For hardworking cowboys, there is nothing like sitting down to a satisfying, hot meal after putting in a full day’s work out on the range. From cattle drives of the past to cattle roundups today, the chuck wagon has been a necessity for cowboys and ranch hands alike.
T o many Texans, the official greeting of the Lone Star State is “Howdy.” The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ took it a step further by creating “Howdy” as the larger-than-life mascot for the 74-year-old organization.
Among the most distinctive items in a cowboy’s wardrobe are his chaps. The many variations of these garments resulted from the purposes they were designed to suit, and their origins offer a unique glimpse of Western heritage.
On Nov. 1, 2004, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ lost a leader and a true friend with the passing of Hal Hillman. During his more than 40 years of involvement with the Show, Hillman built strong friendships with Show officers, management, staff and volunteers, while actively supporting the Show’s growth and vigorously pursuing its mission of furthering education for Texas youngsters.
Everything you need to know about the 2005 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ is included in this issue. Check out the star lineup, Show schedule and maps.
Consider the much-maligned prickly pear cactus. This ubiquitous plant is a bane to ranchers, who resist its rampant growth on their grasslands, and a nuisance to hikers, who invariably encounter its barbed spines while out enjoying nature. Yet this “noxious weed” is a source of sustenance for both humans and livestock, a favorite subject for photographers and, historically, a cure-all for more than 100 ailments. What, then, is this spiny vegetation that grows with wild abandon on the grassy prairies, rocky hillsides, streambeds and barren washes of the Texas landscape?
Letters and comments should be sent to:
Marketing and Public Relations Division,
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™
P.O. Box 20070
Houston, Texas 77225-0070
