“Mutton bustin’,” where children lie on their bellies on top of an agitated sheep and try to hang on as the ovine shoots across a large arena, is one of the most beloved traditions at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Inevitably, the contestants slide off the sheep and face-plant into the dirt, with some coming away crying, others grinning proudly. Either outcome, the crowd at the largest livestock exhibition and rodeo in the world goes wild.
The Houston rodeo, which runs March 4 to 23, is beyond Texas-size. More than 2.5 million people attended last year. If you’re not from Texas, it’s probably hard to imagine: Only 6 percent of last year’s attendees came from other states.
NaSaysha Cheatham, a Nashville resident, celebrated her 30th birthday with three friends at the rodeo. “I saw it on TikTok,” she said, “and I thought, ‘well, let’s dress up and go’.”
On their visit, each of the women donned cowboy hats and knee-high boots with detailed stitching. Anjelique Hyatt, 30, noted that the friends “wanted to have our Beyoncé moment.” (The pop juggernaut, who grew up in Houston, recently won three Grammys for her “Cowboy Carter” album.)
“You see so many different variations of what it looks like to be a cowboy,” Ms. Cheatham added.
Other mega rodeos include the Calgary Stampede, Canada’s largest, and Wyoming’s Cheyenne Frontier Days, which claims to be the biggest outdoor rodeo. But Houston’s version is the Super Bowl event of contemporary country culture, held in a state that is the leading producer of cattle and beef in the United States: Texas raises more than double the number of head of cattle compared to any other state.
For participants, the annual event is serious business. Millions of dollars change hands as heifers brought in from around the world are sold, and programs highlighting specific livestock breeds, like the Open Beefmaster Show, draw spectators and participants alike.
There’s also an international wine competition, a championship contest for barbecue, and a state-fair-size carnival with roller coasters and Ferris wheels. A guinea pig competition offers awards for best fur coat, and a sprawling shopping area sells everything from handmade leather chairs to turquoise jewelry.
“It’s like choose-your-adventure,” said Jessica Garcia, 44 and a Houston resident, thumbing through the visitor’s guide as her goatskin cowboy boots were shined. She then headed off to buy a Texas praline caramel…
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