February 2002 - Vol
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February 2002 - Vol. X, No. 1 MAGAZINE COMMITTEE OFFICER IN CHARGE CONTENTS Lucky Long CHAIRMAN Bill Bludworth A Message From the President 1 VICE CHAIRMEN Larry Levy Features Todd Zucker Thanks for DOMEmories .............................................. 2 EDITORIAL BOARD Show Health 101 ............................................................... 4 Bill Booher Kenneth C. Moursund Jr. And the Songs Play On ................................................... 6 Tracy Ruffeno Marshall R. Smith III 2002 RODEOHOUSTONTM Entertainers ......................... 9 Constance White Show Schedule ................................................................... 10 page 2 PHOTOGRAPHERS ........................................................................... Show News 13 Sam Pierson Hall of Fame ........................................................................ 14 Debbie Porter Is There a Doctor in the House?.................................. 16 REPORTERS Committee Spotlights Sonya Aston Gina Covell Lifetime Vice Presidents ................................................. 18 Stephanie Earthman Teresa Ehrman ......................................................................... Rabbit Show 19 Susan Emfinger Freeman Gregory Show News and Updates Whitney Horton Third-Year Committee Chairmen Profiles ............. 20 Cheryl D. Kennedy page 6 Wendy Lester-Kyle Rodeo Round-Up ............................................................... 21 Melissa Manning Calendar of Events ........................................... Back Cover Nan McCreary Gordon Richardson II Beverly Rosenbaum Rhonda Rubin Ken Scott February 2002 - Vol. X, No. 1 Gina Steere The Cover Susan Williams The Astrodome rose from the prairie Tara Telage Wilson between the Texas Medical Center and Leslie Worsham Loop 610 with Colt Stadium in the background. DESIGN/LAYOUT page 16 Clarke & McClure HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO MAGAZINE COORDINATION Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ MARKETING & PRESENTATIONS DEPARTMENT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: LIFETIME MEMBERS - OFFICERS: Joseph T. Ainsworth M.D. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Richard Buddeke SENIOR DIVISION MANAGER, ADVERTISING, PRODUCTION & Jim Bloodworth Douglas B. Marshall J.L. “Bubba” Butera CREATIVE DESIGN Don A. Buckalew John O. Smith Tom Dompier Johnnie Westerhaus John H. Causey Clayton Underwood Douglas L. Doyle SENIOR DIRECTOR - J.M. Clepper Jamie Ehrman INFORMATION/PUBLICATIONS Dick Graves CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD: Jerry H. Hickman Doyce Elliott Hal Hillman Jim Bloodworth G.R.“Ray” Hinsley III Don D. Jordan John A. Hutchison III MAGAZINE H. Stuart Lang Jr. PRESIDENT: Lucky Long Volume X, No. 1, is published by the P. Michael Wells Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Louis M. Pearce Jr. Jack A. Lyons Copyright 2002 Paul Somerville Charles R. “Butch” Robinson Letters and comments should be sent to: Tommie Vaughn GENERAL MANAGER: Gregory A. Schroder Marketing Department, Houston Livestock P. Michael Wells Dan A. Gattis Keith A. Steffek Show and Rodeo, P. O. Box 20070, Houston, Texas 77225-0070 James M. Windham Jr. www.rodeohouston.com www.hlsr.com A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Do you feel it? That ripple of excitement and air of antici- Houstonians, Texans, and livestock show and rodeo enthusi- pation for the 2002 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ is asts around the globe should be here to see and take part in. here! Preparations are long under way, the Rodeo METRO Show fans should be easy to spot with a unique line of Express tents are already up, the entertainers have been Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo merchandise available. announced and the tickets are on sale. The next thing we need You will notice something new when you visit the Official is you! Rodeo Merchandise Stores in Reliant Hall and Reliant Arena — You have already heard how historic this year will be as we volunteers behind the counter from the Rodeo Merchandise say goodbye to Reliant Astrodome and Reliant Hall, but you Committee. And, as a special opportunity, a discount on Show may be surprised by all the wonderful tributes we have in merchandise will be offered to all committee volunteers. Stop store. There will be a special cowboy prayer that was written by and check it out! especially for our Show by Red Steagall, a rendition of the Wear your comfortable boots, ride the bus and join us for a national anthem by Asleep at the Wheel, an amazing evening Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo you will never forget! highlighting the legends of RODEOHOUSTON™, and other sur- prising and heart-warming moments. P. Michael Wells Yes, 2002 will be a year that you won’t want to miss. It also will be a year that your neighbors, friends and family shouldn’t miss. As part of the Hospitality Plus pledge this year, Show vol- unteers are not only committing themselves to serving as President ambassadors of the Show, but are making the effort to invite those that haven’t been to the Show in recent years or at all. It will truly be an extraordinary year, and an event that Thanks to everyone who rolled up a sleeve in support of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Blood and Food Drive. 1 By Teresa Ehrman or most people who live in the nation’s fourth largest city, As early as 1962, it was evident to Lang that the Show’s the Reliant Astrodome truly is the “Eighth Wonder of the then-current home, the Sam Houston Coliseum, no longer was FFWorld.” Former Houston mayor Judge Roy Hofheinz — large enough to accommodate all of the activities and events. the force behind the construction of the Astrodome — “We got to the point where we weren’t able to have the chicken, bestowed the nickname upon the stadium back in 1965. It has rabbit or hog shows because there was simply no more room,” been part of our city’s identity and culture ever since it opened. recalled Lang. It was renamed Reliant Astrodome in 2000. “We couldn’t even hold the horse show on the grounds “I’ve built a lot of things in my life, but the Astrodome sur- because there wasn’t enough space,” he added. “We held activi- passes them all,” Hofheinz said after the stadium was complet- ties outside in tents and were losing many exhibitors. We knew ed. “This doesn’t mean it’s perfect. But, within the limitations of if we didn’t do something soon, the Show wouldn’t make it.” $45 million, I think it’s as perfect as it’s possible to be.” Then came the offer from Hofheinz to Show officials to host Originally named the Harris County Domed Stadium, the the annual event at the Astrodome. Lang and the Building facility was renamed the Astrodome a short time later. Dubbed Committee analyzed the Show’s financial situation and assessed an “architectural masterpiece,” the Astrodome officially opened the organization’s future and potential profitability in the new on April 12, 1965, when a crowd of 42,652 watched the venue. Houston Astros play the Philadelphia Phillies. Critics declared the mere consideration of the Show’s mov- Some might argue that the Reliant Astrodome’s life didn’t ing to the Astrodome a huge mistake and predicted the event officially begin until the first Houston Livestock Show and would never last at such a huge facility. After all, it was the Rodeo™ was held there in 1966. Many people vividly remem- largest building of its kind in the entire world. It had seating for ber the Show’s exciting transition to the enormous complex, but 45,000 — more than five times the capacity of the Coliseum. few were as deeply involved in the daunting planning and deci- Even Lang realized it would be hard to fill those seats, but he sion-making efforts as H. Stuart Lang Jr., Show president from knew it was a move the organization needed to make in order to 1963 to 1966 and current Executive Committee member. survive and, ultimately, become the world’s largest livestock A ring of concrete and steel encircled the area to be covered by the Dome, in which many events would be 2 played out and untold memories would be made over the next 37 years. show and rodeo. The very near future would prove critics wrong for a record $15,000. Golf carts became a new mode of transporta- and affirm what Lang believed all along. tion to navigate through the massive complex. And, the number of After months of critical discussions, intense negotiations and international visitors doubled from the previous year. marathon meetings, the Houston Sports Association — the Committee members, who previously had earned silver badges Astrodome’s management company — and the Show inked the for their volunteer service, for the first time wore gold badges like deal before the 1965 festivities at the Coliseum began. those of Show officials and committee chairmen. The Show also As the event came to a close that year, Show officials, volunteers introduced its new logo, the “Bowlegged H,” in celebration of its and virtually everyone involved with the organization dealt with a new home. host of mixed emotions. Despite the cramped quarters, chaotic For those who were convinced the Show never would come logistics, poor security and exhibitor drop-off, the Coliseum was close to seeing even a fraction of the Astrodome seats filled, their still “home.” doubts quickly were squelched by Jimmy Dean’s Friday-night per- Everyone knew that a significant chapter of the Houston formance, which entertained a crowd of more than 40,000. Livestock Show and Rodeo was closing on that last day of the event “It was an awesome and exciting time,” Lang said of the inau- in 1965, and they celebrated at countless parties. The Houston Fire gural Show in the Astrodome. At the close of the 1966 Show, every- Department was forced to shut down the Corral Club because it one, from the volunteers and politicians to media and the public, was overcrowded with revelers. gave the Show’s new home a resounding vote of approval. Of course, there was the exchanging of stories and memories of Following the Show, Lang hosted a reception celebrating the the past, one last nostalgic drink, and tears of sadness. But no one overwhelming success of the first Houston Livestock Show and could have imagined the excitement awaiting just around the cor- Rodeo in the Astrodome and paid tribute to all who were involved ner in the Show’s new home.