San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo

History

While the establishment of the organization took place in 1949, the first rodeo occurred in 1950. Since then, the annual event takes place over three weeks in February.

The rodeo began in the Joe & Harry Freeman Coliseum until 2003 when its primary events moved into the AT&T Center. The adjacent Freeman Coliseum became available to add on-site access for retailers to sell western wear, furniture and other items during the annual rodeo. The NBA Spurs team, who share the AT&T Center with the Rodeo, goes on “The Rodeo Road Trip” during the three weeks of the rodeo.

Two weeks prior to the rodeo, a massive cowboy breakfast is served to the public without charge at Cowboys Dancehall in north San Antonio. The 39th such gathering on January 27, 2017, drew an estimated attendance of greater than 30,000. The cowboy breakfast is considered the unofficial kickoff to the rodeo. Lines begin forming at 3 a.m., with two hundred volunteers, many students at St. Philip's College, preparing for the meal. Served are 10,000 sausage and egg tacos, 2,500 biscuits with gravy, 8,000 sausage biscuits, 6,000 chorizo and egg tacos, 8,000 bacon and egg tacos, 5,000 potato and egg tacos, 5,000 sausage wraps, 8,000 sweet rolls, 625 US gallons (2.37 kl) of milk and orange juice, and 15,000 cups of coffee. Several bands perform for the breakfast, which according to Guinness World Records is the largest mass meal is the largest in the world.

In the eight days preceding the start of the rodeo, the South Texas Trail Riders traverse 140 miles of back country roads on horses, mules, and wagons to set the theme for the forthcoming activities. Many of the riders routinely express regret when the trip is concluded because of the satisfaction they derived from being in the outdoors and engaged in the old way of living. One of the 2017 trail bosses, Becki Kosuh of Blanco, Texas, said that the ride connotes "heritage, culture, tradition, and family."

Hadley Barrett (1929-2017), for twenty-eight years the voice of the San Antonio Rodeo, had just completed announcing twenty-one rodeo performances a few days before he died of heart failure in Colorado on March 2, 2017. According to the San Antonio Express-News, Barrett was known for his "distinctive voice and folksy blend of cornball jokes, faith, patriotism, and rodeo wisdom." A native of North Platte, Nebraska, Barrett was reared on a ranch, was a weekend bull-rider, and a traveling musician who with his brothers under the name Hadley Barrett and the Westerners performed with, among others, Carl Perkins and Little Jimmy Dickens. He also announced for other rodeos, the Calgary Stampede, the Canadian Finals, and Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming.

Supporting groups

The San Antonio Livestock Exposition, Inc. was established with the mission "A volunteer organization that emphasizes agriculture and education to develop the youth of Texas". The focus on educating the youth of Texas lead to integrating 4-H and FFA high school students and making educational commitments to support their interest in the agricultural and livestock industry. In 1984, the scholarship program began when fifteen, four-year scholarships totaling $90,000 to were awarded to students entering Texas colleges in the fall. Since then, the organization has committed more than $171.4 million to the youth of Texas through scholarships, grants, endowments, junior livestock auctions, youth western art auction, calf scramble program and show premiums.

Production of the event requires over 6,000 volunteers.

Awards