Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo(TM) Breaks Barriers, Blasts Past 2 Million Mark

HOUSTON, March 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The 78th annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo ended another successful run, shattering attendance records and breaking several junior market auction records along the way, all while providing great entertainment at a value price, showcasing Texas agriculture, and promoting Western heritage.

More than 22,000 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo volunteers donated their time and talent to help produce the world's largest livestock show, richest regular-season PRCA rodeo, and the Southwest's premier family entertainment event. Following are highlights from the 2010 Show.

Attendance highlights

• The 2010 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo entertained a record 2,144,077 visitors for general attendance (for all activities on the grounds). The previous general attendance record was set in 2009 with a total of 1,890,332 visitors. This is the first time the Show has reached the 2 million mark for general attendance.
• The single-day general attendance record was set Sunday, March 14, on Go Tejano Day, with 141,273 visitors. The previous record was set in 2009 with 135,548 visitors.
• RodeoHouston™ paid attendance totaled a record 1,264,074 fans enjoying action-packed rodeo and superstars in concert. The previous record was set during the 2003 Show with a total of 1,215,913 RodeoHouston fans.
• The March 14, 2010, RodeoHouston performance celebrating Go Tejano Day and featuring rodeo action and concerts by Pesado and El Trono De Mexico, broke the Show's single day all-time Rodeo attendance record with a paid attendance of 74,222. The previous record of 74,147 was set during the 2009 Go Tejano Day with performances by Ramon Ayala and Alacranes Musical.
• A record eight RodeoHouston performances were considered sellouts (approximately 70,000 tickets sold).
• Six RodeoHouston performances landed in the list of the Show's top 20 paid Rodeo attendance records:
  • 1st: March 14, 2010 — Pesado and El Trono De Mexico – 74,222
  • 5th: March 18, 2010 — Black Eyed Peas – 73,073
  • 7th: March 20, 2010 — Brooks & Dunn, The Last Rodeo Tour – 72,977
  • 8th: March 21, 2010 — Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez – 72,883
  • 15th: March 5, 2010 — Mary J. Blige – 72,150
  • 19th: March 7, 2010 — Jonas Brothers with special guest Demi Lovato – 72,013    
• A record 221,229 people visited the World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest to help kick off the Show, topping last year's attendance record of 217,640.
• More than 220,000 visitors rode the Rodeo Express shuttle buses from four locations.
• The Show hosted 2,001 international guests from 51 countries.
• More than 75,000 children received a hands-on agricultural education through a school tour or field trip in Capital One Bank AGventure. Nearly 80,000 people experienced the Fun on the Farm exhibit.

RodeoHouston™ BP Super Series results

• The world's top 50 cowboys and cowgirls in each of seven events were invited to participate in the RodeoHouston BP Super Series, competing for a share of more than $1.5 million in prize money, the richest purse in regular-season PRCA rodeo. Each event champion walked away from Reliant Stadium with at least $50,000, a RodeoHouston trophy saddle and a champion buckle.
• 2010 RodeoHouston Champions are:
  • tie-down roping: Stran Smith – Childress, Texas, $54,175;
  • bareback riding: Ryan Gray – Cheney, Wash., $55,350;
  • team roping: Turtle Powell – Stephenville, Texas, $56,250, and
    Cory Petska – Lexington, Okla., $56, 250;
  • saddle bronc riding: Rod Hay – Wildwood, Alberta, Canada, $54,250;
  • steer wrestling: Cody Cassidy – Donaldo, Alberta, Canada, $52,650;
  • barrel racing: Sherry Cervi – Marana, Ariz., $61,500;
  • bull riding: Shawn Hogg – Odessa, Texas, $56,250.
• The RodeoHouston BP Super Series featured 116 National Finals Rodeo qualifiers, eight event world champions, two PRCA Announcers of the Year, a Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame announcer, a Country Music Association Hall of Fame color commentator, a PRCA Clown of the Year, and two PRCA Bullfighter of the Year nominees.
• The High Flyin' Award, a year's worth of Continental Airlines travel, presented to the contestant with the highest flights, hardest spills, roughest crashes, and toughest luck, went to R.C. Landingham from Red Bluff, Calif., for his wild encounter with a bull.
• Xtreme Bulls returned to RodeoHouston Sunday, March 21. Forty cowboys competed for a total purse of $75,000. The 2010 winner was Luke Haught, from Weatherford, Texas. He walked away with $22,771.
• RodeoHouston produced four live pay-per-view telecasts, including the RodeoHouston BP Super Series Championship, Saturday, March 20.

AUCTION RECORDS, TOTALS

• This year's livestock competitions and horse shows boasted 27,013 entries.
• Each of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo junior auctions brought in $1 million or more. Seven of the junior auction Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion records were broken. The prices for the top winners were (*new world's records):
  • *Grand Champion Work of Art, $190,000; and Reserve Grand Champion Work of Art, $120,000
  • *Grand Champion Barrow, $176,000; and *Reserve Grand Champion Barrow, $115,000
  • Grand Champion Pen of Broilers, $120,000; and Reserve Grand Champion Pen of Broilers, $60,000
  • *Grand Champion Goat, $135,000; and *Reserve Grand Champion Goat, $132,000
  • *Grand Champion Lamb, $190,000; and *Reserve Grand Champion Lamb, $135,000
  • Grand Champion Steer, $175,000; and Reserve Grand Champion Steer, $168,000
  • Grand Champion Turkey, $78,500; and Reserve Grand Champion Turkey, $48,000
• Junior auction sales totaled $7,148,201.
• The junior auction totals** included: market steers — $2,205,950; lamb and goat — $1,543,926; barrows — $1,086,100; poultry — $1,082,125; and school art — $1,230,100 (**unaudited preliminary totals that do not include cash contributions and some purchase commitment amounts).
• The Junior Commercial Steer Sale totaled $455,833.
• The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Champion Wine Auction brought in $773,650, including $120,000 for the Grand Champion Best of Show and $90,000 for the Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show.  
• The Ranching & Wildlife Auction totaled $145,700.

more great numbers

• More than 1,500 kids participated in Mutton Bustin' in the Kids Country Arena, and more than 280 participated in Mutton Bustin' in Reliant Stadium.
• In the Capital One Bank AGventure Birthing Center, 73 piglets, 22 lambs and 17 calves were born during the Show. In the poultry exhibit, more than 1,000 chicks were hatched.
• More than 300,000 stuffed animals were won at the games in the carnival.
• More than 22,000 young cowboys and cowgirls took a ride at the pony rides.
• There were 378 8-second rides on the back of bucking bulls and horses in the regular rounds of RodeoHouston.  
• Food could be found at nearly all areas within Reliant Park, and Show visitors enjoyed the unique types available. Below are a few highlights.
  • 100,000 funnel cakes
  • 91,000 turkey legs
  • 33,000 ears of corn
  • 30,000 caramel and candied apples
  • 15,000 pounds of sugar for cotton candy
  • 10,000 pounds of strawberries
  • 7,500 chocolate-covered cheesecakes on a stick
  • 6,500 orders of chicken-fried bacon
  • 6,000 cans of whipped cream
  • 4,500 chocolate covered strawberries

Heritage Partners for the 2010 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo were Reliant Energy, Coca-Cola, Ford, Miller Lite and BP America.

For complete results and highlights, visit the Show's Web site at www.rodeohouston.com, or, visit the Show on Facebook, MySpace or Twitter: rodeohouston.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is a Section 501(c)(3) charitable event that benefits youth, supports education, and facilitates better agricultural practices through exhibitions and presentation. Since its beginning in 1932, the Show has contributed more than $250 million to scholarships, research, endowments, calf scramble participants, junior show exhibitors, the Rodeo Institute for Teacher Excellence™, School Art participants, and other educational and youth programs. The 2011 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo will run March 1 – 20.

SOURCE Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo