There’s a reason why the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo’s motto is “This thing is legendary.”
Year after year visitors flock to the annual event that runs for slightly more than three weeks. This year was no exception as the estimated total attendance was 1,144,305, according to FWSSR officials.
“Although we encountered rough weather for the first half of the show, we were able to finish strong and people came out to enjoy and celebrate our western way of life,” FWSSR spokesman Matt Brockman said. “We’re always looking for new features or ways to enhance the guests’ or competitors’ experience. Regardless of how long you’ve been doing something – and this was the 127th Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo – there are improvements that can be made. As our president, Brad Barnes likes to say, ‘We can always be better.’”
What’s come to be known as “stock show weather” was indeed a challenge in the early going of this year’s FWSSR. Folks had to deal with unusually cold temperatures for the first 13 days.
“Obviously, attendance lagged during this time and while the weather improved for the remaining 10 days it was impossible to make up the deficit resulting from colder than normal temperatures during our first two weekends, which typically provide some of our strongest attendance numbers,” Brockman noted.
Deficit or not, a million-plus visitors is nothing to sneeze at – even if the arctic blast may have left some stock show fans reaching for their cold medicine.
Rodeo attendance was strong again this year, Brockman said, with just over 226,000 fans packing the seats at Dickies Arena. Concerts were a big draw, too, with Tanya Tucker, Smokey Robinson and Jamey Johnson among the headliners for the popular Auditorium Entertainment Series at Will Rogers Auditorium.
The always popular Junior Sale of Champions was moved to the Watt Arena in the Moncrief Building at Will Rogers Memorial Center and Brockman said the larger venue enabled the sale to host a larger crowd, including parents, spectators and buyers.
The sale raised $8.2 million for 4-H and FFA youth, eclipsing last year’s record of $7.3 million. Breaking the record by almost a million dollars is exciting, Brockman said.
“The buying organizations – Fort Worth Stock Show Syndicate, Women Steering Business, Tallest Hog at the Trough, Ladies on the Lamb, Band of Barrows and U Ol’ Goat – do an amazing job, and we are honored that they go to such amazing lengths for the 4-H and FFA youth that came from across Texas to compete here,” he said.
Dates for the 2025 Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo have already been announced – the show will run from Jan. 17 through Feb. 8 and rodeo tickets will go on sale to the public on Monday, Sept. 9. As legendary as this thing is, Brockman said it will get even better.
“We’re excited about the new renovation project of the Will Rogers Memorial Center’s Sheep and Swine barns located adjacent to Dickies Arena and the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. The benefits will go far beyond the stock show by transforming these 1948 structures into modern facilities that will accommodate a wide variety of multi-use purposes. Demand by event organizers for the Will Rogers Memorial Center’s facilities is greater now than arguably anytime in its history, and the stock show is proud to play an important role in enhancing the usefulness of this Fort Worth treasure.”