By Jessica Domel
Multimedia Reporter
The 23-day Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo (FWSSR) kicks off this weekend with livestock shows, rodeos and plenty of family-friendly activities.
“Ranching Heritage Weekend is what kicks all of this off,” Matt Brockman, FWSSR communications manager, said in an interview with the Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) Radio Network. “Our best of the West Ranch Rodeo on Jan. 17-18 is really the pinnacle of that whole weekend, and our horse entries have grown over that weekend, as well, because we have several AQHA (American Quarter Horse Association) ranch horse versatility events and shows going on over that weekend, plus three big horse sales.”
Ranches from Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma will come to FWSSR during Ranching Heritage Weekend for the competitions and rodeos.
There will also be specialty rodeos like the Best in Mexico Celebración Jan. 19, Cowboys of Color Jan. 20 and extreme bull riding Jan. 21-22. The RodeoX Extreme Team Competition is set for Jan. 23.
The FWSSR PRORODEO Tournament runs Jan. 24-Feb. 8.
Livestock shows begin Saturday.
“With more than 35,000 livestock entries and horse entries in our livestock shows and horse shows, that’s a very big element—whether it’s one of our open shows for those ranches and farms that are raising some of the best livestock genetics across the nation or it’s our 4-H and FFA exhibitors,” Brockman said.
About 240 of the 254 counties in Texas will have youth entries at FWSSR.
There are also a variety of competitions for youth.
“We’re always looking for opportunities to, especially for our youth exhibitors, to come and participate here at the show. Agriculture’s changing and technology is changing agriculture. So, we have an Ag Robotics Contest that we’ve added this year, and those teams are going to come compete here on, at our show at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, which is part of our complex,” Brockman said.
There will also be a wildlife competition, an equine IQ contest and equine speech contest.
TFB will debut it’s new Doorways to Agriculture exhibit, formerly known as Planet Agriculture, at FWSSR.
“We’ve got so many of our guests that are two, three, four and more than that, generations removed from the farm or ranch. So, a stock show in a place like this is an opportunity for people to reconnect with our agricultural roots,” Brockman said.
On Jan. 26, the Texas Wildlife Association (TWA) will bring Kids Gone Wild to FWSSR.
“We have a one-day event that teaches kids the importance of the relationships between land, livestock and wildlife. What TWA does is work with other organizations to put on exhibits and activities that kids can engage with that are connected to wildlife habitat enhancement, natural resource conservation and really just outdoor recreation,” Brockman said.
During Kids Gone Wild at 11 a.m., kids can see a red-tailed hawk or another raptor right in the eye and can experience Texas wildlife first-hand.
“They can sit and learn about the importance that certain amphibians play in the natural world. They can learn to shoot an air rifle. They have a really supervised program for archery and air rifles and activities like that,” Brockman said. “It’s really kind of a one-day opportunity for families to bring their young children and to learn a little bit about habitat enhancement, restoration, the importance of habitat, the different species to be able to touch and look at and feel some of these species—whether they’re reptiles or they’re mammals or they’re birds.”
Kid Fish will also be a Kids Gone Wild.
“It’s a big tank that’s brought in and filled full of water and probably dozens of catfish in it,” Brockman said. “They can throw a line into this tank and catch a catfish right here at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. It’s something that’s fun, something that’s educational and has been a big hit with our guests over the years.”
The schedule of events and an opportunity to buy tickets are available at FWSSR.com.
Brockman notes this is the first year select FWSSR events will be in Dickies Arena.
“If you come and you come to see the stock show and come to see a rodeo performance at Dickies Arena, you’re going to be, I think, really impressed. The art that’s incorporated into its design and its architecture is really fascinating. It has a connection to Texas agriculture,” Brockman said.
FWSSR runs Jan. 17-Feb. 8. A map is available on FWSSR.com.