RREECCOOGGNNIIZZIINNGG AANNDD IINNFFOORRMMIINNGG TTHHEE VVOOLLUUNNTTEEEERRSS AANNDD SSUUPPPPOORRTTEERRSS OOFF TTHHEE HHOOUUSSTTOONN LL IIVVEESSTTOOCCKK SSHHOOWW AANNDD RROODDEEOO

MAGAZINENNoovveemmbbeerr 11999966 –– VVooll.. IIVV,, NNoo.. 44

GGeeaarr UUpp

ffoorr tthhee

‘‘9977 SShhooww ((JJaacckkeett OOppttiioonnaall))

MAGAZINE COMMITTEEMAGAZINE COMMITTEE

OFFICER IN CHARGE

J. Grover Kelley

CHAIRMAN

Peter A. Ruman

VICE CHAIRMAN

Bill Booher

EDITORIAL BOARD

Bill BarrettSuzanne EppsC. F. KendallJohn Murphy

Marshall R. Smith III

COPY EDITOR

Larry Levy

REPORTERS

Bill BludworthNancy Burch

Yahsmine Catli-CowanSyndy Arnold Davis

Cheryl DorsettAmy Glass

Freeman GregoryWhitney Horton

Charlotte HowardAnn Jacobs

Beth JohnsonMark Jones

Constance LoydPam Malone

Melissa ManningBeverly Rosenbaum

Patrick ScherriebCarol Thobae

Leslie Worsham

DESIGN/LAYOUT

Pegasus Design, Inc.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Sam Pierson

MAGAZINE STAFF

MANAGEMENT

COORDINATORS

Leroy ShaferSuzy Brown

PRODUCTION EDITOR

Johnnie Westerhaus

STAFF COORDINATOR/EDITOR

Teresa Lippert

Volume IV, No. 4, is published by theHouston Livestock Show and Rodeo,

Copyright 1996. Letters and commentsshould be sent to: Marketing

Department, Houston Livestock Showand Rodeo, P.O. Box 20070, Houston,

Texas 77225-0070.

Magazine

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Joseph T. Ainsworth, M.D.Jim BloodworthDon A. BuckalewJohn H. CauseyJ.M. ClepperDick GravesHal HillmanDon D. JordanH. Stuart Lang Jr.Louis M. Pearce Jr.John O. SmithTommie VaughnJames M. Windham Jr.

LIFETIME MEMBERS -EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Douglas B. MarshallClayton UnderwoodP. Michael Wells

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Don D. Jordan

PRESIDENT

Jim Bloodworth

OFFICERS

Jerry Johnston AndrewKen CaldwellJohn T. Cook IIICharles W. GrantRed GriffinJ. Grover KelleyDan Lehane, M.D.John J. MontalbanoDavid E. Mouton, M.D.Kenneth C. MoursundPaul G. SomervilleLodie StapletonBill T. Teague

GENERAL MANAGER

Dan A. Gattis

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

A Message from the President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Features

We’re Glad You Asked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Scholarship/Citizenship Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

A Fond Farewell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

This is My Story and I’m Sticking to It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

X-Rated – Straws and Felts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Get in Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

On the Road to Excellence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

From Scholars to Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Committee Spotlights

Carnival Ticket Sales Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Equipment Acquisition Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Sheep and Goat Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Executive Committee Portrait

Don A. Buckalew . . . . . . . . 20

Show News and Updates

Rodeo Round-Up . . . . . . . . 21

Calendar of Events . . Back Cover

The cover: The Show’s1997 Official Jacket.

Photo by Sam Pierson

MAGAZINE

TTABLE OFABLE OF CONTENTSCONTENTS

M A G A Z I N E

M A G A Z I N E 1

hen you thinkof yourself as

part of the HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo, what imagesdoes that bring to mind?The rodeo? The auc-tions? The stars? Unlessyou work on one ofthe committees thatdirectly deals with live-stock, you probably don’tinstantly think abouthow closely this organi-zation is tied tothe agriculturalindustry.

We’ve seen farm-ers and ranchersthis year ontelevision, sellingtheir cattle at rock-bottom prices or plow-ing under their cropsbecause of the drought.But because many of usare at least a generationremoved from a ruralenvironment, we don’talways make the con-nection of how the plightof food producers willaffect us. When we haveto pay more for a gallonof milk at the grocerystore, will we rememberthat dairy farmers had topay more for feedbecause there wasless feed available?

However, if you’re asupporter of theHouston LivestockShow and Rodeo, you’remuch more involved inagriculture than theaverage citizen. You’vebeen helping scientistsdevelop more drought-resistant crops, discoverbetter ways to farm

using less water andfewer chemicals,improve cattle breeds tobetter utilize range land,develop alternative cropsfor Texas farmers,improve fire ant control tobenefit farmers, ranchersand picnickers, andmuch, much more.

Each year, the HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo supports morethan 30 research projects

at Texas collegesand universities.Although our direct

scholarship pro-grams generatebigger head-lines, these agri-cultural research

projects willhelp our country

meet thechallenges of the21st century bykeeping up withchanges in tech-

nology andresources and produc-ing a safe, consistentfood supply for a hun-gry world.

In 1996, 10 schoolsparticipated, with pro-jects ranging from fireant control research togenetic engineering inplants. Some of the titlesindicate the complexityand range: “The Effectof Pen Densityon Plasma CortisolLevels in FeedlotSteers,” “Implementinga Farm and RanchFinancial ManagementProgram in Texas,” “TheWorld Food Outlook andImplications for U.S.

Agriculture” and“Identification ofMolecular GeneticDifferences in SlaughterCattle and TheirAssociations withFeedlot andCarcass Traits.”

Obviously, there’s nolonger any such thing as“just a farmer”— he orshe must have computerand management skills,knowledge of chemistryand biology, and theability to deal with envi-ronmental, labor andother societal issues. TheHouston Livestock Showand Rodeo, through itssupport of agriculturalresearch in Texas, ishelping to develop thoseskills and abilities in thefood and fiber leaders oftomorrow.

Why should you and Icare if this organizationhelps the agriculturalindustry? There aremore of us –insurancebrokers, computertechnicians,secretaries,accountantsandbankers -and fewerfarmersand ranchers.Combinethat with agrowingworld

population and limitedland resources, and itwill take better effi-ciency to keep the foodcoming. That respon-sibility will fallon the shoulders of theAmerican farmer, andwe can all be proud thatthe Houston LivestockShow and Rodeowill help.

Although our eventhas grown into a majorentertainment extrava-ganza, the Show beganbecause seven men ofvision wanted Houstonto become a hub for thecattle industry. In thisseason of harvest andbounty, we can bethankful that theHouston Livestock Showand Rodeo remains acornerstone for thefuture of agriculture.

A M E S S A G E F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T

J I M B L O O D W O R T H

P r e s i d e n t

Kay

e M

arvi

ns

Ph

otog

rap

hy

W

Last year, the badge policy was changed to include a new silver VIP badge as well as the goldcommittee member’s badge. What did the new badge do for the Show, and will there be anychanges in the badge policy for 1997?Adding the new VIP badge, in addition to the gold committee member badge, worked out quitewell for the Show. Our main reason for instituting the new badge was to aid in crowd control.

It helped greatly with congestion at gate entrances as well as with the crowds inside the Dome itself. We don’t anticipate any changes to the 1997 badge policies.

2 M A G A Z I N E

?We’re Glad You Asked

Are there any changes in store for our scholarship program, in particular, increasing the value of awards?

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo boasts one of the most renowned scholarship programs in thecountry, with an annual commitment to Texas young people of more than $4 million. In the near future,

we do not anticipate any increase in the value of direct scholarships; however, we hope to increase the numberof scholarships presented in each program.

How are we dealing with parking issues during the Show?

Everyone within the Show’s leadership recognizes that parking is our biggest challenge during the Show. We continually work on options to help us in this area. For the 1997 Show,

we will be experimenting with an off-site parking location for committee volunteers and staff. Butwhen the “stadium issue” is completely resolved, we will begin implementing new solutionsto parking issues.

Q:

A:

Q:

A:

Does the Show receive any revenue from the $4 parking fee?

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo receives none of the profits from Astrodome parkingcharges. All parking money goes to Astrodome USA (the Astrodome management company),

as they are responsible for all security, liability and maintenance of the Astrodome complexparking lot.

Q:

A:

Why can’t the horse trailers in front of the Astroarena be moved to an off-site location to make moreparking spaces available?Our horse show, one of the world’s largest, had 3,352 horses entered in the 1996 Show, and the Astroarenahas 700 stalls to accommodate these horses. Therefore, it is necessary for the exhibitors to keep their

costly tack, feed, saddles and other supplies locked up in their trailers. Many exhibitors enter multiple classesof competition, so it becomes necessary for them to go back to their trailers several times a day. Also, most horseshow exhibitors are here for one-day shows, so the same trailers are not in the Astroarena parking lot for theentire two-week duration of the Show.

Q:

A:

P

As committee volunteers and members of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, we take interest and share

common concerns about Show policies, procedures and regulations. The Editorial Board of the H Magazine Committee

recently had the opportunity to present a number of those common concerns that affect each of us to Show

President Jim Bloodworth and General Manager Dan Gattis. The following are their responses:

Q:

A:

M A G A Z I N E 3

What is the status of committee growth? Is the “maximum number” for committee size locked?As many of you who are involved with the Show know, we have experienced tremen-dous committee growth in the past 10 years — from 5,000 volunteers to more than 11,000. Currently, we are

putting a “freeze” on committee growth. There will be very limited increases in committee sizes this year. Our pri-mary reason for doing so is to ease the parking situation. We also will be carefully reviewing the size and scope ofall Show committees and their roles with respect to the operations of the Show.

Q:

A:

What is the status of the Show’s property on Highway 288? Can this area be used for off-site parking?The Show owns approximately 300 acres on Highway 288. Although it is certainly a viable option for an off-site parking lot, development is being delayed until an adequate drainage system can be

constructed on the land, and we are currently working on that issue. However, we are in the process of constructingrodeo stock pens on the property for use during the Show. The covered pens and fenced-in areas will be usedfor stalling livestock used during the rodeo that previously was transported to and from Sealy, Texas, after each performance.

Q:

A:

Why are there no more season tickets to be sold if there are tickets still to purchase?

Currently, about 30,500 seats are sold as season boxes. Although it would bevery easy to sell out the Dome with season tickets, we must retain seats for the

general public to purchase once our entertainers are announced. We want to give theopportunity to purchase tickets to individuals and families who may want to come to one or

two performances.

Why are some entertainers here for multiple performances?

While we strive to bring as many stars as possible to our Show each year, we also attempt to let spectatorssee their first choice of performers. Some entertainers have such large audiences that it takes more than

one performance to satisfy the demand. Also, in our attempt to maintain a high quality for all performances,we sometimes have to sign multiple performances of our top stars. We walk a fine line balancing demand forparticular entertainers against the wishes of our season ticket holders who want the greatest variety possible.

Q:

A:

Is there a possibility of Astroworld becoming the Show’s carnival?

We never keep the doors closed to new ideas, and there is always a possibility that Astroworld would beaffiliated with our annual event. The carnival is a vital part of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Research and actual experience have proved that our carnival revenue is directly reflected in its proximity to otherShow events and activities — in fact, 8 percent of the Show’s total revenue stems from the carnival. In other words,the carnival is an important attraction, and we need to keep it close to everything else. No matter where the loca-tion, we will continue to make it a family-oriented, top notch, affordable attraction!

Q:

A:

What is in store for this organization in the future?

The Show’s Long-Range Planning Committee recently completed an extensive study on the Show. It exam-ined one-, three- and five-year plans with respect to the Show’s growth and development. Through the use

of new technology, such as electronic distribution and the Internet, we are trying to increase the internationalscope of the Show. We are doing things today that, five years ago, we had no idea we would be doing. So, fiveyears from now, this Show will be accomplishing things that were never envisioned today. As president, my per-sonal goals are to continue the remarkable history that the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has had for 65years, and to help this Show become better, not necessarily bigger.

Q:

A:

Q:

A:

he followingstatement is theHouston

Livestock Show andRodeo’s official scholar-ship program and citizenship policy.

The Houston Live-stock Show and Rodeohas one of the finesteducational programs inthe world. It has beendesigned and imple-mented to benefit youththroughout the state ofTexas and, in particular,the greater Houstonmetropolitan marketingarea (Metro).

Since 1957, the Showhas provided $44 mil-lion in scholarships andeducational support to

benefit Texas youth.The Show presentedmore than $4 millionin scholarships, educa-tional and researchassistantships, endow-ments and grants forthe 1996-97 school year.

Throughout Texas,378 students receiveddirect scholarships thisyear through thenumerous scholarshipprograms, and graduatestudents received$510,000 through acad-emic and researchassistantships.

Additional financialassistance will be givento several hundred morestudents though theShow’s educationalendowment programs at22 Texas colleges anduniversities.

The HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo has one of themost diverse scholarshipprograms in the nation.Our largest programawards $1,170,000 tograduating seniorsin the HoustonMetro area(Harris, FortBend,

Montgomery,Brazoria, Galveston,Waller and Libertycounties).

This program wasdesigned and imple-mented to touch everysegment and demo-graphic element of themarketing area and tobenefit young peoplefrom every cultural andethnic background. Inthe spring of 1997, a$10,000 scholarship willbe given to a student in

each public high schoolin the seven-countyMetro area. This includes117 non-alternative andmagnet schools as wellas three at large.

Because most of thepublic schools in theMetro area reflect theethnic and culturalmakeups of their sur-rounding neighbor-hoods, the resultinggroup of scholarship

recip-ients

mirrorsthe demo-

graphics ofthe region. This

program touches arange of youths fromthe rural reaches of theMetro to the inner-cityareas of Houston.

The Show’s secondlargest scholarship pro-gram presents$1,000,000 annually toTexas 4-H and FFAmembers (100 studentseach receiving a $10,000scholarship). Winners of

these scholarships comefrom all parts of thestate and, for the mostpart, represent ruralTexas. However, metro-politan students are notexcluded from this pro-gram and winners docome from the largercities, including Houstonand Dallas. This is thelargest agriculturalscholarship program inthe world.

The Show’s GoTejano scholarshipprogram, to thebest of our knowl-

edge, is the largestregional Hispanic schol-arship program in theworld, as well. On May

23, 1996, the HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo Go Tejano

scholarship programawarded $300,000 to100 Houston-areaHispanic students. Thisprogram was increasedby $94,000 (45.6 per-cent) this year.

Other educationalprograms include AreaGo Texan scholarships(to students in a 61-county area surroundingthe Houston Metroarea), school art scholar-ships, graduate assist-antships and researchgrants (students benefit-ing through researchassistantships and stu-dent employment).

We know of no othermajor scholarship pro-gram anywhere dispens-ing this amount of money

4 M A G A Z I N E

Scholarship/Citizenship Policy

TPrepared by Show Staff

Sam

Pie

rson

M A G A Z I N E 5

and aiming it at so manydifferent segments of thepopulation

The Houston Livestock Show andRodeo neither practicesnor condones discrimi-nation in any of its pro-grams. All Showscholarship programs,with the exception ofthe Go Tejano scholar-ships, are available toyoung people of all heritages and from allcultures.

Regarding the citizen-ship issue, this is not aconcern involving heri-tage, culture or ethnicity;it is an issue of deter-

mining qualifications forchoosing the very bestfrom a large group ofqualified applicants.

When a few hundredscholarship winners(378 this year) have tobe chosen from thou-sands of qualified appli-cants, HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo officials feel thatregardless of heritage,culture or ethnicity,applicants with U.S. citi-zenship should take pri-ority over studentswithout U.S. citizenship.In each of our scholar-ship programs we haveat least five qualified

applicants (who are U.S.citizens) for each schol-arship that we giveaway. In particular, wehad 522 qualifiedHispanic youths applyfor the 100 Go Tejanoscholarships.

The Houston Live-stock Show and Rodeohas no citizenshiprequirements for partici-pation in any of itsexhibitor or contest programs to include alllivestock and horseshows, judging contests,calf scramble and schoolart competitions. Juniorshow participants mustbe members of the 4-H

or FFA for all livestockprograms or must beenrolled in a school thatis participating in ourschool art contest.

The HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo has made andwill continue to makeevery effort to involveeveryone in the Metropopulation in all aspectsof the Show. Con-tinually, we will strivenot only to maintain,but to increase, levelsof participation fromand support to people ofall ethnicities, culturesand heritages.

A Fond Farewell

llen H. “Buddy” Carruth contri-buted his time and resources to

numerous Houston organiza-tions and served as the leader

of many as well, but on Sept. 12, 1996,the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeolost more than a leader and a supporter— it lost a longtime, very specialfriend.

Carruth joined the Show as a lifemember in 1959 and served on theMembership, Livestock, Steer Auctionand International committees. He waschairman of the Breeders GreetersCommittee and served on the Show’s boardof directors for four years before becoming avice president in 1969. He was elected as theorganization’s 12th president, serving from 1979through 1981. He was chairman of the board from 1982to 1984.

Growth of the organization was tremendousunder his leadership. While president, countlessrecords were consistently broken in attendance,livestock auction sales and ticket sales. Also duringhis tenure, the Directors’ Club and the Tejas Roomboth were built.

But Carruth’s love for his community andpassion for helping others reached far

beyond this organization. He also waspresident and trustee of the WorthamFoundation and made immeasurablecontributions to the performing artsin Houston, including the HoustonSymphony and the Houston GrandOpera. He was a director ofthe Houston SPCA and a past direc-tor of the Houston Chamber of Com-

merce and was involved in numerousother Houston-area charities.

Carruth was managing partner of JohnL. Wortham & Son insurance brokerage firm

from 1965 to 1985. He also owned and operatedthe Lazy A Ranch in Bellville, Texas, where he and his

wife Ethel raised Santa Gertrudis cattle.Carruth was an extraordinary man — a past

leader of numerous philanthropic organizations,an enthusiastic contributor, a successful rancher and awell-known business magnate. He saw the HoustonLivestock Show and Rodeo as “a bright light thatwill always burn strongly in Houston’s future.”However, in his own right, Buddy Carruth shonebrightly in the many lives he touched.

BA

s I was saying,

even thoughyou see me inmany places,don’t get thewrong idea. Iam not free forthe taking. Iam registeredwith the U.S.Department ofCommerce/Patent andTrademarkOffice, as aremy other Showlogo pals.Anyone whowants to fea-ture me or oneof my partnersmust sign aTrademarkLicenseAgreement with theShow, a for-mal legaldocumentthat isstrictlyenforced. By

this agreement, theShow controlsthe use of itslogos andtrademarks,the quality of

the licensed productsand the royalty revenuewhich supports theShow’s operation andscholarship programs.

The agreement

requires thelicensee to paythe Show a $100application fee,a $1,500advance againstroyalties and a15 percent roy-alty on all salesof licensed prod-ucts. Along witha sales report,these royaltiesmust be submit-ted quarterly tothe Show.

This conceptis catching on,with royalty rev-enues from thesales of suchproducts risingfrom slightlymore than$33,000 in 1993to almost

$100,000 in 1995. A bigpart of this boost wascaused when one of youentrepreneurs gotpermission to sell theall- black leather and

TH I S I S MY S T ORY I ’M S T I CK ING T O I Tv

Howdy!

I am the bowlegged H logo of the Houston Livestock Show

and Rodeo. I have been around since 1966, when a couple of

guys from the Mail Well Envelope Company — Tom Martin and

Gene Hultquist — came up with the idea. Tom then put me on

paper. I was submitted to the Show along with a bid for the

organization’s stationery printing business. Both were suc-

cessful and I was born. In fact, I was so perfect that I

was accepted as I was submitted and haven’t changed since.

I am one of the most widely recognized logos in the state,

if not the country — among those of us who are familiar with

the Show, that is. Even my orange color was chosen by the

designers and not, as rumored, by Louis M. Pearce Jr.

(University of Texas orange blood), the Show president

following my adoption. Actually, I appear in many other

colors; but orange (PMS color #166) is my official color.

Tom was even presented with a trophy commemorating my

creation. He and his late wife Joyce were no strangers to

the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, as she worked in the

Show’s offices during the “busy” season.

Since 1966, I have appeared many places — on trophies,

jackets, caps, buckles, leather goods, spurs, jewelry and

in many Show publications. In fact, I have even been made

into an animated version, and you can see me during Show time

in the festive Daily Show Parade. I also was the grand

marshal of the downtown parade in 1995.

More to come…

Sincerely,

A

6 M A G A Z I N E

Story by Bill Bludworth

7

wool jackets with theShow’s logo on theback. They sold likehotcakes!

The Show encour-ages licensed manufac-turers and distributors

to market the use of meand my partners onfamiliar products as wellas on new anduntapped product linessuch as wearingapparel, leather goodsand many other items.As long as it is in goodtaste, the use to whichwe may be put islimited only by yourimagination.

If you see one of ourlogos on something, youcan be sure that it wasproduced under alicense agreement withthe Show, or it shouldhave been. We veryzealously guard ourlogos, and the Show’sstaff is constantly on thelookout for violators.

Even having that cus-tom-made gift for somespecial person could bea violation of the Show’strademark rights, unlessthe manufacturer of theitem has a licenseagreement with theShow. There is such athing as “Special Logo

Permission;” how-ever, it is not forprivate personalgifts. SpecialLogoPermission

is granted in limited sit-uations such as gifts,awards and prizes givenby the Show or by its committees.

The Show does notenter into the licensing

agreementswith just any-one. An appli-cant isrequired tosubmit with itslogo proposal a

long list of informationincluding, but not lim-ited to, such things asthe following: a historyof the company, refer-ences, costs to manufac-ture, selling prices(wholesale and retail),delivery time, market-ing plan andordering deadlines.

A more recently con-ceived Show partner isthe “RODEOHOUSTON”logo, which willlikelybecomeas wellrecog-nized asme,

the bowlegged H.The only Houston

Livestock Show andRodeo committee whoselogo is registered is theSchool Art Committee,which gained promi-nence this past yearwith the first-everSchool Art Auction, atremendous success.The Show is in theprocess of registeringother committee logos itcan legally protect.

A new logo whosetrademark registration iscurrently pending is“Rodeo University.” Itwill be used for anexhibit to be displayedduring the Show to edu-cate the public aboutthe sport of rodeo —from the events and howthey are scored to thesport’s history and pro-fessional competitors.

Currently under consideration is the

development ofcontem-

poraryandclassic

lines ofclothing, jew-

elry and relateditems whichwill bear one of

the

Show’s logos.All current licensees

of Show logos are enti-tled to advertise in theHouston LivestockShow and Rodeo logomerchandise catalog. Infact, the TrademarkLicense Agreementrequires licensees tofurnish information tothe organization for thispromotional catalog.The Show wants tohelp licensees sell asmuch merchandiseas possiblebecause 15percent ofeverythingsold “goesto help the kids.”

Janice Spenceris the director ofcommercial exhibitsand trademark licens-ing. Since there is onlya 12 percent annualturnover in commercialexhibitors, those whoare licensees and arealso fortunate enoughto have exhibit spaceare careful to abide bythe licensing rules. Afact, which Janice says,makes her life mucheasier. She is availableto discuss promotionalconcepts and logousage and is very help-ful and eager to workwith you to expand thepromotional use of the

Show’s logos.Be proud of me

and the otherHoustonLivestock Showand Rodeologos — buyus, use usand wear uswith pride!

TM

Sam

Pie

rson

The cowboy hat: a fash-ion statement, a work-ing man’s tool or anicon of the Old Westand the multi-reel cliff-hangers of the early20th century? Althoughonly invented in 1865 —some 130 years ago — itindeed has becomea world-recognizedsymbol of America andits Western heritage.

As personal as atoothbrush and asunique as the individ-ual, a cowboy hat comesin a myriad of materials,colors and brim shapes.The materials mostcommonly used arestraw or fur felt andoccasionally leather orrawhide. Hat qualityvaries within a hat

maker’s different stylesand among differingmanufacturers as well.While wearers mayselect a combination todisplay their own fash-ion statements, how dothey know what to lookfor when purchasing acowboy hat?

The best startingpoint is to first deter-mine the reason forwanting to own a hat.Will it be worn in thehot of summer or thecool of winter? Next,will it be worn as aworking tool or more forthe fashion value?Lastly, how muchmoney is available toinvest in a hat? After all,it once was said that acowboy spent the better

part of a month’s wagesfor his hat. A hat ofquality can be quite aninvestment.

SSTTRRAAWWSSA straw hat is thechoice work hat for thesweltering, sun-beatingdays of Texas. It is light-weight, allows air circu-lation, is easy to cleanwith a damp rag andsimple to reshapeif needed. At summerparties and honky-tonks, the straw hat isworn by men andwomen alike tocomplete a wardrobe.

Quality and cost of astraw hat pretty muchtrack each other,whether your straw is ano-name brand from a

local feed store or dis-count department storeto a national manufac-turer’s rodeo-star-endorsed hat.

FFEELLTTSSThe original cowboy hat,made by J. B. Stetson in1865, was made of furfelt. While the techniquesmay have been modern-ized over the past 130years, the sequence andprocess of turning selectanimal fur into a felt hathave essentially stayedthe same. Time consum-ing and labor intensive,hat making is as much anart as an industry.

Fur from theAmerican beaver is con-sidered to be the pre-mium material for a

8 M A G A Z I N E

Crown (should alwaysbe proportioned toyour face)

Crease (adds flair and styleto the crown of your hat)

Brim (the firmestpart of yourhat)

X-RatedSTRAWS & F E LTS

Story by Larry Levy

Hat Band(a finetrimmingfor yourhat)

M A G A Z I N E 9

cowboy hat. Soft, light-weight, strong andwater-resistant, a 100percent beaver hat isthe ultimate dress hat.More typically, otherfur, such as rabbit, iscombined with somepercentage of beaver tomake most of the qual-ity felts worn today.Whether for dress or asa work hat, a felt isfavored for coolerweather because it willhelp keep the headwarm and dry, and stilllook good.

XX--FFAACCTTOORRA system once used tocompare the density andshape of a felt hat toanother was an X-factorrating. Hats with a lowX-rating — five or fewerXs — were made with alower grade of fur and

little or no beaver whilea rating of 10X stood fora hat made from 100percent beaver.

Since there is nostandard or consistentmeaning to what each Xmeans in terms of per-cent of beaver, this is anestablished, but useless,scale to compare onemanufacturer’s productto another. It may beapplied with somereliance, though, withinthe same manufac-turer’s line; all hats byBrand A can be com-pared, with the higherX factor indicating ahigher level of quality.But do note, a hat witha lower number of Xsmade by Brand B maybe a superior hat!

Do not depend on Xfactor as the only mea-sure of quality.

Nowadays, hats aremarked in a number ofways. Instead, look atthe hat! Feel how lightin weight it is. Note theconstruction; is thesweatband leather orplastic? Is it stitchedsecurely or merely gluedin place? Quality of con-struction and materialsare the little things thatreflect the overall qual-ity of the hat.

When buying a felthat, as with a straw,expect price and qualityto go hand-in-hand.Depend on the hatterfor assistance, but alsoknow the company’sreputation. Is it anestablished firm, a fam-ily business or a tempo-rary set-up? Ask ifsizing and shaping, andeven in a few monthstime, reshaping, are all

part of the expertise andcustomer service follow-ing the sale.

FFIITTTake time to make sureyour hat fits.

Not only must it fitthe head, but also theindividual personality.To fit the head, first,find a hat that sits justabove the ears, tightenough to resist a stiffbreeze, but not to bulgethe eyes. Next, checkthat the crown and brimfit your body. AuthorTexas Bix Bender, in hishumorous book, Hatsand the Cowboys WhoWear Them, advisesthat the height of thecrown be equal to thedistance between thetip of your chin and the

continued on page 19

Sam

Pie

rson

Check out the construction of your potential new hat, examining it as carefully and meticulously as you would the cutand quality of a new suit.

GET IN L NE

aying that it’s difficult to get a

choice ticket for aHouston Livestock Showand Rodeo performanceis like discovering anelephant in a gerbil cage— it’s kind of obvious.

Bar none, there is nobetter entertainmentvalue in all of Houstonthan the Show. For $10,you get a prime concert,a performance of one ofthe best professionalrodeos in the country,unsurpassed livestockand horse exhibitions,first class commercial andeducational exhibits, top

notch attractions and agreat carnival. Therefore,it’s not surprising thattickets are in extremedemand. “For the pastseveral years,” said TomQuarles, assistant gen-eral manager of theShow, “we’ve come closeto selling out every per-formance. We usually sellout approximately 18performances of the 20,and the remaining two orthree come close toselling out.”

So, you’re not aloneif you have ever comeup short in trying toround up tickets for

visiting family andfriends during the Show.An overwhelmingmajority of the ticketsavailable to rodeo andconcert performancesalready have been pur-chased well before thefirst trail ride hits thestreets of downtown.

How does the world’sbiggest Western extrav-aganza handle ticketsales? Very evenhand-edly, in fact. And it isdeveloping new ticketproducts that better fitthe way large portionsof the Show’s clienteleattend the event.

“Many seats at aperformance have beenpurchased as seasontickets. These seasonticket holders have anopportunity to renewtheir tickets annually.They can lose theopportunity to renewtheir tickets for a varietyof reasons, such as slowor non-payment ofShow debts, sellingtheir tickets for morethan face value, etc.,”Quarles said.

Currently, about30,500 seats are sold asseason tickets. This per-mits the holder to attendthe rodeo, livestock andhorse shows, carnivaland all commercialexhibits, attractions andother activities.

“These tickets areShow property,”according to AssistantManager Carol Wyman.“That means that sea-son ticket holders can-not pass ownership oftheir tickets to anyoneif they decide not torenew them.” Eachyear, only a few seasontickets become avail-able, but at the momentthere is a waiting list ofmore than 2,000 peopleand companies whowill have first accessto them.

10 M A G A Z I N E

Sam

Pie

rson

“We’re getting more and more members who say all the entertainers are great, so they buytheir tickets early and avoid the crowds,” Carol Wyman, Show Assistant Manager

GET IN L NEStory by Freeman Gregory

You’d better get in line, because the ticket windows are constantly busy during the Show,selling thousands of rodeo, carnival and livestock show tickets.

S

M A G A Z I N E 11

The remaining 26,500tickets per performanceare usually made avail-able to the publicthrough box office,ticket outlet and groupticket sales for $10 each.The Show has gone togreat lengths to keepthis ticket price low tomake sure that familiescan afford to attend theannual event. Corporatesupport and a cost-con-scious Show administra-tion see to it that theprice of the ticketsremains very affordable.

These tickets areavailable through theShow’s ticket office, theAstrodome Box Officeand Ticketmaster. Mosttickets bought throughTicketmaster are doneso at easy to reachplaces like Foley’s,Randalls, Fiesta,Blockbuster Music andDrug Emporium,according to Wyman.

Buyers purchasingthrough Ticketmastermust be prepared to paya “convenience fee”that covers overheadcosts incurred by thecompany in operatingsales points conve-niently located through-out Houston. The $2convenience charge(per ticket) pertains toall tickets purchased atany Ticketmaster outlet.There is a $3 conve-nience charge per ticketon all tickets purchasedthrough the Ticket-master phone center.

There is no conve-nience charge for tick-ets purchased at theAstrodome Box Office,nor are there supple-mental chargesincurred at the

Show’s ticket office —which is not a publicbox office, as only Showmembers and seasonticket holders may uti-lize it.

Quarles said there is a big differencebetween this “conve-nience fee” and thepractice of reselling tick-ets that’s become knownas “scalping.” Scalpinginvolves the business ofpurchasing tickets forthe expressed purposeof reselling them for aprice greater than theirface value. To the Show,that’s a cardinal sin.

“We will not know-ingly sell tickets to peoplewho are in the businessof reselling them forgreater than the facevalue of the ticket,” heexplained. Even thoughscalping is legal in Texas,the practice rankles Showofficials. “We want toensure fair distribution ofour tickets to the public,”Quarles said.

He emphasized thatpreventing scalping andselling to ticket brokersis difficult at times,because resellers iden-tify themselves assomething otherthan a ticketbusiness.“They mightuse thename ofa concretecompany,a realestatecom-panyor a

car repair shop. There isno way to tell, but wereceive calls from peo-ple all the time whohave paid more for theirtickets than they shouldhave,” he said.

The Show would cer-tainly like to see scalp-ing become illegal inTexas. “The state legis-lature has come fairlyclose to passing an anti-scalping law. Currently,it’s not against the law,but we just don’t wantour tickets being soldfor more than their facevalue,” Quarles said.

The Show also isactive in promoting newticket distribution ideas,several of which arealready available butnot widely known. Forexample, Show mem-bers can purchase tick-ets in advance of theannual entertainmentannouncement if theyare willing to commit toa specific performancewithout knowing thestar line-up. Memberscan buy tickets this way

through the mail orat the Show’s

ticket

office beginning inOctober.

“We’re getting moreand more members whosay all the entertainersare great, so they buytheir tickets early andavoid the crowds,”said Wyman.

For members of thegeneral public who don’twant to attend a rodeoperformance but want togo to the livestock showand the carnival,advance ticket sales areavailable also. Adulttickets are $5, childrenages 6-12 cost $2, andkids under five areadmitted free. If youplan to attend the live-stock show four times ormore during the courseof the event, check outthe $20 season pass theShow began selling lastyear. A season passallows access to the live-stock and horse showsas well as all commercialand educational exhibitsand other attractions.

The Show also offersthe Carnival Fun Pak, adiscounted book of car-nival ride coupons andtwo-for-one food/bever-age coupons. The nearly$20 value is sold foronly $10 through theCarnival Ticket Sales

Committee, retailoutlets including

Kroger stores andthe Show’s

ticket officeuntil a fewdays beforethe Show

begins.“There are many

new products we’rebeginning to promote,”Quarles said. “Andwe’re excited about allof them.”

Effective training hasalways been a keycomponent in a success-ful organization. Onecommittee that hasclearly set the trainingstandard at the HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo is the CorralClub Committee.

Organizing 1,326volunteers and manag-ing 11 Corral Clubsthroughout the Astro-dome complex is amassive task thatrequires an enormouscommitment andextensive training.

In order to under-stand how training isintegrated into theCorral Club operation,it is necessary to havesome idea of the logisticsof the committee. Inthe last 20 years, thenumber of volunteershas grown from 300 tomore than 1,300.

The committee mem-bers are separated intothree divisions operat-ing under a hierarchy ofcommand led by Officer

in Charge CharlesGrant and GeneralChairman RichardBuddeke.

During the Show,there are 582 membersassigned in the Domeand 478 working theAstrohall andAstroarena during therodeo. The balance ofthe members serve invarious support func-tions such as auctionsand receptions, equip-ment and special ser-vices. “The committeeworks as a support teamfor the hosptiality staff,so that everything goessmoothly, and cus-tomers are pleased.We are a highly visiblecommittee that servesas host to thousands ofguests during the Show.But those people don’tsee the preparationinvolved to ensure theyhave a safe and enjoy-able experience at theShow,” said Buddeke.

The first level oftraining directly relatesto alcohol awareness.

Committee members donot sell or serve alcohol.That is the function ofthe 200-plus TexasAlcoholic BeverageCommission (TABC)certified bartenders andwait staff personnelthe Show contracts forthe event.

The new initiates intothe Corral Club, whichtotal about a hundredevery year, attend“R.A.M. and RookiesDay” before the Showbegins. It is hosted byradio personality DocWatson, and is focusedon Responsible AlcoholManagement. Watsoninstructs the new com-mittee members on howto handle situations inan establishment serv-ing alcohol. An agentwith the TABC is also inattendance at thesetraining sessions.

With such a largeand diverse group ofvolunteers, Corral Clubleaders needed aneffective means of train-ing to ensure that the

Corral Club’s primarypurpose — to serve ashost to the patrons ofthe Show — wasupheld. That ideal isembedded in theirmission statement: “To operate a highintegrity organizationthat supports the goalsof the Houston Live-stock Show and Rodeo,serves as hosts to themembers and patrons ofthe Show and treats itsinternal membershipand support staff withcaring and respect.”

This statementemanated from a seriesof workshops that wereconducted by Dr.Shirley Peddy, author ofSecrets of the Jungle:Lessons on Survival andSuccess in Today’sOrganizations. Dr.Peddy’s husband, RedPeddy, is a director ofthe Show and served onthe Corral Club for 30years. They both hadthe desire to give some-thing back to the Showand felt this was the

12 M A G A Z I N E

O N T H E R O A D T O

Story by Carol Thobae

M A G A Z I N E 13

ideal way to do so. Dr.Peddy donated her timeand skills to compilefour workshopsdesigned to concentrateon making every wordin that mission state-ment as good as gold.

The statement wasformulated from a sur-vey given to the 261members of CorralClub’s managementteam and a randomsample of committeemembers right after thisyear’s rodeo. With her25 years of experienceconducting trainingprograms for corpor-ations such as ExxonUSA, Peddy evaluatedthe individual needsof the committee andconducted an overallexpansion of thealready existing leader-ship skills.

Four different ses-sions were designedto accommodate morethan 220 Corral Clubleaders. The firstincluded the officer incharge, general chair-man, division chairmenand all the club chair-men, a group of 24. Thesecond session was for

the assistantclub chair-men (64),and the thirdand fourthsessions werefor all theteamcaptains (125).

The attendeesgave up one fullSaturday. Dr. Peddydesigned each programfor the particular groupin order to focus on theleadership skillsrequired at different levels.However some commonthemes were addressedthroughout, such asleader credibility andteamwork. “What wedid was change thebosses into coaches, sothe personal satisfactionand teamwork would bevastly increased,”Buddeke said.

Keeping track of anenormous inventory anddaily sales posedanother training chal-lenge for the CorralClub. In the not-so-olddays, the Corral Clubcaptains were keepingbooks of sales and stockby hand. It wasn’t until

about sixyears ago thatthe automa-tion systemthey use nowwas fully ineffect.“Starting 10years ago the

automationsystem evolved fromlaptop PC to a big mainframe six years ago.”Buddeke said. “Sincethen, we’ve been con-tinuously evolving thesystem to meet theneeds of Corral Club.There is a lot of valu-able product beingdistributed, and thissystem tells us everyday what we have instock. We know pre-cisely what is in eachbar, and our deviationis now less than 0.1 per-cent,” Buddeke said.

The committee cre-ated the ComputerSuper Users Group ofindividuals who arecomputer literate andwho work and trainselected members inall the intricacies ofan extensive computerprogram designed forthe inventory manage-

ment of all the clubs.Data is entered at thevarious clubs and is fedto a central computer inthe Corral Club office.There, inventory andsupply decisions aremade daily and salesfigures totaled.

At the end of thefinal performance, whenthe lights of the lastclub are turned off andplans for next year arealready being dis-cussed, the outcomewill reflect the primarypurpose of the HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo — to promoteeducation in youth.

The Corral ClubCommittee gives $2,500in scholarships to kidseach year, but everythree years it presentsa $10,000 scholarship inthe name of the officerin charge that year. “Wefelt it was the best wayto honor our volunteersfor the effort they put in,year round, to this pro-duction. What betterway to memorialize ourvolunteers than have ayoung man or womaneducated in theirname?” Grant said.

It is easy to see thateducation and trainingare not just somethingreserved for the Show’sscholarship recipients,but an ongoing functionof many of the organiza-tion’s committees.Innovative trainingbuilds camaraderieand spirit to those whoparticipate. The CorralClub is a shiningexample of how effec-tive training enhancesour Show and benefitsour volunteers as well.

Dr. Shirley Peddy reveals a few “secrets of the jungle” to members of the Show’s CorralClub Committee.

Sam

Pie

rson

here was neverany doubt in BillCarraway’s mind

that — no matter wherehe went — he wasalways a Texan! Herecalled that part of thatconviction was instilledfrom his relationship withthe Houston LivestockShow and Rodeo.

Through Showendowment funds atTexas Tech University,Carraway received schol-arship assistance, and in1983, began his studiesin agricultural economics.

“I’ll never forget thedebt of gratitude I owethis organization,” hesaid. “That scholarshipmade it easier for me toattend college in Texas,where my roots are,”added the native ofSpur, a West Texashamlet about 70 milessoutheast of Lubbock.

After graduation,

Carraway remained atTexas Tech to work as aspecial assistant to thevice president for finan-cial affairs before head-ing east to law school atWashington & LeeUniversity. In 1991, hecame to Houston to jointhe law firm of Baker &Botts in its civil lawdivision. This past June,he joined the firm ofHelm, Pletcher, Bowenand Saunders.

Carraway became aShow volunteer in 1992as a member of theBreeders GreetersCommittee. “One of thefirst things I did after Igot settled in Houstonwas to look for a way torepay what had beengiven to me,” he said.“I want to ensure thatthe opportunity I wasgiven will always bethere for others. It madesuch a powerful differ-ence in my life and thelives of many young

people, and I want thatto continue.”

new player inthe “volunteerball game,”

Sherri Dotson just com-pleted her first year as amember of the SpeakersCommittee. Not surpris-ingly, the personableConroe, Texas, veteri-narian was named “co-rookie of the year,”amassing enough pointsto earn the Big Mouthaward, she proudly pro-claimed. “I’m aiming forMega Mouth award thisyear,” she said.

In 1991, Sherri wasawarded a graduatescholarship, one pre-sented annually to asenior at the TexasA&M University Collegeof Veterinary Medicine.

After completing herundergraduate studies,also at Texas A&M, shespent one year studyingequine exercise physiol-ogy, or as she describedit, “physical educationfor horses,” beforeentering vet school.

“This program focuseson making horses as fitas possible for theirrespective duties,” sheexplained. “They may beracers or cutting horses— each with differentphysiological demandson their bodies.”

Her veterinary prac-tice today, however, is amixed one. “We seethem all, big and small,”she said, “horses, cows,pigs, cats, dogs, birdsand even snakes.”

Dotson creditedRichard Hergert, thefather of one of herclassmates, with bring-ing her onto theSpeakers Committee.Her speeches are aimedat school children andoffer a very specialadded attraction, a dog.

14 M A G A Z I N E

From Scholars to VolunteersEach year a select group of young Texans is awardedscholarships by the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.These grants are instrumental in making it possible forstudents to attend the Texas college of their choice andto take advantage of now unlimited fields of study. Not surprisingly, many scholarship recipients choose togive back to the organization which helped them in life bybecoming Show volunteers themselves.

Story by Nancy Burch

T

BILL CARRAWAY

SHERRI DOTSON

A

M A G A Z I N E 15

Her canine partnerAlcyone accompaniesher and takes an activerole in the presentation.“Alcyone is a blueheeler, an Australiancattle dog,” explainedSherri. The term isFrench for halcyon, akingfisher bird which isthe symbol for peaceand prosperity. “Seewhat you can learn froman Aggie,” she added.

Alcyone sometimesstands in for the bullwhen Sherri demon-strates to her audiencehow all the gear isdesigned so as not toharm the animal duringriding events. Alreadyin the works for thisseason is her sure-to-be-a-hit clown speech,describing the roles ofthe rodeo clowns andbullfighters in protect-ing the cowboys. And,yes, she and Alcyoneboth will be in costume.

Growing up in Green-ville, Texas, just north ofDallas, Dotson remem-bered that to her,“Houston was the live-stock show, pure andsimple. I was active inboth 4-H and FFA,showing cattle andhorses. Going toHouston to exhibit wasthe highlight of our year.Now, I have the oppor-tunity to share my expe-riences with today’syoung people and to tellthem how much theShow has meant to me.”

or Amy Frere,growing uparound animals

and taking care of themteaches not only respon-sibility, but how to be agood winner as well asa good loser.

After she graduatedfrom high school in theEdgewood IndependentSchool District, about 60miles east of Dallas, Frerewas awarded a HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo four-year, $8,000

scholarship in 1980, basedon her leadership roles inlocal and district FFAactivities. At that time,scholarship recipientswere required to pursue acourse of study in thefield of agriculture. Sheattended Texas A&MUniversity in the fall of1980 to study agriculturalengineering and broad-ened her scope with addi-tional courses in otherareas. She now works forGeneral Electric in indus-trial sales, utilizing herexperience and construc-tion engineering skills.

Frere joined theBreeders GreetersCommittee in 1990 andenjoys her role in wel-coming the youth andcommercial livestockexhibitors to the Showeach year. “We help un-load the livestock andgenerally keep the trafficflowing as smoothly aspossible,” she explained.

To accommodateFrere’s three horses andher love of life in thecountry, she and herfamily now live in Tom-ball, Texas, where sonAlex–not yet 2 years

old–already is a veteranon horseback. Amy is aregular participant inQuarter Horse shows.

“The wonderfulfriendships I’ve madeover the years that I’vebeen involved with ani-mals, agriculture andthis organization havegiven me great joy, andnow I want to give someof that back as avolunteer,” she said.

ike Jackson wona Show scholar-ship in 1962,

only five years after thescholarship program wasestablished. He remem-bered that three scholar-ships were given thatyear, the first time formultiple awards. Mikewas a senior at AustinHigh School in Houstonwhere he was active inFFA, holding the higheststatewide degree in thatorganization — Lone StarFarmer. At the Show, heexhibited rabbits

although he also raisedcattle, swine and sheep.

Just what exactly didwinning the scholarshipmean to him?

“It enabled me to goto Texas A&M withouthaving to work my waythrough, “ Jackson said.“The money paid half ofmy total expenses andmy ROTC scholarshipcovered the rest.” He

graduated with a degreein agricultural educationand, like many of hisclassmates during thatera, went straight to Viet-nam as an army officer.His distinguished militarycareer spanned 30 yearsof active and reserveduty, and he holds theLegion of Merit award.

After completing hisactive military service,Jackson returned toTexas and first workedin marketing for an agri-cultural conglomerate,buying and selling com-modities. Since 1973 hehas worked for XeroxCorporation where hehandles major accounts,primarily NASA’sJohnson Space Center.

He became a Showmember in 1976, initiallyas a volunteer on theLivestock Committeeworking with AssistantGeneral Manager DonJobes branding steers.Three years later, hebecame an announcerat the cattle shows andtoday serves as an assis-tant arena director. Twoyears ago, he joined theSpeakers Committee.

Jackson and his fam-ily have a home in thecountry near Halletsville,Texas, where he raisespecans and hemp. How-ever, he said, “I alwayswanted to be involvedwith the livestock partof the Show, in particu-lar, with the cattleshows. It’s a great way togive back some of what Ireceived.”

…Different stories from differenteras, but they all share a com-mon theme. The Show made adifference in the lives of theseindividuals, one they’ll never

forget. Now they are continuingthe cycle. After all, this is what

it’s all about.

AMY FRERE

F

MIKE JACKSON

M

How can a group ofrookie salespeople man-age to introduce a newproduct to the HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo, and within threeyears, increase revenuefor that product by morethan 240 percent?

They did it byenthusiastically pullingtogether toward acommon goal and then,having fun!

That’s according tothe Carnival TicketSales CommitteeChairman Joe “Bubba”Butera, who is in histhird year as chairmanof this 3-year-old com-mittee. The committee’sjob is to sell $20 bargainbooks of carnivaltickets for$10

each in thefour months before theShow begins, ending itsduties the first day ofthe World’sChampionship Bar-B-Que Contest in February.

“As long as I’veworked with the Show,I have never seen acommittee with asmuch enthusiasm asthis one,” said Ken

Moursund, officer incharge. “I think it’sbecause they under-stand the Show expectsbig things from them asone of the new ways togenerate revenue.”

The 125 committeemembers start their jobin October, developingtheir own sales plansthat include direct salesto established custo-mers, sales events inoffice buildings, boothsat community events oreven selling ticketbooks at their localgrocery stores. Andcommittee memberstake turns selling ticketsnear the committeerooms during meetings.While each committeemember has his or herown territory, the com-petition is still tough,

because each com-mittee member’sbadge requirementis $2,500 in sales.

“And you haveto sell a lot of $10

books of tickets tomake $2,500,” saidButera. “Despite thevolume required to sell,with this great product,it’s easy for committeemembers to meet orexceed their quotas.We’re selling $20 worthof carnival tickets foronly $10!”

Butera credits theShow’s staff withhelping to make thiscommittee successful.“They have put ina great effort with the

carnival operator tomake it a nice familyevent,” he said. “Thismakes our couponbooks easier to sell.”

Four years ago, thecommittee was adivision of the GroupTicket Sales Committee,where sales were about$12,000 annually. Oncethe committee becameofficial, sales shot up to$199,000 in the firstyear, and then to$299,000 in year two.

“Unlike the rodeotickets, we will neverrun out of our product,”Butera said. “We cansell as many tickets aspeople can buy. Plus,the revenues are thereeven if the carnival hasa rainy day or two.”

One way the commit-tee spreads around thebenefits of carnival tick-ets is to find corporateand individual buyers topurchase tickets forunderprivileged chil-

dren. Last year, thecommittee gave $60,000worth of donated ticketsto, among others, theHarris County Children’sProtective Services forchildren who were infoster homes.

Even though commit-tee members don’tcompete for customers,they are divided intofour teams to competefor incentive prizes. Thevice chairmen coordi-nate these prizes thatcan be anything frombottles of wine toleather jackets and colortelevisions. The 1996top seller won a trip toCancun, Mexico.

“No matter whatprizes the committeemembers win, our mainincentive is thecamaraderie and funwe have togetherbringing in revenues for the Show andthe kids who benefit,”Butera concluded.

16 M A G A Z I N E

Sam

Pie

rson

The Carnival Ticket Sales Committee helps the Showdraw huge crowds of all ages, making the carnival one ofthe favorite family activities at the annual event.

Story by Charlotte Howard

C O M M I T T E E

M A G A Z I N E 17

ust as importantas the star actors

and actresses in aBroadway play are thehundreds of backstagecrew members responsi-ble for “behind-the-scenes” logistics andproduction, such asprops, scenery andequipment. Withoutthem, the play could not exist.

The Show’sEquipment AcquisitionCommittee plays asimilarly vital role in theoverall operation of theHouston Livestock Showand Rodeo.

Formed in 1990, thisunique committee isresponsible for securingmuch of the large equip-ment needed for theShow. Everything fromforklifts, tractors, golfcarts and large trucks areneeded to set up for themassive extravaganza. Inaddition to thesecommonly-recognizedpieces of equipment, thecommittee also securescherry pickers (a specialcrane), bulldozers, free-standing light towers,generators, front-endloaders and trailers.These committee volun-teers arrange for theequipment to be donatedor rented, negotiate leaseagreements and monitorequipment delivery and return.

“This group isdefinitely a behind-the-scenes committee,” saidJames Fleniken, com-

mittee chairman. “Itworks more with othercommittees than withthe general public. Weare basically a servicecommittee,” he added.“We’re here to help theShow’s staff andvolunteers.”

Each of the volunteerson this 19-member com-mittee must possessknowledge of heavyequipment and must be

able to work throughoutthe Show both day and night.

John Montalbano,officer in charge of thecommittee, said many ofthe committee’s mem-bers are in sales or rentalindustries, or actuallyuse the type of equip-ment that is utilized bythe Show.

“Last year, the Showrequired 360 pieces ofequipment,” saidMontalbano. “From golf

carts to 35-ton haultrucks — we haveprovided it.”

A majority of theequipment used duringthe Show is donated,confirmed Fleniken.“Last year we had a listof about 40 to 50 donors.Some of these companiesrent to the Show at areduced rate or dis-counted price which is

helpful con-sidering we

tend

tokeep

the equip-ment for two to threemonths,” he said.

The committeereceives a tremendousresponse from industry.The value of the rentalsdonated for last year’sShow totaled in excess of$300,000, while thevalue of all the variousequipment used by theShow each year exceeds$4 million.

Montalbano pointedout that the committeenot only works to makesure the Show gets theequipment it needs atthe lowest possible price,they also help other com-mittees review their

equipment needs andmake sure they arebeing as productive aspossible. “We willreview their equipmentusage and needsand possibly help themchoose better equipmentto accomplish their tasksmore efficiently,”Montalbano said.

The committee isdivided into severalduties. One group isresponsible for gettingthe various equipment,settling contracts and

making sure theShow receivesthe bestpossible deals.

Anothergroup works

to log in all thevarious equipment as itarrives, conducts safetychecks, makes sure theequipment is operatingproperly and dispersesthe equipment to therespective committeesthat requisitioned it.

The committee has amember available at alltimes during the Show’soperations should aproblem arise with apiece of equipment.“We’re there from thevery start until the lastload of dirt leaves theDome,” saidMontalbano.

(Inset Photo)Committee volunteersinventory donated trac-tors for the TractorMechanics Contest andfor every day Show use,such as dragging arenas.

EQUIPMENT ACQUISITIONJ

Story by Cheryl Dorsett

Sam

Pie

rson

S P O T L I G H T S

ore than 30years ago,

then-Show director CliffHawthorne wanted tohonor some juniorlivestock exhibitors whoweren’t in the runningfor prestigious awardsor big auction bucks. Sohe organized andhosted the first banquetfor exhibitors in thebreeding sheep andgoat show.

For several years,Hawthorne funded thebanquet, and eventuallya formalgroupwas

established and becamea subcommittee of theLivestock Committee.The sheep and goatdivision became astand-alone committeein 1993.

The 40-memberSheep and GoatCommittee functions asa host committee togreet and assist breed-ing sheep, Angora goatand dairy goatexhibitors. Volunteersare stationed at the“Sheep Shack,” a smallbuilding located in theAstrohall which servesas the committee’sheadquarters.

The committee hasmany opportunities toenhance exhibitors’experiences while at theShow. For example,they assist exhibitorswith moving in andmoving out. Thiscommittee realizes thatbringing animals to theworld’s largest livestockexhibition is a lot ofwork. The committeepresents first-timeexhibitors with a capand a belt buckle sport-ing the group’s logo —it’s their special way ofsaying “We’re gladyou’re here!”

In addition, membersassist exhibitors inseveral ways during thesheep and goatcompetition. After theindividual contests arecompleted, exhibitorswho win championships

in each breed areawarded a gift certifi-cate from the committeeto be used for the pur-chase of a championjacket. The committeealso raises funds to holdan awards banquet andreception for theexhibitors and theirfamilies, where trophiesare presented to theGrand Champion andReserve GrandChampion exhibitors.

Another function ofthe committee is toprovide education.There is a variety ofways in which peoplebenefit from the sheepand goat industry,through such resourcesas wool, meat and dairyproducts. The commit-tee provides a boothwhere educationalpackets are providedwith information aboutthe different sheep andgoat breeds, as well asinformation about wooland the wool industry.Organizations like theAmerican Wool Council,the Mohair Council ofAmerica and theAmerican Dairy GoatAssociation also providematerials for the booth.

ContemporaryHandweavers ofHouston brings 40 vol-unteers to the Show toconduct wool-spinningdemonstrations. Theyalso educate the publicabout the uses of wool.“It is fun to watch, and

the public really enjoysthe demonstrations,”said Donna Herrick,committee chairman.

The committee also isinvolved with the Woolto Wardrobe Contest, acompetition in whichexhibitors model gar-ments made from woolas they lead a sheeparound the show ring.This unique competitionis judged by localcelebrities, and awardsand trophies are pre-sented to the winners.

Volunteers on thecommittee also areresponsible for assistingcontest superintendentswith the intercollegiatewool and mohair judg-ing contest, which hasjudging team entriesfrom junior and seniorcolleges. The committeeprovides some travelstipends to judgingteams to assist themwith travel expenses.

To provide an oppor-tunity for the youthexhibitors to meet eachother, the Sheep andGoat Committee alsohosts an ice cream social.“The kids love it, and sodo we!” Herrick said.

“The enthusiasm anddedication of thiscommittee is fantastic,”said Red Griffin, officerin charge. “The Sheepand Goat Committee isan extremely close-knitgroup; it will be anhonor for me to serve asits officer in charge.”

18 M A G A Z I N E

SHEEP&GOAT

The Angora Goat Showis an important part ofthe Houston LivestockShow, since Texas is thenation’s largest producerof mohair.

C O M M I T T E E S P O T L I G H T S

MS

am P

iers

on

Story by Mark Jones

M A G A Z I N E 19

middle of your fore-head. The width of thebrim should be propor-tional to the width ofyour shoulders, thoughthe flat, uncurled por-tion of brim should beas wide as your face.

Finding the right hatsize is easy, but fittingthe shape of the hat,with crown creases andbrim flair, to your ownpersonality is the chal-lenge. Let the style ofyour hat reflect yourpersonality. To someextent, even regional oroccupational prefer-ences can be seen in theshape of a cowboy hat.Have some fun in meet-ing the challenge ofselecting a hat shape.

CCAARREE Now that you have acowboy hat, treat it withkindness. Always pick itup and adjust it usingthe brim. This will keepthe crown clean andstraight. Hang the haton a hook or speciallydesigned hat rack thatsupports the brim, or setthe hat on a clean flatsurface, upside down,on its crown rather thanthe brim. Not only willthe shape of the brim besaved, but according totradition, your luckwon’t spill out.

It does matter where acowboy hat rests when itis not being worn. Twoof the worst places tokeep a hat are in thecloset or inside its card-board box. A warm, dry,dark place is great formushrooms, but not acowboy hat. A hat willshrink and lose its shape.

Wear a cowboy hat

and it gets dusty anddirty. That’s life. A littleattention and cleaningwill go a long wayfor how long the hatwill last and ofcourse, how youlook underneath it.Brush or whisk thesurface dust off yourhat every time youput it on. There arespecial dry-spongesand whisk broomsdesigned for this, or usea clean, dry rag. Alwaysuse a light, counter-clockwise rotation topreserve the natural napof the felt. Also, use dif-ferent sponges/broomsfor light- and dark-col-ored felts to avoid trans-fer of colors. For soiledhats, sometimes a do-it-yourself effort with adamp rag (use a coun-terclockwise motion) willclean things right up.

Consider the value ofsteam cleaning andshaping or blockingyour hat about once ayear. Whether it’s beentrampled on by a stam-pede or stained withsweat, call on the ser-vices of a professionalhatter. Not only will thefelt be cleaned, and thehat refitted and shapedto your head, but the hatband, sweatband andlining will all be giventhe once-over twice.

If need be, all of thesecan be repaired orreplaced for the fractionof the price for a newhat. In fact, for about$100, as compared to areplacement cost of $400or more, a high qualityfelt hat (20X) can be fullyrenovated to like-newcondition — a bargain tokeep an old friend.

And like an old friend,don’t leave it in a hotcar or truck, where itwill sag and lose itsshape. Nothing lookssadder than a cowboyhat with a brim droop-ing over ears and eyesafter baking in an auto-motive oven.

EETTIIQQUUEETTTTEEOnce your hat is onyour head, when andwhere do you wear it?

A cowboy hat, felt orstraw, may be wornwherever hats are worn,though a bit of commonsense, local custom andyour own desire may beused to temper this atti-tude. Certainly a workhat is as out of place ata wedding as that 100percent beaver hat is ata cattle branding.

According to TheCowboy Hat Book, byWilliam Reynolds andRitch Rand, when a gen-tleman first meets a lady,he removes his hat. Insubsequent meetings, hemay merely tip his hat.Not only is this a respect-ful gesture, but it keepsthe brim from blocking

hisview

of her andher of him. A

hat also comes offfor the national

anthem and the pledgeof allegiance, in prayeror when in a house(yours or anyone else’s).

At one time, when acowboy hat and itswearer came inside abuilding, the hat cameoff. Since accommoda-tions for hats of any typeare few, some of the oldrules are changing. It isno longer considered, bysome, to be necessary toremove your hat in arestaurant. Neither plac-ing a hat on an emptychair, making it a targetfor spilled soup, nor leav-ing it in an unattendedarea saying “take me”are desirable ends foryour costly hat. Withproperly attended hatcheck rooms nearlynonexistent and conve-nient hat hooks at a tablerare, the safest place fora hat is atop one’s head.

Cowboys hats arefun, but beware, youmay find that, likepeanuts or potato chips,you can’t just stop atone. There’s the hat forthe Show and dressoccasions, another foreveryday wear, winterfelt and summer felt,and a straw and a....

continued from page 11

Sam

Pie

rson

“Benefiting Youth andSupporting Education”is the Show’s motto and the core of its existence, but a leaderlike Don Buckalew,who takes that conceptinto multiple endeavorsof his life and describeshis hobby as his civicservice commitment, isindeed unique.

Buckalew’s first andlongstanding involve-ment with the Showwas with the Area GoTexan Committee,which he joined in 1968.He served as a vicechairman of that com-mittee in 1987 and laterserved as its chairman.

Buckalew noted thatthe Area Go TexanCommittee—which iscomprised of Houston’ssurrounding counties—truly exemplifies whatthis Show is about. “Inaddition to the manyscholarship recipientsfrom these areas, hun-dreds of 4-H and FFAyoungsters also are fromthese counties—and it’sthese young peoplewho participate in ourcalf scramble andexhibit animals in thejunior livestock show.”He also is proud that,during his involvmentwith the committee, theyouth in the Area GoTexan counties began toreceive two- and four-

yearscholar-shipsrather thanonly one-yearscholarships.

Buckalew was electedto the Show’s board ofdirectors in 1989 andwas a vice presidentfrom 1992 to 1994. Heserved as the officer incharge of the Area GoTexan, Go TexanContests, Grand Entry,Houston General GoTexan, Membership andVeterinary committees.

He said his involve-ment with the GrandEntry Committee wasparticularly interestingand enjoyable becausethat event “sets theimpression of the Showfor so many guests andreflects the excitementof the participants,many of whom begintheir first rodeo experi-ence with a ride in theAstrodome.”

Buckalew served onthe Show’s Long-RangePlanning Committee, agroup designed to aid in

studyingand

preparingfor Show

growth; con-trolling expenses;

maintaining income; andincreasing the organi-zation’s ability to providescholarships. The groupcompleted its study inApril, 1996. One monthlater, Buckalew waselected to the Show’sExecutive Committee,and he currently chairsthe Risk ManagementCommittee.

Born in Magnolia,Texas, Buckalew is agraduate of BaylorUniversity and has livedall of his adult life in theConroe area where heowns BuckalewChevrolet, Inc. He andhis wife Elaine haveseven children, two ofwhom have followed intheir father’s footstepsand are active on theHouston Metro GoTexan Conroe/WillisSubcommittee.

Buckalew has made ahobby of serving his

community withinvolvement in theShow and through otherorganizations. He wasan international directorof the InternationalAssociation of LionsClubs from 1974 to1976, and was chairmanof its Finance andHeadquartersOperations Committee.He is a past president ofthe MontgomeryCounty Fair Associationand has been activewith the fair for manyyears. He also is a pastchairman of the boardof the Texas AutoDealers Association.

Buckalew hasdirectly and positivelyaffected the lives ofthousands of children inan extremely significantway by serving formany years on theboard of trustees of theConroe IndependentSchool District as wellas its president from1981 to 1983. Therespect and gratitude ofthe school district for hisefforts is evidenced byits announcement thatan elementary school,which will open in 1998,will be named after him.

Buckalew is–in allrespects–a man wholives the Show’s spiritand its commitment tomake a difference in thelives of young people.

20 M A G A Z I N E

D O N A.. B U C K A L E W

E X E C U T I V E C O M M I T T E E P O R T R A I T

Story by Ann Jacobs

Sam Pierson

UN D E R T H E B I G T OP

M A G A Z I N E 21

On August10, the Houston

Livestock Showand Rodeo wasrecognized at theProfessional RodeoCowboysAssociation

ProRodeo Hall of FameInduction Ceremony in

Colorado Springs, Colo., for itspioneering efforts, continuing supportand perpetuation of the sport ofprofessional rodeo. Show PresidentJim Bloodworth accepted the honor aswell as a commemorative plaque pre-sented by the PRCA.

“It is our goal in Houston to giverodeo fans the very best that this sporthas to offer,” Bloodworth said.

The Houston Rodeo also has beenhonored as the PRCA Indoor Rodeo ofthe Year for six consecutive years.

http://www.The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is

designing a comprehensive Web site that will be inoperation before our upcoming Show. Ultimately (by

the 1998 Show season), the Web site will not onlycontain news release and ticket information, but willlist committee meetings, Show news and events and

functions. Beginning immediately, all “non-Showoperated” sites that utilize the Show’s logo or that

present Show activities or information must beapproved by the Show’s marketing department.

The Show requests that all unauthorized Web sitesbe removed immediately. Name and logo

copyrights on the Internet will be strictly enforced.

A new area has been designed for this year’sShow to host special events and functions for large groups (up to

600 people) prior to the start of each rodeo performance. Functions in theSpecial Events Tent) — located in Destination AGventure (formerly AstrohallPlaza) — will be fully catered and will host entertainment. A variety of menu

items and entertainment opportunities are available. Reservations may bemade through the Show’s Special Events Office.

N E W S & H I G H L I G H T S I N F O R M A T I O N & U P D A T E S

GETTING TO KNOW YOU...Are the needs of the Show’s 90-plus committees

being met? Are all the separate committees meshing inthe best and most efficient way? Those are just a coupleof the “big picture” questions the Lifetime VicePresidents Committee and Show management staff willbe researching for the next few months. All committeeofficers in charge and chairmen will work with thisgroup to gain better knowledge of the intricate work-ings of the individual committees and the role that eachplays in the success of the annual Houston LivestockShow and Rodeo. These folks look forward to attendingyour committee meetings and events to see all the greatthings you do and to help determine what will mostbenefit your committee and the Show in the future.Here’s your chance to really show your stuff!

M A G A Z I N E

Houston Livestock Show and RodeoP.O. Box 20070Houston, Texas 77225-0070Forward & Address Correction

MAGAZINE

S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S

1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 29 30 31 26 27 28 29 30 31

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

NOVEMBER1 - Shelby County Go Texan Day2 - Rusk County Team Penning

CompetitionBee County Go Texan ContestsNew Caney/Splendora GolfTournament

9 - Rusk County Cook-off and GoTexan Contests

13 - Alief/Southwest Club Dance14 - Spring Branch/Memorial

Cowboy Dance15 - Deadline for committee

appointments and roster changes.15-16 Lamar/Needville Cook-off15-17 Spring Branch/Memorial Cook-off16 - Bell County Cook-off and

Go Texan ContestsCy Fair Go Texan Contests andBake SaleWalller County Turkey ShootBlack Go Texan Fall Round-UpDance

Tyler County Cook-off and GoTexan Contests

19 - Board of directors’ meeting21 - Aldine/Spring/Klein Dance23 - New Caney/Splendora Bake Sale28-29 Thanksgiving holiday – Show

offices closed

DECEMBER5 - Rusk County Hay Hauling Contest7-8 La Porte Go Texan Contests, Team

Penning and Bull Riding25-26 Christmas holiday –

Show offices closed

JANUARY1- New Year’s holiday – Show offices

closed10- 12 Cy Fair Go Texan Weekend

Jacinto City/Galena Park Cook-offand Dance

11 - Matagorda County Cook-off andGo Texan Contests

11 - Spring Branch/MemorialDiamonds and Studs Gala

15 - Conroe/Willis Go Texan Dance17 - LaPorte Go Texan Dance18 - Tomball/Magnolia/Montgomery

Golf TournamentTomball Diamonds & DenimCasino NightAlief Southwest DanceBrazos County Cook-off andGo Texan ContestsFayette County Cook-off andGo Texan ContestsKarnes County Cook-off andGo Texan Contests

25 - Tomball/Magnolia/MontgomeryDanceGrimes County Team PenningCompetitionGo Texan Grand Champion ChiliCook-off

31 - Aldine/Spring/Klein Rock & RollRodeo DancePanola County Go TexanActivities

For more information on Go Texan events, contact theGo Texan Director at (713) 791-9000.