It's not just season boxes any more! Although the Ladies' Season Box Committee was created to sell season boxes for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, it was so successful the committee was willing to take on additional responsibilities. Now, its duties have expanded and include everything from putting on the annual Season Box Gala to selling season box seats for the National Cutting Horse Association's competition held in the Astroarena each year just before the rodeo kicks off. Cheryl Thompson-Draper, chairman of the committee, said, "We are here to do whatever the president and Executive Committee need us to do. Last year, the Show's president, Jim Bloodworth, asked us to help host the FFA national convention, a special event for the Show and our city, and we did it." Along with their many other duties that vary from year to year, this committee also hosts the newly organized Star Trails reception, an annual event honoring the most popular rodeo entertainers of the past and present. The 1997 inductees were Charley Pride and Elvis Presley. The Ladies' Season Box Committee, originally formed as the Rabbit Auction Committee, is currently made up of 100 hard-working women, 20 of whom are charter members. When the Rabbit Auction was discontinued in 1970, the president and Executive Committee recognized that the talent pool available in this group was still strong and assigned it the duty of selling season box tickets. The women soon excelled at their new job, and there is now a wait of several years for a season box, with more than 3,700 people on the waiting list. Jerry Johnston Andrew, officer in charge, said, "The primary function of this committee is to sell 1,948 season boxes and renew those sales each year, a job that generates over $1.9 million for scholarships annually." When asked about the work of the committee, Andrew commented, " They are truly dedicated sales people. My hat is off to them all." The success of this committee has not slowed them down. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Season Box Gala, held in mid-January each year, is another time-consuming project. This black-tie event, attended by 600 people in 1997, is a party to honor season box holders. The work on this event starts with an initial planning meeting in May. Members choose the theme and entertainment, select the space and send out invitations, as well as host the event. Although invitations go to season box holders first, the gala is open to the public which adds to the challenge of making the party bigger and better every year. "We have monthly meetings scheduled October through January with a follow-up meeting in April. December and January are our busy months getting ready for the gala and making sure we have covered every detail," said Thompson-Draper. The Ladies' Season Box Committee works virtually year-round to accomplish its ever increasing duties.
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