Fort Worth Stock Show Opens
January 17 - February 8, 2004
Three weeks of shows, fun
by Alfredo Alvarez
Texana Editor
FORT WORTH, TX - Kick back and have some good old fashioned fun at the 2004 Fort Worth
Stock Show and Rodeo.
This year marks the 108th year for the world-famous event, which is the nations oldest livestock show.
Scheduled for January 17 February 8 at the Will Rogers Center, this years highlights include
Best of the West Ranch Rodeo and
Ranching Heritage Weekend; Best of Mexico, featuring the richness of Mexican
history; Bulls Night Out The Fort Worth Stock Show Extreme Bull Riding; and 30 performances of the
Worlds Original Indoor Rodeo. The Stock Show features entertainment events for the entire family,
including livestock shows and educational experiences.
Every performance also features the GMC Chuck Wagon Races, Coors Cowtown Cutting and the
unforgettable Calf Scramble, sponsored by Justin Boots and Mrs Bairds Bakeries.
With so much action, visitors will have to catch some of the replay on LamaVision, the huge
screens sponsored by Tony Lama Boots and Harris Methodist Hospitals.
True to its roots, the Fort Worth Stock Show is a magnificent exhibition of top-quality animals.
Stock Show officials are estimating more than 24,000 entries when the final tabulation is made. The
previous record for entries of 22,063 occurred during the 2002 show.
Although we are in the final stages of tabulation, it appears our resulting number will be around
24,600 entries, according to W.R. Watt, Jr., President and General Manager of the Stock Show. We
are delighted with this overwhelming interest of participation.
The Stock Show includes livestock competition for beef and dairy cattle, horses, mules, donkeys,
swine, sheep, goats, llamas, poultry, pigeons and rabbits. A daily schedule of livestock competitions,
along with other information, can be found at
www.fwssr.com.
Bull Riding To The Extreme
One of the most popular events this year will be Bull's Night Out, a wild showcase of
bull riding.
The event is one performance only and sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.
Bulls Night Out will feature 35 of the nations leading bull riders in a single evening of competition.
Each cowboy will have a single mount at the beginning. Then, the top 15 riders will compete in a final
showdown. At the end of the night, a single cowboy will be named the undisputed champion of Bulls
Night Out.
The Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo has a long history with the bull riding event. In 1920, bull
riding was first introduced at the Stock Show Rodeo. Bulls Night Out is sponsored by Centex
Construction Company of Fort Worth. Centex has been named by Fortune magazine as Americas Most
Admired Company in engineering and construction for three straight years. The company has helped
create memorable buildings from coast to coast, including the Miami International Airport,
Cinderellas Castle at Disney World and the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas.
Mexican Heritage
Centuries of Mexican tradition and heritage will be on display at the Best of Mexico The Jerry Diaz
Fiesta of Horsemanship. Two performances are scheduled during the Stock Show. The first will take place
Sunday, January 18, at 7:30 p.m. The second performance is a special holiday matinee on Martin Luther
King Day, Monday, January 19, at 2:00 p.m.
The Best of Mexico performances provide a glimpse into the richness of Mexican heritage through
rodeo events, Mariachi music and Folklorico dancing. Diaz, a fourth-generation charro (Mexican
cowboy), will demonstrate his exceptional skills with a horse and lariat, including spinning
loops formed at full gallop on his horse. The performance also will include a world-champion side-saddle
team, bull riding, bareback riding and a dancing horse. Best of Mexico is sponsored by Coors Light.
Coming to the Stock Show is a terrific opportunity to explore Fort Worth, which a fascinating city
bursting with character and history.
Whether youve attended the Stock Show for years or youre interested in seeing
what its all about make plans now to attend this 108th annual event.
