Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo...what's it all about?

It's about the kids.  It's about the kids!

Last Friday at the Greater Houston Partnership Business Development Committee meeting, the guest speaker was Skip Wagner, President/CEO of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo.  Now in other parts of the world, that title doesn't mean a whole lot.  But if you've been in Houston for a while and perhaps have attended the great event, you will respect the title and the man who holds the position.  At the root of the cowboy roundup is a philanthropic organization that gives away millions every year in college scholarships and grants that guide and shape our youth in this region.

Skip Wagner - Sorry for the poor picture!

Let's get a few of the main details out of the way.  The Livestock Show & Rodeo was started in 1931 by 7 Houston men purely for economic development in Houston.  The first scholarship ($2,000) was given in 1957.  The 20-day event hosted 2.5 million visitors in 2010 and expects to break that record in 2011, making the HLSR the largest Rodeo in the world - second place hosts about 300,000 guests.  The HLSR is the largest retailer of beer and spirits in the state of Texas in the month of March.  The HLSR, while only doing business for 20 days, is constantly in the top 10 retailers of beer and spirits annually in the state of Texas.  Skip Wagner jokes, "But remember, it's about the kids!" Without the HLSR, the Houston Texans Football Team would have never existed and without the HLSR's $80 million contribution, Reliant Stadium would have not been constructed.

Gene Autry - The First Musical Act to Perform - 1942

Ben Dickerson - 1st Scholarship Recipient - 1957

Elvis plays the Rodeo - 1970

I've been in Houston my whole life and always knew that the Rodeo did great things for kids, but until I heard Skip break down the numbers, I had know idea how much.  Here's the 2010 numbers breakdown:

Revenue - $94 million
Operating Profit - $22 million
Total gifts - $17 million

Not bad for a company that only operates about 20 days per year!  Skip told us something interesting about the $17 million.  Each year Chevrolet boasts of their $1,000 "Player of The Game" scholarships and their total scholarship awards of over $3 million since inception.  The Rodeo gives away $17 million per year and has just eclipsed the $250 million mark.  That's a lot of cash for boys and girls and Texas educations.  A stipulation with the HLSR scholarships is that the student must attend a Texas university or college...and that's just fine with me.

The Calf Scramble

There was a lot more info he provided but this was the most astounding. So head out to the Rodeo and have an extra funnel cake and maybe one extra beer.  With this philanthropy, you know the money's heading to a good cause.