur artists participated in the School Art Program in 2009, submitting projects based on Western culture, history and heritage. 
• Black Heritage Day, an annual event, spotlights the contributions of black pioneers to the cultural achievement and heritage of the city of Houston and the state of Texas.
• Go Tejano Day celebrates Houston’s rich Hispanic heritage with day-long festivities, including a Mariachi Competition and Fiesta Charra.
• The Chuck Wagon Corral shows visitors the art of dining on the range.
• RODEOHOUSTON includes cowboys and cowgirls participating in the toughest, oldest Western sport of rodeo, including bareback riding, barrel racing, bull riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping and tie-down roping.
• In 2009, more than 217,000 visitors enjoyed the in the World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest in which more than 350 teams participated. 
• The Downtown Rodeo Parade has been a tradition for more than 70 years and includes 13 trail rides, decorative floats, marching bands and more.

Education
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo extends its commitment to the youth of Texas beyond the opportunity to participate in the state’s largest livestock show by granting and funding scholarships, educational endowments, agricultural research projects and other similar educational programs. Proceeds from the annual livestock show and rodeo allow the Show to commit $16.3 million to the youth of Texas through the Show’s youth and educational programs.

• In 2009, 533 students received over $8.0 million in scholarships for use at Texas colleges and universities.
• Since the inception of its scholarship program in 1957, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has committed more than $140 million in educational support to more than 20,000 Texas students.
• Each year, nearly 330,000 students are impacted by the Show’s competitions, scholarships and exhibits.  Almost $5 million in premiums and awards were paid to junior show exhibitors participating in the 2009 Show.
• In 2009, the Show continued their commitment to the Rodeo Institute for Teacher Excellence with support of $1.6 million, training teachers to teach reading support skills at pre-kindergarten through third grade levels. To date, the Show has committed more than $15.1 million to the program. This year, RITE enters its 13th year of operation, serving as the core reading curriculum in 45 early childhood centers, elementary and intermediate schools in the Houston, Kendleton, North Forest, Spring and Aldine Independent School Districts. RITE is working with nearly 600 classrooms serving more than 12,000 children. Since its inception, the program has helped more than 100,000 children learn to read and succeed.

Fun Facts from 2009 Show

• RODEOHOUSTON rang The Closing Bell for the New York Stock Exchange March 13 in true rodeo style, with a bull and cowboy. At 3 p.m. CDT, RODEOHOUSTON cowboy Douglas Duncan came barreling out of the chute atop the jet black bull named “Pure Payne.” The bull twisted and turned as the bell around his belly rang. Show officials, NYSE personnel and invited guests that included local business leaders, filled the stands of Reliant Stadium for the event and rang cowbells, as well. Duncan’s father, Mike Duncan, is one of 21,000 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo volunteers that donate their time and talents to the Show each year. This segment was picked up by various media outlets across the country.
• As the 2009 trail riders made their way to downtown Houston, NBC's Today Show’s weekend anchor Amy Robach saddled up with the Salt Grass Trail Ride as it rode into Memorial Park.
• Former Olympian Elva Dyer competed in the 2009 ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run, and won Overall Female in the 10K race with a time of 35.09. Dyer ran in both the 5K and 10K events at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, finishing as the top American in the 10K, placing 19th.
• Fox Sports Houston aired 30-minute segments profiling RODEOHOUSTON, the RODEOHOUSTON BP Super Series athletes and highlighting each performance. The first segment aired Feb. 27, and gave in-depth background and historical content as well as a preview of the upcoming 20 Rodeo performances. Thirty-minute segments aired Monday through Friday through March 20.
• In the Capital One Bank AGVENTURE Birthing Center, 77 piglets, 17 lambs and 12 calves were born during the Show.
• More than 250,000 stuffed animals were won at the games in the carnival.
• Food could be found at nearly all areas of Reliant Park, and Show visitors enjoyed the unique types available.
• More than 6,200 cheesecakes on a stick were sold.
• More than 9,600 orders of chicken-fried bacon were made.
• More than 14,000 pounds of popcorn seeds were popped.
• More than 84,000 turkey legs were consumed.