November 2001 - Vol. IX, No. 4 MAGAZINE COMMITTEE OFFICER IN CHARGE CONTENTS Lucky Long CHAIRMAN Bill Bludworth A Message From the President 1 VICE CHAIRMEN Larry Levy Features Todd Zucker When the Cows Came Home ....................................... 2 EDITORIAL BOARD Unique Boutique ................................................................ 4 Bill Booher Kenneth C. Moursund Jr. A Festive Farewell ............................................................. 6 Tracy Ruffeno Marshall R. Smith III Healthy Competition ....................................................... 8 Constance White .............................................. The Marvel of Technology 10 page 2 PHOTOGRAPHERS New Homes for Old Traditions ................................... 12 Sam Pierson LaManchas, Shropshires and Boers, Oh My! ....... 14 Debbie Porter RITE - The Next Phase .................................................... 16 REPORTERS Sonya Aston Committee Spotlights Nancy Burch Agricultural Mechanics .................................................. 17 Gina Covell Stephanie Earthman Equipment Acquisition ................................................... 18 Teresa Ehrman Membership ......................................................................... 19 Susan Emfinger Freeman Gregory Show News and Updates Whitney Horton page 8 Cheryl D. Kennedy Third-Year Committee Chairmen Profiles ............. 20 Wendy Lester-Kyle Rodeo Round-Up ............................................................... 21 Melissa Manning Nan McCreary Calendar of Events ........................................... Back Cover Gordon Richardson II Beverly Rosenbaum Rhonda Rubin Ken Scott November 2001 - Vol. IX, No. 4 Gina Steere The Cover Susan Williams Bullfighting Bossie, sponsored by the Tara Telage Wilson Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Leslie Worsham stands outside the Galleria during page 12 CowParade Houston 2001. DESIGN/LAYOUT Clarke & McClure HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ MAGAZINE COORDINATION EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: LIFETIME MEMBERS - OFFICERS: MARKETING & PRESENTATIONS Joseph T. Ainsworth M.D. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Richard Buddeke DEPARTMENT Jim Bloodworth Douglas B. Marshall J.L. “Bubba” Butera SENIOR DIVISION MANAGER, ADVERTISING, PRODUCTION & Don A. Buckalew John O. Smith Tom Dompier CREATIVE DESIGN John H. Causey Clayton Underwood Douglas L. Doyle Johnnie Westerhaus J.M. Clepper Jamie Ehrman SENIOR DIRECTOR - HAIRMAN OF THE OARD Dick Graves C B : Jerry H. Hickman INFORMATION/PUBLICATIONS Hal Hillman Jim Bloodworth G.R.“Ray” Hinsley III Doyce Elliott Don D. Jordan John A. Hutchison III H. Stuart Lang Jr. PRESIDENT: Lucky Long MAGAZINE Louis M. Pearce Jr. P. Michael Wells Jack A. Lyons Volume IX, No. 4, is published by the Paul Somerville Charles R. “Butch” Robinson Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. GENERAL MANAGER: Copyright 2001 Tommie Vaughn Gregory A. Schroder Letters and comments should be sent to: P. Michael Wells Dan A. Gattis Keith A. Steffek Marketing Department, Houston Livestock James M. Windham Jr. Show and Rodeo, P. O. Box 20070, Houston, Texas 77225-0070 www.rodeohouston.com A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT On September 11, we were all shocked by the attack on Let’s pray for wisdom for our president and all our leaders our country in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsyl- and send a message that we will not be distracted from our vania. It got our attention and has caused a great deal of reflec- commitment to the youth of Texas. tion and soul searching in all segments of this country. This One way you can demonstrate your support is through the may be the greatest challenge this nation has ever faced — Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Blood and Food Drive on certainly the greatest since early in World War II. Dec. 17. From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., we will have the good people Our president has responded decisively, and virtually all from the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center set up to collect Americans have rallied behind him. He has asked that we your blood donations in Reliant Arena. I challenge our com- resume our normal activities and not be frozen by this tragedy. mittee volunteers to show their spirit and see which official The enemy would relish the knowledge that this country has Show committee has the largest percentage of its members been permanently stymied by its aggression. donate blood. Cookies and orange juice won’t be your only It would be a victory for these terrorists if we allow the suc- incentive! We’ll take your food donations to the Houston Food cess of our 2002 Show to be impaired. Our mission of “bene- Bank. fiting youth and supporting education” strikes at the very heart of what we face today and in the future. The leaders of God Bless America! See you Dec. 17. the future are in our high schools and colleges today. Education is not a guarantee of success, but it is a tremen- dous weapon against the overall insanity that threatens our way of life. We must respond in the best ways we can. Ensur- ing that the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ can contin- P. Michael Wells ue our educational programs is a wonderful start. President Photo by Frank Martin Wells, Harris County Judge Robert Eckels, Texans owner Bob McNair and other dignitaries recently took the opportunity to personally thank many of the workers making Reliant Stadium and Reliant Center a reality. 1 By Leslie Worsham oly cow! A herd of bovine beauties stampeded into town as “When I went home that night I knew the CowParade was HCowParade Houston 2001 made its debut Sept. 6. More consistent and parallel with what the Rodeo represents,” Wilson than 300 life-sized fiberglass cow sculptures — painted and said. “It is charitable and for the children. This project really hit decorated in just about every design imaginable — can be seen home. These kids are in a difficult situation, and we are just try- in locations throughout the city until Nov. 7, 2001. ing to help them out.” One of the many sponsors for CowParade Houston 2001 is Susie Austin, a member of the Western Art Committee, the Houston Livestock Show and RodeoTM. “In approaching remembered getting a call from Wilson saying the Show was sponsors, I couldn’t imagine having CowParade Houston 2001 sponsoring a life-sized fiberglass cow and that their committee without the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo,” said Emily had been given the task of decorating and painting it. Crosswell, chairman of CowParade Houston. “I have been a “He told me when it had to be done, and I remember think- supporter of the Show for a long time, and it just seemed like ing, ‘you want it when?’ I was very surprised it had to be done something that would be right up their alley.” so soon — in four weeks! We, along with May Bentley, another It’s not unusual for the Show to get involved in other Western Art Committee member, met the next day for lunch charitable events. When it was approached about CowParade and discussed how we would decorate the cow. We knew we Houston 2001, which will support the Texas Children’s wanted it to represent the Rodeo and were looking at photos in Hospital and Texas Children’s Cancer Center, it seemed a a CowParade brochure from another city and saw a clown. perfect fit for the Show’s image. Almost immediately, we knew it needed to be a rodeo clown,” Each cow in the CowParade is sponsored by a company or Austin said. an individual. The sponsor is responsible for “decking out” its Austin went home with a drawing of the cow and the idea of cow. There are no rules for decorating the cows, other than rodeo clowns. While looking for inspiration, she found an issue refraining from displaying anything offensive or showing any of Magazine that featured rodeo clowns and spent the day company logos. The door is wide open for creativity, and the creating a rendition of a bullfighter. artistic endeavors in CowParade Houston 2001 are unique, to “I used a combination of the old style — as in Quail Dobbs say the least. with the painted face, the hat and wig,” Austin said. “But, I also “This event really caught our attention,” said Dan Gattis, felt we should incorporate the new breed of rodeo bullfighters, general manager of the Show. “Having seen the CowParade, I too. So, I drew in the shin guards and the knee pads. I passed knew what a tremendous impact it made on the cities involved. on the drawing to Wilson, ... he sent it on for approval from CowParade Houston 2001 supports a great cause, and it was in our interest and pride to be involved. We made the deci- Members of the Show’s Western Art Committee designed Bullfighting sion to sponsor a cow and turned it over to the Western Art Bossie, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s contribution to Committee.” CowParade Houston 2001, on display on the north side of the Galleria. Rick Wilson, chairman of the Western Art Committee, learned of the committee’s new responsibility from Jack Lyons, a Show vice president and the committee’s officer in charge. “He told me the Show bought a cow for the CowParade, and after telling me about the charitable side of it and what our committee would be responsible for, I told him we’d pull it off,” Wilson said. “I wasn’t sure how we’d do it, though. The Western Art Committee is not known as being a committee of artists, but as custodians of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo art, like the paintings, bronzes and sculptures, etc. My question was did we have the creative ability to do this? 2 CowParade, and the work began. The actual cow was transferred to At the end of each city’s a lease space at Uptown Park, and May and I worked about 40 CowParade, the cows are hours over the next four weeks putting her together.” rounded up and auctioned, with the proceeds going to charity. In Bentley was excited about working on the cow. “I was over- Chicago alone, the CowParade had a significant impact, with auc- whelmed at first,” she said. “I didn’t know what to expect at all.