2005 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo(TM) Experiences a Record-Breaking Year

2005 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo(TM) Experiences a Record-Breaking Year

HOUSTON, March 22 /PRNewswire/ -- With record-breaking auction prices, record-breaking attendance at individual performances and record speeds at RODEOHOUSTON(TM), 2005 became the year of records for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

The following is a brief recap from the 2005 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo:

-- The 2005 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo entertained a total of 1,740,095 visitors for general attendance (for all activities on the grounds). -- Rodeo paid attendance topped 1 million for the 11th consecutive year, for a total of 1,127,239 people enjoying action-packed rodeo and superstars in concert, topping last year's attendance of 1,126,086. -- A total of 140,036 people visited the World's Champion Bar-B-Que Contest to help kick off the Show. -- The RODEOHOUSTON all-time paid attendance record was broken twice this year. First, Alicia Keys set the new paid rodeo attendance record on March 4, celebrating Black Heritage Day, with an attendance of 72,065. Keys' record broke Kenny Chesney's 2004 record of 70,668. Then, just two nights later, 72,843 people packed Reliant Stadium to see RODEOHOUSTON with Hilary Duff in concert. -- More than 450,000 visitors rode the Rodeo METRO Express shuttle buses from eight locations. The METRORail to Reliant Park was a popular mode of transportation, as more than 105,000 people caught a ride to the Show. In order to get around the Show grounds more quickly, in excess of 465,000 people rode the Ford Trams. -- Six of the junior auction Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion records were broken. The prices for the top winners were (*records):

- *Grand Champion Work of Art, $160,000; and *Reserve Grand Champion Work of Art, $91,000 - *Grand Champion Barrow, $160,000; and *Reserve Grand Champion Barrow, $110,000 - Grand Champion Pen of Broilers, $120,000; and Reserve Grand Champion Pen of Broilers, $80,000 - *Grand Champion Goat, $101,000; and *Reserve Grand Champion Goat, $63,000 - Grand Champion Lamb, $121,000; and Reserve Grand Champion Lamb, $90,000 - Grand Champion Steer, $340,000; and Reserve Grand Champion Steer, $250,000 - Grand Champion Turkey, $110,000; and Reserve Grand Champion Turkey, $55,000

-- The junior auction totals* included: market steers ($2,176,400), lamb and goat ($1,308,816), barrows ($885,750), poultry ($963,750), and school art ($1,118,400) (*unaudited preliminary totals that do not include cash contributions and some presale amounts). -- The second-ever Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Wine Auction brought in $502,300, including $90,000 for the Grand Champion Best of Show and $40,000 for the Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show, both record- breaking prices. -- Total auction sales (including Wine Auction and cattle sales) tallied $9,659,959. Of this amount, junior auction sales totaled $6,823,219. -- This year's livestock competitions and horse shows boasted 31,720 entries. -- The Show hosted 1,738 international guests from 52 countries. -- RODEOHOUSTON produced three live pay-per-view telecasts, including the finals on Saturday, March 19. -- A total of 474 contestants were invited to participate in RODEOHOUSTON, competing for a share of $748,000 in prize money. -- The High Point Champion Award went to Cody DeMers, bareback and saddle bronc rider from Kimberly, Idaho. With the $25,000 bonus for winning the High Point Champion Award, DeMers took home a RODEOHOUSTON paycheck of $39,439.40. -- RODEOHOUSTON champions were: - tie-down roping: Scott Kormos - Teague, Texas, $12,143; - bareback bronc riding: Cody DeMers - Kimberly, Idaho, $14,439.40, and William R. Pittman II - Florence, Miss., $11,872.17; - team roping: Jake Stanley - Hermiston, Ore., and Kirt Jones - Decatur, Texas, $5,014 each; - saddle bronc riding: Ira Slagowski - Plain City, Utah, $15,494.45 - steer wrestling: Ronnie Fields - Oklahoma City, Okla., $11,830.15 - barrel racing: Kelly Kaminski - Bellville, Texas, $17,373; - bull riding: Jason McClain - Lewis, Colo., $16,848.80.

-- The High Flyin' Award, given to the contestant with the worst luck as measured by audience applause, went to bareback bronc rider Austin Meier of Checotah, Okla. -- The barrel racing record was tied once and broken three times this year. First, Kelly Kaminski of Bellville, Texas, received a time of 16.82 during the March 4 performance, tying Jymmy Kay Davis' record of 16.82 set in 2004. Just minutes after Kaminski's run, Melanie Southard of Scurry, Texas, beat that record with 16.80. Then, on March 9, Denise Adams Fea of Lufkin, Texas, sped through the stadium with a new record time of 16.77. Finally, Kaminski regained the record with a time of 16.52 on March 18. -- For the first time ever, RODEOHOUSTON hosted a Collegiate Championship Rodeo. Eighty-three collegiate athletes, from 23 colleges and universities in the Southern and Southwest National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association regions in Texas, met for action- packed competition. Competitors vied for individual and school scholarship monies. The High Point School (overall team) was Tarleton State University, which received an additional $5,000 scholarship. -- Heritage partners for the 2005 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo were Reliant Energy, Coca-Cola, Ford and Miller Lite.

For complete results and highlights, visit the Show's Web site at http://www.rodeohouston.com/ or http://www.hlsr.com/ .

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is a 501(c)(3) charitable event, benefiting youth and supporting education throughout Texas. Since 1957, the Show has committed more than $100 million to the youth of Texas.

Source: Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

CONTACT: Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, +1-832-667-1200, or fax, +1-832-667-1061

Web site: http://www.rodeohouston.com/ http://www.hlsr.com/

------- Profile: Ent