TABLETABLE OFOF CONTENTSCONTENTS MAGAZINE COMMITTEE A Message From the President.......................................................... 1 OFFICER IN CHARGE Features J. Grover Kelley Partners in Success.......................................................................... 2 CHAIRMAN Voices of the Houston Rodeo........................................................ 4 Bill Booher VICE CHAIRMAN A Bit of Knowledge Goes a Long Way.......................................... 6 Bill Bludworth Clowning Glory ............................................................................. 8 EDITORIAL BOARD Sue Cruver Incredible Odds, Incredible People .......................................... 10 Teresa Ehrman Eight Seconds to Judgment ........................................................... 12 Peter A. Ruman Marshall R. Smith III Meet the Show’s New Vice Presidents .......................................... 14 Constance White Todd Zucker Committee Spotlights COPY EDITOR Houston General Go Texan ......................................................... 16 Larry Levy Poultry Auction ............................................................................ 17 REPORTERS Nancy Burch Show News and Updates Gina Covell John Crapitto The First Vice President — Profile ................................................ 18 Syndy Arnold Davis Cheryl Dorsett-Kennedy Show Initiates New Fund-raising Policies.................................... 19 Freeman Gregory Third-Year Committee Chairmen Profiles ................................... 20 Whitney Horton Charlotte Howard Rodeo Round-Up .......................................................................... 21 Ann Jacobs Melissa Manning Calendar of Events ............................................................ Back Cover Judy Johnston Merrell Ken C. Moursund Jr. Gordon Richardson II Beverly Rosenbaum The Cover: Rodeo clown MAGAZINE Pat Scherrieb Quail Dobbs lends Susan Williams encouragement to a calf Leslie Worsham scramble participant. Photo by Frank Martin PHOTOGRAPHER Sam Pierson DESIGN/LAYOUT Clarke & McClure HLSR STAFF MAGAZINE Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo MANAGEMENT COORDINATORS Leroy Shafer Suzy Brown XECUTIVE OMMITTEE IFETIME EMBERS FFICERS E C L M - O PRODUCTION EDITOR Joseph T. Ainsworth, M.D. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Mike Blasingame Johnnie Westerhaus Jim Bloodworth Douglas B. Marshall Ken Caldwell STAFF COORDINATOR/EDITOR Don A. Buckalew Clayton Underwood Brady F. Carruth Samantha Fewox John H. Causey P. Michael Wells John L. Ebeling J.M. Clepper Carolyn Faulk Dick Graves CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD Charles W. Grant Hal Hillman Don D. Jordan Red Griffin Magazine Don D. Jordan J.P. “Hap” Hunnicutt III H. Stuart Lang Jr. PRESIDENT Robert C. “Bob” Hux Volume VI, No. 3, is published by the Louis M. Pearce Jr. Jim Bloodworth J. Grover Kelley Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Copyright 1998 John O. Smith Dan Lehane, M.D. Letters and comments should be sent to: Tommie Vaughn FIRST VICE PRESIDENT Edward B. Schulz Marketing Department, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, P. O. Box 20070, James M. Windham Jr. P. Michael Wells R.H. “Steve” Stevens Houston, Texas 77225-0070 GENERAL MANAGER Dan A. Gattis A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Thanks! We “broke ground” on our RITE program last year, a three- That’s the simple message I’ve been asked to pass on to all of year, multimillion dollar pilot program designed to help at-risk the volunteers, members and other supporters of the Houston students with their reading skills. We’re teaching teachers to be Livestock Show and Rodeo. It’s the collective heartfelt feeling better at reading instruction, which allows students to under- from more than 400 young men and women getting ready to stand every subject better. You’d be amazed at the first-, sec- start school as college freshmen this fall. Each of these talented ond- and third-graders that have developed a love for reading, Texans are proud recipients of a new scholarship awarded by a new confidence in themselves and a drive to be their best the Show. because of this program. These children are reading with enthusiasm and joy, and the teachers seem energized as well. You’ll get to read a couple of incredible stories about our scholarship recipients in this issue, but each of the 414 winners Ten years from now, with our help, maybe these youngsters has a special story to tell. will be the leaders who walk across the stage with pride to accept a scholarship from the Houston Livestock Show and We began the presentation of scholarships this year in Rodeo. February by awarding more than $300,000 to 61 outstanding students representing the different counties participating in Go As we all get ready for another school year, be proud of your Texan events. accomplishments as a volunteer, or your support of the Show as a member. You’re making a difference at the most basic level In May, we presented 129 four-year, $10,000 scholarships of our society — you’re helping to educate our young people. at the Million Dollar Scholarship Banquet. These awards were given to deserving Houston-area students who will be attend- Good luck to all of the new committee chairmen, directors ing a Texas college or university this fall. We followed that up and officers. As I begin my final year as president of the with 100 two-year, $3,000 scholarships given to Hispanic stu- Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, I challenge you to make dents as part of our Go Tejano efforts. this year our finest yet! Sixty 4-H members were awarded four-year, $10,000 scholarships at the annual 4-H Roundup in College Station, Texas, in June, and that total was matched in July at the annual Jim Bloodworth FFA Convention in Fort Worth, Texas. In all, more than $5 President million has been committed by the Show to scholarships and other educational programs for the 1998-99 school year. I walked away from each one of these presentations with an unbelievable feeling of pride — these kids were phenomenal! Many never thought they would have an opportunity to attend college. Some overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles in their lives and still thought a college education was just a dream. Your efforts and commitment to our Show helped turn those dreams into reality for many of our recipients. Some may think it’s a cliché, but hard work and persistence really do pay off. There is no doubt that the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is helping to build the future of our fine city and this great state. Whether it’s by awarding scholarships, participat- ing in the planning of a potential new stadium or creating new educational programs to benefit our youth, we are constantly striving to improve the Show and the programs we provide. 1 By Sue Cruver The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is fortunate to Kroger name out there,” said Gary Huddleston, manager of have a vast number of companies involved as major corporate consumer affairs. For Kroger, the Show fits well with its compa- sponsors. Why do so many companies embrace the Show? ny philosophy. “It stands for family values,” said Huddleston, They do so because it makes good marketing sense and pro- “and the neighborhood grocery is part of that family.” motes corporate visibility. They do so because it gets their Another longtime corporate sponsor is Conoco, which has employees involved and benefits something everyone believes sponsored the Conoco 10K Rodeo Run since 1988. The run in — the education and future of young people. Major corpo- started as an employee race prior to the annual Rodeo Parade rate sponsors give for many of the same reasons other support- and is now part of the Parade Committee’s activities. It generates ers of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo give, but they do thousands of dollars each year for the Educational Fund and, in so at higher levels. 1998, involved more than 800 Conoco employees and family members. To date, Conoco has contributed $772,000 to the Show’s Educational Fund. “Conoco has a very big volunteer ethic,” said Sue Collier, director of community affairs and a Parade Committee vice chairman. She added that the run is Conoco’s largest annual employee volunteer project anywhere in the world. “Our sponsorship pays for the cost of the run. We do this so that 100 percent of the proceeds can go for scholarships.” Funds are generated through entry fees. “We have a very successful partnership with the Show,” continued Collier. The benefit to her company is not only the satisfaction of helping students, but also the leadership development and spirit-raising opportu- nity it affords Conoco employees. Other corporate sponsors tell of similar reasons for Bullfighter Rick Chatman dons a headgear with the PrimeCo their involvement. Diamond Shamrock has been buy- Cam attached to give spectators a unique view of the action ing steers in partnership with its vendor sponsors for a number during the bull riding event. Photo by Frank Martin of years. In 1998, the company became a day sponsor for the rodeo finals performance featuring John Michael Montgomery. The Kroger Company has been a Show sponsor for 11 years. It is one of those corporate partners that has broadened its sup- “This was our biggest level of participation,” said Gary port over the years, involving itself in a number of areas — from Kramer, Diamond Shamrock’s Houston merchandising manag- auction animals to chuck wagons to becoming the official spon- er and a Corral Club Committee captain. “It was great exposure for us, and it was good to help kids.” He went on to explain sor of the RODEOHOUSTON pay-per-view cable series.