Writing Competition

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ Trailblazer Committee is delighted to announce its 5^th Annual Writing Competition. Texas-area fourth graders are invited to submit an essay or poem about a “Colorful Lasso.”

You’re a wrangler with a magic lasso that can turn anything it touches into vibrant, brilliant colors. One day, you and your horse ride to a rodeo that’s looking a little dull and gray.  Write a story or poem about how you use your magic lasso to brighten up the rodeo. Here are some ideas you might think about while writing your story:

• What colorful changes do you create around the rodeo? 
• How does your horse and lasso help you? 
• Describe the fun and excitement as the rodeo transforms into a dazzling display of vibrant colors!
• Or, use your own wild imagination to describe your colorful adventure.  

Please check back soon for entry form and rules & regulations for more information.

All submissions must be uploaded into the Contest Portal. Portal opens October 14, 2024. Please see complete Rules and Regulations here and Entry Form here. All submissions must be received by November 5^th, 2024. Winners will be announced January 15, 2025 and they will be invited to a winners reception during the Houston Rodeo to receive a trophy belt buckle.

The contest is open to Texas 4^th graders. Entries will be judged by committee volunteers in two, double blind rounds on the following criteria: Ideas, Organization, Voice, Sentence Fluency, Conventions and Presentations.

Top entries will be reviewed by an education panel to confirm they met all criteria for the competition prior to final judging. The final round of judging will be conducted by a panel of celebrity judges. The 2024 judges included:  Kristen Bird, suspense/mystery novelist, and high school teacher in Houston, TX; Valerie Koehler, owner of Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston, TX; Cathey Nickell children’s book author in Bellaire, TX; April Lopez, children’s book author and baker in Diboll, Texas; April M. Salazar children’s book author and podcaster, in Houston, TX; and Trent Willmon, Texas born singer-songwriter and CMA award-winning producer.

Read the 2025 essay entries here and poetry entries here.