Houston Livestock Show
For nearly three weeks in 2005, the Houston Livestock Show™ will fill Reliant Center and Reliant Arena with world-class livestock exhibitors bringingHouston Livestock Show their best stock for evaluation by professional judges. Aside from the exhibitors, more than 1 million Show visitors are expected to view livestock ranging from cattle and sheep to horses and rabbits.
More than 33,000 entries were a part of the competition at the 2004 Show, all vying for top titles, ribbons, trophies and premiums in the show ring.
Professional breeders and ranchers headline the first half of the Show, competing for top dollars and global recognition in the livestock industry. The spotlight shines on junior exhibitors during the second half of competition, where Texas 4-H and FFA members line the arenas with their livestock projects.
All junior livestock entrants must personally groom and raise their animals under the supervision of agricultural science teachers or a county extension agent, and they must be at least in the third grade and from 8 years old to 19 years old to enter.
The pinnacle of the junior livestock competition is the junior market auction program, where buyers pay phenomenal prices for livestock. All prize-winning market animals are sold in one of the four junior auctions, and each exhibitor is guaranteed an excellent price well above market value for his or her animal.
For the latest updates, news and information regarding the Houston Livestock Show, please refer to "Breaking News" section on a regular basis.
With record-breaking auction prices, record-breaking attendance at individual performances and record speeds at RODEOHOUSTON™, 2005 became the year of records for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
The following is a brief recap from the 2005 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo:
- The 2005 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo entertained a total of 1,740,095 visitors for general attendance (for all activities on the grounds).
- Rodeo paid attendance topped 1 million for the 11th consecutive year, for a total of 1,127,239 people enjoying action-packed rodeo and superstars in concert, topping last year’s attendance of 1,126,086.
- A total of 140,036 people visited the World’s Champion Bar-B-Que Contest to help kick off the Show.
- The RODEOHOUSTON all-time paid attendance record was broken twice this year. First, Alicia Keys set the new paid rodeo attendance record on March 4, celebrating Black Heritage Day, with an attendance of 72,065. Keys' record broke Kenny Chesney’s 2004 record of 70,668. Then, just two nights later, 72,843 people packed Reliant Stadium to see RODEOHOUSTON with Hilary Duff in concert.
- More than 450,000 visitors rode the Rodeo METRO Express shuttle buses from eight locations. The METRORail to Reliant Park was a popular mode of transportation, as more than 105,000 people caught a ride to the Show. In order to get around the Show grounds more quickly, in excess of 465,000 people rode the Ford Trams.
- Six of the junior auction Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion records were broken. The prices for the top winners were (*records):
- Grand Champion Work of Art, $160,000; and *Reserve Grand Champion Work of Art, $91,000
- Grand Champion Barrow, $160,000; and *Reserve Grand Champion Barrow, $110,000
- Champion Pen of Broilers, $120,000; and Reserve Grand Champion Pen of Broilers, $80,000
- Grand Champion Goat, $101,000; and *Reserve Grand Champion Goat, $63,000
- Grand Champion Lamb, $121,000; and Reserve Grand Champion Lamb, $90,000
- Grand Champion Steer, $340,000; and Reserve Grand Champion Steer, $250,000
- Grand Champion Turkey, $110,000; and Reserve Grand Champion Turkey, $55,000
- The junior auction totals* included: market steers ($2,176,400), lamb and goat ($1,308,816), barrows ($885,750), poultry ($963,750), and school art ($1,118,400) (*unaudited preliminary totals that do not include cash contributions and some presale amounts).
- The second-ever Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Wine Auction brought in $502,300, including $90,000 for the Grand Champion Best of Show and $40,000 for the Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show, both record-breaking prices.
- Total auction sales (including Wine Auction and cattle sales) tallied $9,659,959. Of this amount, junior auction sales totaled $6,823,219.
- This year’s livestock competitions and horse shows boasted 31,720 entries.
- The Show hosted 1,738 international guests from 52 countries.
- RODEOHOUSTON produced three live pay-per-view telecasts, including the finals on Saturday, March 19.
- A total of 474 contestants were invited to participate in RODEOHOUSTON, competing for a share of $748,000 in prize money.
- The High Point Champion Award went to Cody DeMers, bareback and saddle bronc rider from Kimberly, Idaho. With the $25,000 bonus for winning the High Point Champion Award, DeMers took home a RODEOHOUSTON paycheck of $39,439.40.