Fort Worth begins three-week run

Posted Monday, January 14, 2008

Since 1896, the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show has brought the best the West has to offer to its annual Fort Worth extravaganza.

The 111th edition should be no different.
The rodeo begins its 30-performance run on Jan. 18 and runs through Feb. 3 at the Will Rogers Coliseum. From a one-day affair with a few head of cattle tethered under ice-laden shade trees, the Show has grown into a 23-day event with international appeal for exhibitors and visitors alike. Over the years, the steady growth of the Show has mirrored the progress of the livestock industry.

Rodeo, as an indoor entertainment event, holds particular significance and pride for Fort Worth residents as they claim to hosting the “World’s Original Indoor Rodeo.” Wild West Show performers, many gifted in riding skills, participated as contestants in the 1918 indoor event. The initial Fort Worth rodeo featured men and women contestants vying for a total purse of $3,000.The rodeo is annually one of the PRCA’s most lucrative events. In 2007, the rodeo offered nearly $500,000 in prize money. That included a committee purse of $191,000, which ranked 15th among PRCA rodeos in 2