As the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo made its first appearance of the new millennium, it was an event noteworthy for record-breaking action, celebrations of Houston's history and groundbreaking visions of the future. More visitors than ever enjoyed the excitement of the Show's activities. A record 1,889,861 people entered the gates, breaking the 1999 record of 1,853,650. More than half of these visitors attended the Rodeo. The Rodeo's record attendance of 1,105,478 made 2000 the sixth consecutive year that paid Rodeo attendance has topped the 1 million mark. Eleven of the 20 Rodeo performances were official sellouts, and 18 of the 20 performances had paid attendance in excess of 50,000. Two of the performances were among the highest ever in paid attendance. The 64,880 spectators who attended the Go Tejano Day performance with Los Tucanes de Tijuana and A.B. Quintanilla y Los Kumbia Kings were the fifth largest crowd of all time. Go Tejano Day also broke general attendance records, with 133,029 people at the complex. The 59,548 fans who attended the RODEOHOUSTON™ finals and the Clay Walker concert were the 12th largest paid crowd ever. The 2000 Show also marked the third year in a row that Clay Walker's performances garnered slots on the highest-paid attendance list. Before the run of Rodeo performances even started, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo rocketed out of the starting gates with a Go Texan Weekend that included a parade through downtown led by grand marshal R.C. Slocum, Texas A&M University head football coach; the gathering of 6,000 riders from 15 trail ride groups at Memorial Park for their annual ride in the parade; the Conoco 10K Rodeo Run, which raised $100,000 for the Show's Educational Fund; and the Area Go Texan Scholarship Banquet, which awarded scholarships to students from the 60 Area Go Texan counties.

 

Clayton Parker of Uvalde, Texas, exhibitor of the 2000 Grand Champion Steer, receives a hearty congratulations from Bob McNair, who purchased the steer for a record $560,000.

 

The first weekend also found a record-breaking 176,290 visitors taking in the flavors and aromas of the World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest. Filling 350 spaces, teams vied for honors based on cooking, recycling, cleanliness and showmanship. The excitement didn't end with the food, as American Music Association Favorite New Country Artist winner Montgomery Gentry performed on the entertainment stage opening night, and regional artists entertained the crowds on subsequent evenings. Superstars from every musical realm wowed the Astrodome crowds during the 20 Rodeo performances. The diverse lineup of 24 entertainers offered a little something for everyone — country, Latin, pop, R&B and Tejano. The concerts included unforgettable fun — Rod Stewart kicked soccer balls over the heads of the Dome floor crowd into the field boxes; Kenny Rogers tossed Frisbees™ to fans; Enrique Iglesias took to the air and flew above thrilled fans on a special platform; Brooks & Dunn kicked up dirt as they made their entrance in modified mini-cars; and Sammy Kershaw threw Mardi Gras beads to fans, plus gave two autographed guitars to thrilled audience members. The concerts had their sentimental moments and tributes, too, as Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard brought Poncho and Lefty to life; Clint Black's wife, Lisa Hartman Black, joined him on stage for a heartwarming duet; Steve Miller donned a cowboy hat as he sang and then waved a Texas flag during his exit; Robert Earl Keen brought the crowd to its feet for a proud rendition of "Texas Our Texas"; and Clay Walker honored the Show's Western heritage by riding out on a horse. Even entertainer Tony Bennett paid tribute to the Show during his concert. "One of the great reasons that I'm so thrilled to be on this stage tonight," Bennett said, "is what you folks in Houston are doing in helping and assisting the young people for education — I think it's the greatest thing that could ever happen, and I want to thank you." There were quite a few young people that got a boost during the Show. Support of Texas youth continued to rise as records were broken in the junior auctions. During the 2000 Show, all of the junior grand champions and half of the reserve grand champions broke auction records. The junior auctions totaled a phenomenal $6,825,248. This amount included: steers, $2,826,700; swine, $1,103,750; lambs, $1,068,360; poultry, $924,950; school art, $677,850; and commercial steers, $223,638. Total auction sales, including the Premier Horse Sale, tallied in at $9,537,083.

In an increase from previous years, the Premier Horse Sale alone brought in $336,950. Besides the sale, the world-class Houston Horse Show activities included equine competition in seven breeds. Exhibitors competed for a share of prize money in excess of $200,000. More than 37,000 livestock and horse show entries were recorded for the 2000 Show, including more than 14,000 junior livestock entries. Entries also included the open show, as well as various sales and contests. The International Livestock Congress held during the Show brought cattlemen, equine breeders and livestock enthusiasts from around the globe to Houston. With many international guests attending the Congress, the Show registered 2,714 foreign visitors from 56 countries. Hands down, the guests who traveled the farthest to attend the Show were the crew of the space shuttle Endeavour. On Feb. 19, three of the astronauts took part in the evening Rodeo performance live from the shuttle's orbit where they were mapping Earth. In the spirit of the Rodeo, they even showed the audience the package of barbecue they had aboard the shuttle. Two weeks later, all six crew members and their families visited the Show again — this time in person.

 

Many dignitaries traveled to Houston for the Show, including New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman, right, who visited with U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas and Show Chairman of the Board Jim Bloodworth.

The world's only regular-season invitational rodeo brought together 509 contestants representing the best athletes the sport has to offer from across the United States and Canada. These outstanding cowboys and cowgirls competed for a share of $767,500 in prize money. Joe Beaver of Huntsville, Texas, won his third RodeoHouston All-Around Cowboy title, with total earnings of $29,491.40. Competing in both calf roping and team roping, his earnings included a $25,000 bonus, plus a trophy saddle, buckle and truck. He also won the All-Around Cowboy award in 1995 and 1997. Beaver wasn't the only cowboy taking home a trophy saddle and a RodeoHouston championship. Event champions included: bareback bronc riding, William R. Pittman Jr., Florence, Miss., with total earnings of $13,892.24; barrel racing, Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., with total earnings of $16,497.36; bull riding, Tyler Fowler, Theodore, Ala., with total earnings of $13,051.86; calf roping, Fred Whitfield, Hockley, Texas, with total earnings of $9,750.08; saddle bronc riding, Billy Etbauer, Edmond, Okla., with total earnings of $21,014.91; steer wrestling, Frank Thompson, Cheyenne, Wyo., with total earnings of $11,893.21; and team roping, Speed Williams and Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas, with total earnings of $8,954.32 each. Billy Etbauer also showed Rodeo fans something never seen before in the Astrodome — an 88-point saddle bronc ride. While Etbauer was the only cowboy to break an Astrodome record this year, Sean Culver of Grandview, Wash., tied the bareback bronc riding record with a score of 86 points. Bad luck resulted in some good luck for bull rider Royce Jennings of Seneca, Neb. Rodeo fans chose Jennings to receive the High Flyin' Hard Luck Award after the bull he was riding first stepped on him and then turned around and rammed him. The cowboys and cowgirls weren't the only rodeo athletes competing for honors. New in 2000, RODEOHOUSTON presented bucking stock awards to recognize the stock contractors who brought the best saddle bronc horses, bareback horses and bulls to Houston. Guidry Rodeo Company, Madisonville, Texas, took top honors for the best bulls, while Cervi Championship Rodeo, Sterling, Colo., took both saddle bronc and bareback awards. For fans who wanted to view the Rodeo from their living room couches, RODEOHOUSTON produced two Rodeo telecasts — one of semifinal highlights and a live broadcast of the Rodeo's finals. In addition to RODEOHOUSTON being available through pay-per-view, men and women around the world were able to view it on Armed Forces Television. For fans in the Astrodome, every seat had a good view of the action thanks to the PowerVision screens. For the third year, Reliant Energy sponsored the screens and a multimedia spectacular. "The Power of Heroes" paid tribute to the men and women of Houston who have made a difference through community service, leadership and education. The support for their contributions was echoed in the video's music: "Our hometown heroes / Embraced this land for me and for you / Faith and love / Made hopes and dreams come true." In conjunction with "The Power of Heroes," a different hometown hero was honored each day. Honorees included: oil well firefighter Red Adair; Olympian and University of Houston track coach Leroy Burrell; former football star Ray Childress; heart surgeon Dr. Denton Cooley; Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo's first scholarship recipient, Ben Dickerson; former basketball star Clyde Drexler; medical pioneer and Lifeflight founder Dr. Red Duke; Black Go Texan Committee Chairman Warner Irvin, representing all Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo volunteers; astronaut Scott Kelly; Houston Comets' Monica Lamb; restauranteur Ninfa Laurenzo; Assistant Fire Chief Fred Lozano, representing the Houston Fire Department; HISD Superintendent Dr. Rod Paige; former football coach Bum Phillips; Olympian Mary Lou Retton; television news anchor Sylvan Rodriguez (who passed away on April 7, 2000); television personality Ron Stone; and reigning World Champion All-Around Cowboy, Fred Whitfield.

 

Dr. Ernie Davis of the International Committee scans a list of international visitors with Texas Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs.

 

There was just as much excitement outside of the Astrodome with visitors flocking to the carnival, The Hideout, Destination: AGVENTURE, Rodeo Experience, petting zoos, pony rides and pig races. Nationally and regionally recognized talent, including hot artists such as Gary Allan, BR5-49 and Sherrie Austin, gave visitors to The Hideout a stomping good time each evening . During the day, Suzy Haner, "America's Hottest Hypnotist," kept audiences mesmerized — and laughing — and up-and-coming amateurs gave their best performances in the Show's new talent show. With three divisions of competition, it was singer Bobbie Crow, singer Lauren Landin, and dance partners Alina Wilson and Josh Zuniga taking the honors for top talent. For the little cowpokes with an urge to wrangle, the AGVENTURE Arena and the Rodeo Experience offered an array of activities including a stick horse rodeo, rodeo educational presentations and cowboy autograph sessions. Even a mechanical bull let visitors try for the thrill of a successful ride.

 

Space shuttle Endeavour pilot Dom Gorie compares tactics with calf scrambler Cory Rains of Rotan, Texas, on the difference between capturing a satellite and catching a calf.

 

Another successful ride at the 2000 Show was the Rodeo METRO Express shuttle program. With an expansion to six locations, nearly 300,000 riders utilized the service to take them to and from the Show. The Rodeo's sights and sounds were available on the Show's Web sites at <www. hlsr.com> and <www.rodeohouston.com>. These sites featured daily video clips of the Rodeo champions and hard luck winners, as well as updated information on performance and go-round results. For the more than 2,000 media representatives at the Show, press releases were available on the Web with downloadable photos of the livestock champions. A new service provided daily e-mail updates to subscribers during the Show and will continue throughout the year as a weekly update. The information didn't end there -- the Web sites offered everything from daily schedules to reports on ticket availability. And before the dust from the Show even settled, the shovels were in the dirt for groundbreaking ceremonies for the new Harris County Stadium. Dignitaries from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Houston NFL Holdings, Harris County, the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority, the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation, the National Football League and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association were all on hand for the March 9 ceremonies for the Rodeo/NFL stadium. The 2000 Show was truly one of breaking records and breaking ground that set the tone and marked the next step in the Show's shining future.