Photo Credit: Lisa Norwood
A gold badge from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ is one of the organization’s best-known symbols. Each year, it can be seen pinned proudly on the vests, shirts and badge holders of tens of thousands of individuals involved with the Show. The gold badge stands for commitment, community and generosity for all who have the opportunity and honor to wear it. When did the badge first appear, and how has its purpose changed?
Badges have been utilized at the Rodeo since the inception of the Fat Stock Show in 1932. At that time, Show officials and members of the press were issued laminated paper badges for identification. They originally served as passes to allow officers, directors and others involved with the Rodeo admittance into the main arena and other areas that required their attention. Committee personnel did not receive a badge of any kind.
Over the years, the number of badges issued and their function grew with the Show. The first metal badge was produced in the 1940s. At this time, a different badge design was used each year — a process still occurring today. Having a new design not only helps prevent duplication, but it is also used to reference significant Rodeo years, like 2002 (the closing of the Astrodome complex) or 2022 (the 90th anniversary.)
In the 1950s and early 1960s, all badges were finished in gold or silver tones. Gold badges were considered a sign of VIP status and were issued only to officers and chairmen, with all others receiving silver badges. Sometime during this period, a tale was told of one well-known Houston businessman who was so upset he possessed a silver badge that he sprayed it with a can of metallic gold paint. As the story goes, he was so proud of the quality of his work that he bragged about it to anyone who would listen.
When the Rodeo expanded to its new home in the Astrodome in 1966, it eliminated silver badges and only used gold ones. This move showed the volunteers that they were each valued the same for their devotion and contribution to the organization, despite their rank or designation. Today, over 50 unique titles are used on the badges. In 2019, the Show started using a black plate with the title engraved on the badge to honor those volunteers with 15 years or more of service.
Katie Luckett, director of membership at the Show, explained how the badge process works. “The entire procedure, from concept to distribution, lasts for more than a year. The design comes from a combination of the chairman of the board as well as our marketing team. Once it is established, we work with our vendor to translate the design into metal. Final approval comes from the Executive Committee,” she said.
The Show uses a Houston company that works with an outside factory to manage production. The order is placed no later than early June, and it takes two to three weeks to produce. A full-time Rodeo employee is on-site throughout the process until the badges are delivered in late October or early November.
Badges are made of bronze, brass or zinc material with a 24-carat gold or nickel finish. The exact size and weight vary, but badges typically weigh 1.5 ounces and are approximately 2.5 inches wide by 2.25 inches long.
Between October and November, the badges are delivered to the Rodeo office. The membership office has seasonal employees who help with the pre-packaging and distribution of badges and parking permits to volunteers. More than 53,000 badges were ordered for the 2024 Show.
One of those more than 53,000 badges belongs to Show director G.W. “Jerry” Kent, who met his wife, Laura, in 1984 when they joined the Rodeo and served on the Swine Committee. “We keep our badges, along with other Rodeo keepsakes, on a display table next to the couch in our den,” Kent said. “Seeing them every day is both a reminder of our commitment of service over the years and also a way to share our personal experiences with family and friends.”