Good eatin' one of the many draws of the Rodeo festivities

Eclectic mix to grace Rodeo stage

By Matthew Fowler
Daily Cougar Staff

Here's your situation: your significant other really wants to go to Rodeo 2000. So being the cultured romantic you are, you decide to surprise them on Valentine's Day with a pair of tight jeans and tickets to a show.

One problem. You couldn't tell a "livestock" from a dead one, and the only Carnival you've ever been to was headed for the Caribbean. 

So now what? Well, here is a brief rundown of some of the many other events at and around this year's show.

Livestock Show

If you're going to have the world's largest rodeo, you might as well have the world's largest livestock show too, right?

With over one million visitors expected and close to 38,000 livestock entries in 2000, that shouldn't be too hard to accomplish.

Located inside the Astrohall complex, the Livestock Show includes livestock ranging from beef cattle, horses and sheep to breeding poultry, ostriches and even rabbits.

While the first week of competition is reserved for the professional breeders and ranchers, the second week is headlined by the Texas 4-H and FFA junior exhibitors and their livestock projects.

That's right, just like a very big and very real science project, all junior entrants, eight to 19 years of age, must personally groom and raise their animals while under the supervision of a teacher or county extension agent.

Admission is included in the price of any Rodeo ticket, and Livestock Show only tickets can be purchased for $5 for adults and $2 for children ages six to 12 years old. Children five years and under are free.

Horse Show

For 20 consecutive days, the 6,000-seat Astroarena will witness seven different breeds competing for a share in the prize money of over $300,000.

The HLS&R Cutting Horse Competition, running Feb. 15-20, ends with what has become a popular attraction, the National Cutting Horse Association World Championship Finals, Feb. 17-20.

All Horse Show events, except for the NCHA Finals, are included in Rodeo or Livestock Show tickets, and all events are located in the Astroarena.

Attractions and Exhibits

General admission to the many attractions and exhibits located on the HLS&R grounds is included in the price of any ticket (parking not included). 

The AGventure Plaza, featuring the AGventure Arena, The Hideout and Destination AGventure is located between the South and West gates of the Astrodome and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The AGventure arena hosts a combination of cowboy presentation and autograph sessions, shows and events like Stick Horse Racing and Rodeo Education Presentations.

The Hideout, the HLS&R's only live entertainment night club, is chock full of the hottest regionally recognized country music entertainers each evening and throughout the day on weekends. It is open daily to all ages before 7 p.m. and ages 21 and up after that.

Destination AGventure is a unique mini-education in agriculture for all ages. Included here are exciting interactive displays, petting zoos, pig races, pony rides and the Rodeo Experience. If anything, this is the perfect place for all those little rodeo fans out there.

Last, but certainly not least, is the massive Carnival in the Astrodome parking lot. With something for everyone, the carnival has become a major highlight of the Show.

At the Dome, single ride coupons cost 75 cents, while a sheet of 25 coupons is $15 and a book of 50 coupons is $25.