The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo (formally the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show) is the oldest continuously running
livestock show
A livestock show is an event where livestock are exhibited and judged on certain phenotypical breed traits as specified by their respective breed standard. Species of livestock that may be shown include pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, horses, llam ...
and
rodeo. It has been held annually in
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. Accord ...
since 1896, traditionally in mid-January through early February. A
non-profit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
, the Stock Show has provided millions of dollars in grants and scholarships in its tenure and continues to provide hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to assist the future leaders of agriculture and livestock management.
History
The city of
Fort Worth was nicknamed "Cowtown" shortly after the
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
, as cowboys stopped for supplies in the town while herding their cattle from South Texas to the
Chisholm Trail. After the arrival of the Texas and Pacific Railway in 1876, various business people in the town began erecting
stock yards in an effort to become a greater part of the cattle industry. In 1883, the
Fort Worth Stockyards
The Fort Worth Stockyards is a historic district that is located in Fort Worth, Texas, north of the central business district. A portion encompassing much of the district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Fort Worth Sto ...
were officially incorporated.
Local ranchers wished to encourage interest in their cattle. A conversation between rancher Charles McFarland and Charles French, marketing manager for the
Fort Worth Stock Yards, resulted in the first area
stock show in 1896.
This event was the first of what would eventually become known as the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show. The stock show was held along Marine Creek, in a location with no buildings or enclosures, and only a few trees to provide shade for the animals and patrons.
Early–day cattle exhibitors and organizers were all Texans: Capt.
William S. Ikard William Susan "Sude" Ikard (July 7, 1847 in Noxubee County, Mississippi – September 13, 1934 in Henrietta, Texas) was a Texas cattle rancher. Ikard is credited with bringing the first Hereford (cattle), Hereford cattle to Texas, in 1876. These ...
of Henrietta, a breeder of Herefords; I. K. Kimberlin of Sherman; Col. J. W. Burgess of Fort Worth, a Shorthorn breeder, and Col. B. C. Rhome of Denton and Wise Counties. These men were joined by operators of the Fort Worth Stock Yards Company, which was organized in 1893;
Armour & Company
Armour & Company was an American company and was one of the five leading firms in the meat packing industry. It was founded in Chicago, in 1867, by the Armour brothers led by Philip Danforth Armour. By 1880, the company had become Chicago's most ...
and
Swift & Company
JBS USA Holdings, Inc. is an American food processing company and a wholly owned subsidiary of the multinational company JBS S.A. The subsidiary was created when JBS entered the U.S. market in 2007 with its purchase of Swift & Company. JBS speci ...
, meat packers; and officials of the various railway companies serving Fort Worth.
That first show was such a success that organizers gathered again in the fall of 1896 for a two-day event in October to coincide with the National Livestock Exchange Convention meeting. A parade opened the fall show. Most exhibitors preferred the spring dates, so the Show was established as a March event, to fit in with a series of major livestock shows held around the country, establishing a regular circuit for exhibitor herds.
The following year, the event was given a name, the Texas Fat Stock Show.
Tents were erected for the animals, and visitors were charged a twenty-five cent fee to view the livestock.
Local ranchers promoted the show to northern meat packers in the hopes of improving the local livestock industry. The citizens of Fort Worth raised $50,000 and formed a company in 1904 to oversee the event. Under the group's second president,
Samuel Burk Burnett
Samuel Burk Burnett (January 1, 1849 – June 27, 1922) was an American cattleman and rancher from Texas, owner of the 6666 Ranch, and namesake of Burkburnett, Texas.
Early life
Samuel Burk Burnett was born on January 1, 1849, in Bates Coun ...
, the annual show was renamed the Southwestern Exposition and Fat Stock Show. During his term, which lasted from 1908 to 1922, the event dramatically expanded. The North Side Coliseum (now called Cowtown Coliseum) was built in 1908 to house the event.
The new indoor judging arena expanded interest in the Stock Show, and a carnival and midway were soon added. Commercial exhibit displays also increased in number, and exhibitors travelled from several surrounding states to participate.
Rodeo
A local newspaper editor, Ray McKinley, suggested in 1917 that the event incorporate a competition among cowboys and cowgirls. Stock Show president Marion Sansom appointed a committee of 7 men, including Buck Sansom, Bob Tadlock, W.O. Rominger (Bill), Wade Ross, Herbert Graves, Ward Farmer, and Ray McKinley, who were involved with the cattle and horse industry to define the new event. A member of the commission suggested using the Spanish name for these types of competitions,
rodeo. Although the proposer used the Spanish pronunciation of "roh-day-oh", after seeing the word written the committee chose to use a different pronunciation, "roh-dee-oh", to refer to the new competition.
Ray McKinley and W.O. Rominger presented the idea to the executive committee. The contest was approved and was added to the Stock Show calendar of events primarily because North Side Coliseum was the only arena with a capacity to accommodate the production and crowds expected. The 1918 Fort Worth Rodeo is considered the world's first indoor rodeo. It consisted of a total of twelve performances, two per day for six days. Contests included ladies
bronc riding, junior steer riding, men's steer riding, men's bucking bronco, and a wild horse race—catch-as-catch-can with no saddle or bridle. The contestants were primarily
Wild West Show
Wild West shows were traveling vaudeville performances in the United States and Europe that existed around 1870–1920. The shows began as theatrical stage productions and evolved into open-air shows that depicted romanticized stereotypes of ...
performers, both male and female, who vied for a $3,000 prize. An estimated 23,000 people attended these first indoor rodeo events.
In 1927, the Stock Show introduced the first side release chutes for bucking horses and bulls, a development that is now a standard for the sport.
As opposed to the earlier front-gate chutes, the side release allows the animal and rider into the arena when the gate opens. The chute has been termed as the safest method yet devised for protection of both cowboy and animal.
The Fort Worth Stock Show was also the first to feature
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...
bull riding
Bull riding is a rodeo sport that involves a rider getting on a bucking bull and attempting to stay mounted while the animal tries to buck off the rider.
American bull riding has been called "the most dangerous eight seconds in sports." To recei ...
. This contest originated in 1933, and is now one of the five major events in the sport worldwide. Bull riding is considered to be "the most dangerous and surely the most exciting event of rodeos."
In 1932,
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
produced the first live broadcast of a rodeo as local station WBAP broadcast.
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, the Fort Worth Stock Show introduced the first "half-time" rodeo performance, as
Gene Autry made an appearance. This type of performance is now standard at rodeos across the United States, and many times the degree of success of a rodeo has been determined by audience acceptance of entertainment specials.
In 1958, the Fort Worth Stock Show also became the first to have live television coverage of a complete rodeo performance, as 8 million viewers tuned into
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
to see guest stars including
Roy Rogers
Roy Rogers (born Leonard Franklin Slye; November 5, 1911 – July 6, 1998) was an American singer, actor, and television host. Following early work under his given name, first as co-founder of the Sons of the Pioneers and then acting, the rebra ...
and
Dale Evans
Dale Evans Rogers (born Frances Octavia Smith; October 31, 1912 – February 7, 2001) was an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She was the third wife of singing cowboy Roy Rogers.
Early life
Evans was born Frances Octavia Smith on ...
.
Further expansion
The event took a hiatus in 1943, when all available facilities in Fort Worth, as well as transportation modes, were dedicated to the World War II effort.
The following year, the exposition moved to the
Will Rogers Memorial Center
The Will Rogers Memorial Center (WRMC) is an American public entertainment, sports and livestock complex located in Fort Worth, Texas. It is named for American humorist and writer Will Rogers. It is a popular location for the hosting of specia ...
on the west side of the city. By 1948, the event was moved to January and February, and it drew 250,000 people.
Since moving to the Will Rogers Memorial Center, the Stock Show has taken the lead in improving the facility. The Stock Show governing committee has made it a policy to deed all improvements to the city of Fort Worth. Among the improvements are the construction of six all-weather livestock barns, four livestock/horse/rodeo arenas, two multipurpose commercial exhibits buildings, heating and air conditioning in the coliseum, auditorium and exhibits areas, and paved and lighted parking facilities.
Modern event
The name was changed again in 1978, to Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show. It is now held every year between mid-January and early February. The event lasts 23 days and is home to the World's Original Indoor Rodeo®, displaying 36 performances of professional rodeo annually. In addition, the exposition offers a carnival/midway, live music and entertainment in the Rodeo Roadhouse, multiple kid friendly exhibits, over 22,000 head of livestock and over four acres of commercial exhibits.
Annually, the event generates an estimated 1.5 million for the local economy drawing exhibitors and contestants from all over to the Fort Worth locale. An average of over 900,000 people attend the Show annually, representing more than 80 foreign countries as well as most U.S. states. Eighty-five percent of the show's events take place under roof, reducing the effect of what local Fort Worthians refer to as "Stock Show Weather" (it is not uncommon for ice storms to hit Fort Worth during that period). On average, the modern Stock Show has an economic impact of over $100 million for the Fort Worth area.
Initial Stock Show prizes consisted of gifts donated by Fort Worth area merchants. While this practice is no longer utilized, tremendous support from numerous breed associations, local Fort Worth businesses and many volunteer assist in raising cash amounts for livestock premiums. In 2009, a record $210,000 was awarded to Ricki Buckalew and her prize winning European Cross Market Steer during the Sale of Champions. Millions of dollars are awarded annually to livestock and rodeo champions and participants.
The
ProRodeo Hall of Fame
The ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy was opened in August 1979 as a museum designed to "preserve the legacy of the cowboy contests, the heritage and culture of those original competitions, and the champions of the past, pr ...
in
Colorado Springs, Colorado, inducted the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show in 2008. The
Texas Trail of Fame
The Texas Trail Hall of Fame is a cowboy hall of fame in Fort Worth, Texas. Established in 1997, the building is located at 208 N.W. 24th Street, in the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District of the city.
The hall honors individuals w ...
inducted the show in 2015. The
Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame
The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, a western, historical museum in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, "honors those men and women who have shown excellence in the business and support of rodeo and the western lifestyle in Texas."
The Hall of Fame ...
inducted the show in 2019.
The rodeo section of the Fort Worth Stock Show moved to the new
Dickies Arena
Dickies Arena is a 14,000-seat multipurpose American arena, located within the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas. The venue hosted a public ribbon cutting on October 26, 2019. The first event held was a Twenty One Pilots concert o ...
in 2020. The 2021 Stock Show was cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
; only the second time in the event's history. It returned in 2022.
Charitable works
The Stock Show is incorporated as a
non-profit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
, with the goal of creating “an educational showcase for the great livestock industry."
Millions of dollars have been awarded as educational grants during the Stock Show's tenure. Apart from grants to Texas
4-H Club
4-H is a U.S.-based network of youth organizations whose mission is "engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development". Its name is a reference to the occurrence of the initial letter H four times i ...
and
FFA Chapter members, the Stock Show has also established endowed scholarships at
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University (TCU) is a private research university in Fort Worth, Texas. It was established in 1873 by brothers Addison and Randolph Clark as the Add-Ran Male & Female College. It is affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples ...
and
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas. Established on , and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the main institution of the five-institution Texas Tech University Sys ...
. The scholarships at TCU benefit students in the Ranch Management Program, while those at Texas Tech benefit students in the school's animal science or
agricultural economics
Agricultural economics is an applied field of economics concerned with the application of economic theory in optimizing the production and distribution of food and fiber products.
Agricultural economics began as a branch of economics that specif ...
programs. An additional $4,000 grant is given annually to a student in the
College of Veterinary Medicine at
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...
.
The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce a few years ago honored the Show with its “Spirit of Enterprise Award.” The Stock Show received praise for “helping to build a modern Fort Worth, boosting agribusiness education with grants and scholarships, and demonstrating a strong spirit of enterprise.” Based on a recent survey, the Stock Show generates an economic impact in excess of $100 million for the Fort Worth area.
References
External links
Fort Worth Stock Show & RodeoSouthwestern Exposition and Livestock Show Programsat the Fort Worth Public Library Archives.
Culture of Fort Worth, Texas
Economy of Fort Worth, Texas
History of Fort Worth, Texas
Festivals in Texas
Agricultural shows in the United States
Tourist attractions in Fort Worth, Texas
Rodeos
ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductees
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