Attendance was high for this year’s Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, as more than 2.46 million visitors were in the audience for the authentic celebration of Western heritage.

“Thanks to more than 32,000 dedicated volunteers and 100-plus staff members, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is proud to present a first-class experience for its more than 2 million visitors,” said Jack Lyons, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo chairman of the board. “Show spectators receive an up-close view of agriculture and Western heritage at this one-of-a-kind event.”

RodeoHouston committed $2,172,100 to its 2016 contestants in 2016. The 2016 RodeoHouston Super Series was held held March 1-19. Athletes competed for their share of $1.74 million in prize money. Each event champion walked away with $50,000, plus his or her winnings from the preliminary rounds.

The RodeoHouston Super Shootout: North America’s Champions, presented by Crown Royal, was held Sunday, March 20, 2016. Champion athletes from eight of the best rodeos in the U.S. and Canada came together to compete in the one day event, competing as individuals and as part of a team in bareback riding, barrel racing, bull riding, saddle bronc riding and steer wrestling.

With a total purse of $250,000, the Super Shootout is among the richest one-day rodeo events in the world. Each event champion earned $25,000.

This year’s livestock competitions and horse shows boasted 30,911 entries.
Junior auction sales totaled a record $12,350,133, and six Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion junior market and school art auction lots set or matched world or Show records. The Junior Market Barrow Grand Champion earned a world record $209,000, while the Reserve Grand champion earned a world record $129,000. The Grand and Reserve Grand Champion Junior Market Goats also earned world records, with the Grand Champion earning $171,000 and the Reserve Champion earning $147,000. The Grand Champion Junior Market Lamb was the final world record earner, earning a whopping $261,000.

The Junior Commercial Steer Sale totaled $674,815, and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Champion Wine Auction brought in $1,420,351. The Ranching & Wildlife Auction totaled $372,835, while the calf scramble and judging contest winners received 414 certificates, each worth $2,000, for a total of $828,000. Calf scramble exhibitors from 2015 who returned with their steer and heifer projects to compete at the 2016 Houston Livestock Show™ received more than $100,000 total in premiums and awards.

The Show also committed more than $25.8 million to scholarships and educational programs, including $12,981,000 in scholarships that will be awarded this summer, $4,888,610 in educational program grants, and $525,400 in graduate assistantships.