Recognizing and Informing the Volunteers and Supporters of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo

Houston’s 1995 All-AroundChampion Cowboy – Joe Beaver

MAGAZINE

May 1995—Vol III, No. 2

Magazine CommitteeOfficer in Charge

Suzanne Epps

ChairmanRoy Elledge Jr.

Vice Chairmen/Committee Editors

Bill BarrettPeter A. Ruman

Copy EditorNancy Leverett

Editorial BoardMark Anawaty

William C. “Bill” BooherJohn Murphy

Marshall R. Smith IIIStephen Stepinoff

ReportersSamuel N. Allen

Nancy BurchYahsmine Catli-Cowan

Deborah DahlkeCheryl Dorsett

Amy GlassFreeman GregoryWhitney Horton

Ann JacobsBeth JohnsonMark Jones

Charlotte KirkLarry Levy

Pamela MaloneMelissa ManningElise Oppmann

Beverly RosenbaumSundra Spears

Design/LayoutPegasus Design, Inc.

PhotographerSam Pierson

Magazine Staff/ManagementManagement Coordinators

Leroy ShaferSuzy Brown

Production EditorJohnnie Hendon

Staff Coordinator/EditorTeresa Padgett

PhotographerFrank Martin, D.V.M.

Cover Photo Sam Pierson

Houston Livestock Show and RodeoExecutive Committee

Joseph T. Ainsworth, M.D. James O. Bloodworth Allen H. Carruth

James R. “Dick” Graves Hal Hillman Don D. Jordan

H. Stuart Lang Jr. Louis M. Pearce Jr. John O. Smith

Clayton Underwood Tommie Vaughn P. Michael Wells

James M. Windham Jr.

Lifetime Member - Executive CommitteeDouglas B. Marshall

Chairman of the BoardJames R. “Dick” Graves

PresidentDon D. Jordan

OfficersRichard E. Bean John H. Causey John T. Cook

George A. DeMontrond III C.R. “Bob” Devine Suzanne Epps

Wayne Hollis Jr. Jim Janke Robert V. McAnelly

John J. Montalbano David E. Mouton, M.D. Tom R. Northrup

Paul G. Somerville

General ManagerDan A. Gattis

Volume III, Issue 2, is published by the HoustonLivestock Show and Rodeo, Copyright 1995. Letters and

comments should be sent to: Marketing Department, Houston LivestockShow and Rodeo, P.O. Box 20070, Houston, Texas 77225-0070.

TABLE OF CONTENTSA Message From the President ——————————————1

Features

Show Sets Records on a Global Stage ————————— 2

Not Your Average Show Visitor ——————————— 4

Winners From Start to Finish ———————————— 6

Research Grants . . . . Feeding the World ——————— 8

In This Event, Everyone Wins———————————— 10

Vice President Profiles ——————————————— 12

Committee Spotlights

Committeemen’s Bar-B-Que Committee ——————— 14

Go Tejano Committee ——————————————— 15

Executive Committee Portrait

Hal Hillman ——————————————————— 16

Staff Profile

Accounting and Information Systems ———————— 17

Calendar of Events —————————————— Back Cover

MAGAZINE,

aturday night, March 4, 1995, I stood in front of morethan 50,000 people at the Houston Rodeo to celebratean incredible milestone in the history of the Houston

Livestock Show and Rodeo. Our rodeo attendance hadreached one million spectators! I thanked those in atten-dance that night, and I thanked the people of Houston.

Now, I want to thank you, my fellow volunteers andShow members. Our continuing ability to set records is adirect reflection of the volunteer commitment.

No matter what committee you work on, you sell theHouston Livestock Show and Rodeo to the community,and to the exhibitors, contestants, entertainers, contractworkers and ticket buyers. You’re not just selling theShow, either. You’re making people look at Houston as agreat place to visit and a great place to live.

We represent what makes this city great. Our Show isfriendly, exciting, and financially and personally reward-ing. We draw spectators and participants from every eth-nic group, every socioeconomic level and every part ofthe nation.

It’s the best of agriculture in the middle of one of themost exciting cities in the world. We attract the premiercowboys and cowgirls, and our stockcontractor brings the finest livestock.You can walk through the middle of theAstrohall and Astroarena and see fineclothing, unique furniture, flashy pick-up trucks and gourmet food.

Our Show is a great educational andcultural experience as well. No otherevent brings the entire community

together with other people from all over the nation andeven the world in such a special way.

Our Houston youngsters have an unequalled opportu-nity to see that people still live and thrive in rural parts ofthe state and that agriculture isn’t just facts, figures andgovernment subsidies. Those men and women that comehere from small communities in the Texas Panhandle orNew Mexico or Oklahoma learn that we’ve not forgottenour rural roots.

Houston is a true melting pot of people and no where isthat better represented than at our event. We had Tejano,country, zydeco, gospel, and rhythm and blues music.The booths all over the grounds served Tex-Mex, Italian,Cajun and Chinese food, as well as barbecue, seafood, hot-dogs and pork burgers.

We saw people of every nationality and heard manylanguages being spoken. And whether all these peoplewere native Houstonians, new Texans or visitors, they’llremember the unique experience and the great fun theyhad at our Show.

It may sound strange to say that we put Houston on themap, but when a Texas youngster says, “I got a Houston

scholarship,” or a rancher brags, “Mybest bull won in Houston,” thosepeople only mean one thing — theHouston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

To people all over the state, weare Houston. And as a representa-tive of all 11,000 of our volunteers,I can proudly say, we represent thecity extremely well.

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A M E S S A G E F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T

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F E A T U R E

he 1995 HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo was the big-

gest, best and most memorable ever.This year’s Show was the largest,best attended and highest grossingevent in the organization’s history.

The 63rd annual event:

• Exceeded one million in rodeoattendance for the first time, with a1995 total rodeo attendance of1,068,447

• Recorded a total draw of1,810,007 in general attendance

• Set the highest single day atten-dance during Go Tejano Day for thesecond year in a row by drawing61,041 people

• Broke six world’s record auctionsales marks, including $500,000 forthe Grand Champion Steer, $140,000for the Reserve Grand ChampionSteer, $81,000 for the GrandChampion Barrow, $80,000 for theGrand Champion Pen of Broilers,$67,000 for the Grand ChampionTurkey and $41,000 for the ReserveGrand Champion Barrow.

Don D. Jordan, Show President,said, “The individual records thatwere set this year may stand foreveror be broken next year, but the com-bined results of this year’s Showwill be remembered for a lifetime.”

THE SHOW EXPANDS ITSBROADCAST REACH

The Show continued its rapidgrowth in live television with aTurner Home Satellite, DirecTV,TVN and cable pay-per-view tele-casts on March 3. The telecastsincluded rodeo highlights, theselection of the Grand ChampionSteer, features about scholarshipsand volunteers and the completeconcerts of Hank Williams Jr. andSawyer Brown. Also, the broadcastwas delivered live around theworld over the Internet. Hundredsof log-ons were recorded withviewers enjoying the Show onevery continent in the world.

A pre-produced special wasbroadcast on The NashvilleNetwork during the first week of theShow with four national rebroad-casts that ran throughout the monthof March. More than 2.5 millionpeople viewed these live and post-produced telecasts and millionsmore will see additional programsand specials that will be televisedduring the upcoming year.

A TEXAS-SIZE PICNICThe Show hosted its most success-ful World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest ever. Expanding thecontest to three days and schedul-

ing it a week prior to the beginningof the rodeo helped the contestdraw 140,682 people, surpassinglast year’s total by 45,112.

This year’s contest also set arecord for most contestants, with293 teams. The contest was notonly bigger than ever, but it hadmore attractions for the generalpublic, including a popular mini-carnival. In addition, there werethree stages with live entertainmentand an expanded food selection forthe public.

EXPANDING ATTRACTIONSShow patrons enjoyed many newattractions at the 1995 event, manyof which were located in AstrohallPlaza. Along with the favoriteBudweiser Clydesdales, the enter-taining pig races and the pettingzoos, Astrohall Plaza also featuredelephant rides and the return ofpony rides. In addition, thousandsexperienced a virtual reality simu-lator that allowed the brave toencounter the sensation of beingchased by dinosaurs in a prehis-toric jungle.

A new food court was added inAstrohall Plaza, along with anexpanded commercial exhibit area.

Also new to the 1995 Show wasthe Country Music Midway, whichfeatured a combination of localbands, up and coming artists andsome established entertainers,including Asleep at the Wheel andDoug Supernaw.

For the second year in a row, RayCammack Shows provided the carni-val, which had a different layout,enhancing the midway’s appearance,and controlling the flow of pedestri-an traffic more efficiently. Safety andsecurity also were increased.Estimated attendance at the Show’scarnival was more than 500,000.

The World of Cattle exhibit, inconjunction with the Texas BeefCouncil, brought visitors a mini-

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A record crowd packs the Astrodome complex at the 1995 Show.

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lesson informing spectators aboutbeef and beef by-products used indaily life.

All in all, these enhancedexhibits and attractions providedadditional enjoyment for everyone.

AUCTION SALES SOARLivestock auction records weren’tjust broken this year, they wereshattered. Four of the organization’sstaunchest supporters—LeRoy andLucile Melcher and Tom and Mary

Steele—teamed up and bid anunprecedented half million dollarsfor the Show’s Grand ChampionSteer. Spirited bidding by Jim andLinda McIngvale of GalleryFurniture contributed to this record-setting price paid for Shoop, a blackChianina Steer owned and exhibit-ed by Morgan Moylan of Eastland,Texas. The $500,000 purchase sur-passed the previous record set in1993 when the Melchers bought thetop steer for $350,000.

Moylan, a high school freshmanand a member of both the FFA and4-H, plans to attend Texas TechUniversity. She received $60,000from the purchase price as a result ofthe auction cap program initiated in1992. The remainder of the moneywill go to the Show’s EducationalFund. LeRoy Melcher said at theauction, “I don’t know anything wecould have done that was as good aswhat we have done this morning byhelping these children.”

Total livestock auction sales

See SHOWSETSRECORDS on Page 9

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Inside the Astrodome, a crowd of more than 50,000 witnesses the selectionof the Show’s Grand Champion Steer.

S A Y I N G F A R E W E L L . . .On March 31, 1995, the Houston Livestock Show and

Rodeo joined millions in mourning the tragic death of

Tejano superstar, Selena. A vivacious and talented enter-

tainer and a good friend to this organization, Selena

graced the Show’s stage for three years to sell-out crowds.

Her performances in 1994 and 1995 drew the single high-

est day attendance records, and since 1993 she has per-

formed to 179,883 fans inside the Astrodome.

Words cannot express what Selena meant to the

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and to the commu-

nity. We will miss her greatly.

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F E A T U R E

hen HoustonLivestock Showand Rodeo officials

say that people from all walks oflife attend the annual event, it’s notan idle boast.

Among the 1.8 million guests atthe 1995 extravaganza were politi-cal figures, television stars, interna-tional dignitaries and professionalathletes.

Former President George Bushand wife Barbara—long-timefriends and supporters of theShow—dined in the Stockman’sClub and visited with Reba

McEntire before Bush and ShowPresident Don D. Jordan gave a livewelcome to the rodeo audience.

Jay Novacek, NFL tight end forthe Dallas Cowboys, dropped bythe Show for the official opening of

one of the event’s newest attrac-tions, the World of Cattle exhibit.Novacek is an official spokespersonfor the Texas Beef Council, one ofthe presenters of the exhibit. TexasCommissioner of Agriculture RickPerry also helped open the displayand visited other events and activi-ties throughout the Show.

U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchisonrode her way through the festivitiesfor students and education. Shehelped kick off the Salt Grass TrailRide, riding on Wagon 7. She alsorode a horse through the downtownparade route. She also rode in therodeo’s grand entry on opening dayof the rodeo, and she and Jordangave a live welcome to rodeo spec-tators in the Astrodome.

The 1995 event also welcomedHouston Mayor Bob Lanier andwife Elise, who rode in the rodeogrand entry.

In conjunction with the Inter-national Livestock Congress, Texas

Governor George W. Bush andManuel Cavazos Lerma, governor ofTamulipas, Mexico, signed agree-ments promoting the open tradeagreement with Mexico. RicardoMaldonado Gonzales, Sub-Secretary of Agricultural Develop-ment from the state of Nuevo Leon,also was on hand preparing andserving meals to internationalguests.

Jay Leno, host of The TonightShow, chose the largest livestockshow and rodeo on earth to have alittle fun. Leno savored foods fromvarious booths, enjoyed the rodeoevents and interviewed local visi-tors, cowboys, cowgirls and enter-tainer Clint Black. He also teamedup with Houston Oilers quarter-

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Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison has a great timeriding on the Salt Grass Trail Ride.

Houston Oilers quarterback Billy Jo Tolliver and Tonight Show host JayLeno let the chips fly in the Astrodome.

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back Billy Jo Tolliver for a cow chipthrowing contest inside theAstrodome.

Leno filmed short segmentsthroughout Show grounds thataired on The Tonight Show for oneweek, bringing a taste of theHouston Livestock Show andRodeo to homes throughout thecountry.

Dick Graves, the organization’schairman of the board, entertainedthe host of the television programLifestyles of the Rich and Famous,Robin Leach, who was visiting theShow with an entourage of interna-tional chefs.

Houston’s favorite event alsoattracted numerous internationalvisitors representing countriesthroughout the world. Represen-tatives from Rosneftegazstroy In-ternational, formerly the Ministryof Oil and Gas in Russia, purchasedcomplete Western attire and rode inthe grand entry, watched the rodeoand listened to country musicfavorite George Strait.

The International Committee alsoplayed host to the vice president ofPanama as well as many dignitariesfrom Venezuela and China and thepresident of Confederacion Inter-americana de Ganaderos y Agricul-tores (CIAGA).

Officer in charge of theInternational Committee, PaulSomerville, said, “the aura of thelargest livestock show and rodeo inthe world brings people here. Someof the leading experts in the worldof cattle and horses attend theInternational Livestock Congress todiscuss the latest developments,information and education in theirrespective fields. Some of the hard-est working people I know are vol-unteers involved with the Showand naturally, others want tobe a part of it.”

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Dallas Cowboys star Jay Novacek offers tasty food samples at the Worldof Cattle exhibit.

Texas Governor George W. Bush greets Ricardo Meldonado Gonzales, a governor of Mexico.

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s sure as April showersbring May flowers,thousands of 4-H and

FFA students across the state ofTexas already are setting theirsights on the 1996 HoustonLivestock Show and Rodeo.

Spring marks that time of yearwhen those students interested inraising a steer must prepare to selectthat ideal calf.

For 10 long months, come rain,shine, sleet and possibly snow, thesestudents will feed, train, groom andclean what they hope will be

Houston’s Grand Champion Steer.But what is all the work really

like? Is getting up before the crackof dawn each day of the week foralmost a year worth it?

Five Houston-area FFA and 4-Hstudents: Michael Yanchak, AprilCooper and Kristy Thurman, allfrom Spring High School; TobyPotter from Humble High School;and Jason Overall from New CaneyHigh School, each said the troubleis all worth it.

The process begins in March or

April. That is when students beginsearching for the perfect calf. A greatdeal of care goes into selecting thisanimal. Yanchak said he pays closeattention to the calf’s bloodline.

The 1995 Show marked Yanchak’sthird year to raise a steer. He traveledto Hearne, Texas, where he pur-chased Hot Shot, a Maine-Anjoucalf. “He had eye appeal, and thatcaught my attention,” Yanchak said.

Overall said that when makinghis selection, he examines theamount of muscle on the calf andhow the calf looks from the side.

Once at their new home, the ani-mals almost immediately assert theirvarying personalities. “These animalsare like puppies,” said Thurman.“They need to get used to you andyour scent in order to trust you tocare for them and bond with you.”

Thurman’s steer, Billy Bob, aMaine-Anjou-Angus cross, wasraised in her backyard. However, hewasn’t alone. He had pigs, goatsand chickens to keep him company.

“This year [1995] is my last show,so I decided to enter as many ani-

mals in competition as possible,”said Thurman, who will be gradu-ating in May of this year.

Cooper has a secret in breakingher steers: “What you do is takeaway its water bucket at night, justlike you would do to a puppy. Thenext morning when you put thehalter on him, the steer will walkwith you anywhere just to get thewater bucket.”

Breaking in the animal, getting itaccustomed to people and teachingit to stand still during competitionare the fun parts of raising a steer.Those also are the important parts.

“You want the animal to standstill so the judges can see him at hisbest,” Potter said, “so you want totrain the animal to be still and calmby talking to it.”

Giving the steers shots and main-taining their good health as theymature are challenging, and the stu-dents love it. Determining whatshots to give them, and most impor-tantly, where to give them, are a fewof the many lessons that theseexhibitors learn through their agri-cultural science teachers or countyextension agents.

Day after day, the process ofwalking, feeding, bathing andgrooming the steer is repeated.Cooper said that good, old-fash-ioned dishwashing soap is great touse when bathing a steer.

Shortly, the animals begin to takeshape and the seeds of hope beginto take hold. The students are busykeeping a constant, watchful eye ontheir animal’s weight, muscle toneand shape.

“I usually work with my steer twohours in the morning and three hoursin the afternoon,” Yanchak said.

Finally, when February rollsaround, it is time to arrive at theAstrohall for competition. For theanimals, it is a great time. People areconstantly waiting on them hand

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F E A T U R E

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Kristy Thurman

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and foot, while a steady stream ofadmirers pass by and pet them.

“When we leave for the night, wegive the steer a good drink of waterand tell him to stay put and go tobed,” joked Cooper’s father, Mickey.

The entire livestock show experi-ence is like a homecoming with lotsof festivities. At the 1995 event,there were more than 2,000 steersentered in competition. Within eachof the breeds, there were activitiesplanned for the junior exhibitors.

“All of the different breeds hostdances and parties each night,”Cooper said. “It is really a lot of fun.”

Overall said he spent a lot of timeplaying cards and hanging out withhis friends. Other times, he prac-ticed roping.

Cooper said she has friends fromall over the state that she gets tovisit with each year during theShow. When she arrives at TexasA&M University two years from

now, she already will have met ahost of companions.

The parents are usually close byduring competition. “We enjoy it,”said Yanchak’s father. “It gives usan opportunity to meet other par-ents and have a better understand-

ing of who our kids get to spendtime with.”

Once the anticipated day arrives,it is all work and no play. The actu-al judging can take from three tofour hours to almost all day. Thestudents start grooming their ani-

mals four to five hours prior tojudging.

Only the top steers from eachbreed are sold at auction. The num-ber within each breed qualified forthe sale depends on the number ofsteers classified within that breed.

A maximum of 420 steers were eli-gible for the sale in 1995.

This year, Potter’s work paid off.His steer, which weighed in at1,346 pounds, passed the prelimi-nary judging, placed and ultimatelysold at the Show’s auction for$9,000. He entered another steer inthe Humble Livestock Show thatcaptured Reserve Champion honorsand sold for $8,000. Potter’s earn-ings will go toward a college educa-tion and purchasing more animalsfor next year’s show in Houston.

The local livestock shows offer notonly a chance to get that top ranking,but they also are a great opportunityfor the students to sell their animals.This provides a chance for local indi-viduals and businesses to supportthe youth of Texas.

“It’s a chance to hopefully setaside some money for college,” saidOverall, who already was preparingfor the Montgomery County Fair.

Many of the students said thatbecause of their livestock projects,they will have their college educa-tion paid for by the time they gradu-ate from high school. Win or lose, thesame words were echoed throughoutthe Astrohall: “There’s alwaysnext year,” said Cooper.

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F E A T U R E

John Overall

April Cooper

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o you recognize theface of contempo-rary American agri-

culture when you see it? Well, youmight walk right by it if you arelooking for plows, sows and farm-ers in bib overalls. “That stereotypeneeds to be discarded,” said MikeNathanson, the Show’s Director ofEducational Programs. “Today’sAmerican agriculturist is responsi-ble for feeding the world in a moreefficient manner than he or she everhas before. That is possible nowbecause of breakthroughs in tech-nology.”

And that is a legacy to which theShow can lay claim by virtue of aprogram it started about 25 yearsago when its leadership decided tomake an annual financial commit-ment to agricultural research pro-grams. The Show was the first orga-nization of its kind to fund agricul-tural research projects. “It showsthat we, as a livestock show androdeo, are still true to the roots ofour founding,” Nathanson said.

Each year, the Show fundsresearch studies being conductedwithin the agricultural programs atmany of the universities and col-leges in Texas. At the end of the1995 fiscal year, the Show will havecontributed more than $2.36 mil-lion to 14 universities since theprogram began in 1971.

This year, 14 Texas universitiesreceived more than $147,000 of con-tributions from the Show to proceedwith their investigations. Supportlike this is a direct result of theunprecedented financial foundation

the Show enjoys from public andprivate sectors throughout the state.

According to Nathanson, “Italways has been a natural compli-ment to our broad-based education-al programs—a logical extension tothe scholarship program, becauseso much of the research is conduct-ed by graduate students. If theresearch dollars are there, the insti-tution will have a richer graduateprogram. This also is somethingthat will have immediate applica-tion. It is a true win-win situation.”

The money the Show contributesannually to this program is com-bined with funding from othersources, making it possible to sup-port between 30 to 40 projectsannually.

“One of the best parts of this isthat it plays a role in the greatstrides agricultural research is mak-ing,” Nathanson said.

The programs the Show has sup-ported reflect the true diversity inthe agriculture industry. Everythingfrom hydroponics to sophisticatedgenetic research is examined. TheShow also contributed to some ofthe first research conducted ondouble muscling in cattle.

Other projects have included top-ics such as the evaluation of farmmanagement in certain areas ofTexas, maximization of the value oflambs, comprehensive breed evalu-ation of beef producing cattle, theinfluence of diet on the growth anddevelopment of weanling horsesand the long-term effects of irriga-tion with wastewater.

Current projects include studieson fire ant eradication, tractormechanics, and efficiency of landmanagement. Recently, Texas A&MUniversity conducted someresearch that has very specificapplications for agriculture proce-dures in their area. They are look-ing into increasing production by

R E S E A R C H G R A N T S . . . . F E E D I N G T H E W O R L D

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F E A T U R E

D UNIVERSITIESTHAT HAVERECEIVED

SHOWRESEARCHGRANTS:

Cumulative total as of April30, 1995: $2,363,685

Abilene ChristianUniversity

Angelo State UniversityEast Texas State

UniversityPrairie View A&M

UniversitySam Houston State

UniversityStephen F. Austin State

UniversitySul Ross State University

Southwest Texas StateUniversity

Tarleton State UniversityTexas A&M University/

Kingsville Texas A&M UniversityTexas Tech University

University of TexasWest Texas A&M

University

Texas Tech University researchers complete weigh-ing and sorting cattle for one of their projects.

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raising cabrito (goats) for profit.A project directly related to the

Show was a study by JohnDillingham at Texas Tech Univer-sity’s Department of AgriculturalEducation and Mechanization. Dill-ingham interviewed everyexhibitor who received Grand andReserve Grand Champion steerhonors at the Houston LivestockShow from 1962 to 1982. His inves-tigation included statistics such asbreed, weight and purchase price.He coupled that information withqueries about the aesthetic rewardsthe winners received by raising achampion steer.

The result is an interesting lookat the way the Show’s junior marketsteer competition has changedthroughout the years, as well as theway it has managed to hold on tomany of the admirable values thatcharacterize people who make agri-culture their lives.

Over the years, the Show’s grantshave acquired a good reputationamong research institutions. “Thecaché of the Show and our supporttend to let other people see theseprograms in a positive light,”explained Nathanson. “It’s seen as avery positive thing to have thebacking of one of the major playersin the field of agriculture. It is aform of validation.”

To qualify for a research grant, auniversity must first develop appro-priate projects. At the beginning ofthe fiscal year, the Show issues a callfor proposals to the state’s universi-ties and colleges that have agricul-tural programs. All proposals arethen evaluated and analyzed forapproval. Most of the grants are thenawarded during the summer so therecipients may bring their work inconjunction with the fall semester.

The amount of money budgetedfor research is approved by the

Executive Committee as part of theorganization’s overall educationalbudget.

The research program is anintrinsic part of the HoustonLivestock Show and Rodeo’s mis-sion to support young people intheir efforts to obtain a quality edu-cation and to contribute toadvances in technology. “It is agood indicator that this organiza-tion remain true to our foundingprinciples that are based on sup-port of the agricultural industry,”Nathanson added.

This is one area in which theShow has not been greatly imitat-ed. The scholarship program, bycomparison, has led to a numberof scholarship programs by otherlivestock expositions. However,in the field of agriculturalresearch, the Houston LivestockShow and Rodeo remainsthe pacesetter.

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SHOW SETS RECORDSFrom Page 3

(including a horse and ratite sale)tallied in at $7,516,206. Junior showmarket sales, making up $4,545,349of the total, rose 6 percent from1994. Of this amount, $1,351,950was placed in the Show’sEducational Fund. And, due to theShow’s guaranteed premium pro-gram initiated in 1994, the youngTexas 4-H and FFA exhibitorsreceived a total of $3,125,575 fortheir auction animals.

Making up the $4,545,349 juniorshow total were market steer salesof $2,494,800, followed by juniormarket swine sales of $718,225;junior market lamb sales of$618,700; and junior market poul-try sales of $498,700. The juniorcommercial steer sale posted a finaltotal of $214,924.

The fourth annual Houston

Livestock Show and Rodeo PremierHorse Sale totaled $350,450, rising16 percent over the previous year’sfigure of $301,275.

Commercial cattle sales variedfrom breed to breed, totaling$2,527,382 in sales.

RIDIN’ AND ROPIN’ EXCELLENCEThe world’s richest regular-seasonrodeo drew 501 cowboys and cow-girls competing for champion beltbuckles and saddles and a portionof the $634,757 rodeo purse.

Joe Beaver, of Huntsville, Texas,won the All-Around Cowboy title,and added $25,000 to the $9,736 hewon in the calf roping and teamroping events, for total winnings of$34,736.

STAR-STUDDED ENTERTAINMENT

Once again, the rodeo was unsur-passed in the quality of musicalperformances. Entertainers include

traditional country music favoriteslike Clint Black, Alan Jackson,Reba McEntire, George Strait,Tanya Tucker and Hank WilliamsJr. There were many first-timeAstrodome performers, includingDavid Ball, Peabo Bryson, NatalieCole, Toby Keith, Little Texas, TheMavericks and Sawyer Brown.Tejano Day featured Selena andEmilio, who drew the highest sin-gle performance attendance for thesecond year.

With unbridled support fromthe community, exhibitors,patrons, Show members, volun-teers, benefactors and everyoneinvolved with the HoustonLivestock Show and Rodeo, the1995 event was one for the recordbooks. Once again, the Show’smessage of benefiting youth andsupporting education was amplified throughout theworld!

lthough the JuniorMarket Steer Showgrabs headlines with its

record-breaking auction figures, theJunior Commercial Steer Feedingand Management Contest quietlyunderscores the educational aspectof the Houston Livestock Show.

Participants in this event areencouraged to learn the practicalpoints of beef production, withemphasis on feeding economy.Members of 4-H clubs or FFA chap-ters who are enrolled in elementaryor secondary schools in Texas areeligible to participate. They mayenter three dehorned steers of anybeef breed, and must own the steersprior to Oct. 1 before the FebruaryShow. These steers must be fed andcared for by the exhibitors from the

date of acquisition to the openingdate of the Show, and must eachweigh 1,000 pounds or more at theofficial weigh-in.

The contest begins early on aTuesday morning during the Show.A summary of all expenses and allsupporting documentation must besubmitted in a record book, whichis examined by certified publicaccountants and judged for mathe-matical accuracy, completenessand neatness. Scoring in this eventconsists of 25 percent for a writtentest, 25 percent for an oral inter-view and 25 percent for the partic-ipant’s record book. The remaining25 percent includes 10 percent forsteer grade, and 5 percent for eachof the steers for cost per pound ofgain, average daily gain and feed

conversion (total pounds of feeddivided by the total weight gain ofall three steers). The interviews areconducted by three experiencedcommittee members; 15 percent ofthe score is based on specific ques-tions and 10 percent for generalknowledge. At this time, the stu-dents are asked to explain—with-out notes—everything from feedmixtures and vaccinations given,to the calculation of interest andfutures market options.

While it is a contest, teachingremains the paramount goal, sowrong answers are rewarded withthe correct ones from committeevolunteers at the end of the inter-view. The students said that theywere nervous and initially fearful ofthe committee members, but cameaway at the end of the event withtotal respect and appreciation forthe learning experience as well asthe warmth with which the instruc-tion was given.

This is one livestock event wherethe kids are actually judged morethan the animals. In addition, theresults reveal that the girls can dojust as well as the boys in thisevent. Of the four females amongthe 12 finalists at the 1995 Show, allplaced. In fact, girls captured first,second and third place.

Age is not a limiting factor in thiscompetition either. Participants canbe from 8 to 18 years of age. Nine-year-old Dancey Hopping of theMemphis FFA was already a veter-an of this event at the 1995 Show.Dancey explained that she“changed from a Beefmaster-Brangus crossbred at the 1994Show to a Hereford at the 1995show to compare daily gain andconversion of the two breeds.”

Yancey Strait, a 16-year-old stu-dent from Dimmit County 4-H, wasback for the fourth time. “I liked

I N T H I S E V E N T , E V E R Y O N E W I N S

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F E A T U R E

This contest hits on the true economics of raising cattle, and this young competitor putssome finishing touches on his steers before sending them into the sale ring — the finaleof the competition.

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F E A T U R E

the idea of having a written examand interview to go along with theactual raising of steers for commer-cial use. Raising animals taughtme responsibility and self-disci-pline. I have enjoyed meeting andseeing the participants each year.The interaction with other peoplein this event has been a great learn-ing experience,” he added.

A survey of these participantsrevealed that the majority rankedtheir interaction with people, thelearning experience and the satis-faction of raising the animals aboveprofit and winning.

Eleven-year-old Levi Reynoldsfrom Henderson County enjoyedhis first visit to the Show in 1994 somuch, he “wanted to come backagain and again.” He considersshowing animals his hobby, andcredits this event for improving hismath skills. “My county extensionagent, Rebel Royall, took the time tohelp me,” he said. “He taught menever to give up, that hard workpays off, and most of all, the valueof good sportsmanship.”

Lyn Chastain, mother of entrantLee Chastain, said her son usedcalves from the stock that theirfamily raised because “it was anopportunity to show everyone thatstraight Hereford steers are com-petitive in the feedlot. We felt thatthis contest is a more realisticapproach to ranching than otherjunior programs.”

Ribbons are awarded to all steersgraded on the hoof as prime, choiceor select. Three judges, includingtwo animal science professors andan experienced meat packer buyer,make the grade determinationbased on weight, breed, appearanceand number of days on feed. Afterthe contest is completed, all steersare sold at auction. Also, donorsprovide premium money to be

divided among the participantsbased on their total scores in thecontest. All the youngsters canpotentially make a profit on theirsteers if they have kept their totalcosts below the market value of thesteers on auction day.

When surveyed, 68 percent of theparticipants had been to the Show

before, and 40 percent had previ-ously participated in the JuniorCommercial Steer program. Two-thirds of the entrants were in highschool and all but one planned toattend college. Many placedemphasis on school work first andmanaged to include social activitiesand sports around the time spentwith their steers.

While 16-year-old Leah Leps hasparticipated in the WilliamsonCounty Livestock Show for nineyears and entered other events at theHouston Livestock Show for threeyears, 1995 was her first appearancein the Junior Commercial SteerFeeding and Management Contest.She, like many of the participants,

feels the skills of communicationand dedication acquired through herinvolvement with this event will“stay with me for the rest of my life.Many years have taught me thatmagic in the show ring takes sweatat the barn.” Every entrant whocompetes and completes this con-test, by their very participa-tion, comes away a winner.

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F E A T U R E

One contestant in the Junior Commercial Steer Feeding and Management Contest shows off the projects which he hopes will yield him a profit and a great learning experience.

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When John Causey joined theHouston Livestock Show andRodeo as a member of theHorspitality Committee, little didhe know that nearly 20 years laterhe would eventually be vice presi-dent of the entire Horse Show —one of the country’s most presit-gious equine events.

“Being officer in charge of theHorse Show is a tremendous respon-sibility, but also a tremendoushonor,” says Causey. “I attribute thesuccess of the Horse Show entirelyto the Show’s volunteers. I can’t sayenough about them. Such a trulyimmense and involved operationcould never be accomplished with-out each and every one of the 1,150Horse Show volunteers and theircomplete dedication and expertknowledge.”

Causey leaves his post as vicepresident with mixed emotions —with nostalgia and with excite-ment for the new officers who areabout to embark on the journeythat he has just completed.“Three years is the perfect time foran officer to serve—it gives anindividual just enough time tomake a meaningful contribution,and at the same time, it doesn’t let

them stay so long that their ideasare not fresh and new.

“Keeping up a level of enthusiasmthroughout the term is certainlynever a problem, though. The lovethat the volunteers have for thisorganization keeps you on a perpet-ual adrenaline rush. I am reluctantin some ways to let this time go, butI can guarantee that you haven’t seenthe last of me yet. I intend to beinvolved in this organization untilthey have to carry me away!”

Causey is especially thankful forthe associations that he has formedduring his time with the Show.“The people that I have metthroughout the years, the life-longfriends that I have made, and thefact that I share my involvementwith my wife Babs and my children,have made working in this organi-zation all the more enjoyable.”

It has been a banner year for RobertMcAnelly. For the first time in Showhistory, the Souvenir Program Commit-tee broke one million dollars in sales— and it didn’t just squeak by either.The committee surpassed its million-dollar goal by more than $150,000.

Consider that less than 10 yearsago McAnelly was given the respon-

sibility, as then-chairman of theSouvenir Program Committee, ofmerging the Men’s and Ladies’ com-mittees, and the feat seems all themore amazing.

“Of course, there were peoplewho said that our goal couldn’t beachieved, that the two committeescould never work together, muchless as successfully as they havedone! Look at us now! It hasn’ttaken any huge effort to make thiscommittee a cohesive group, either.‘Keep up the good work!,’ that’s allyou ever have to say. The enthusi-asm comes naturally.”

As an officer, McAnelly is espe-cially fond of attending the scholar-ship banquets. “It is a privilege thatI don’t take lightly, to personallymeet the kids that are receiving thescholarships.” Visiting studentsisn’t all that McAnelly has done atthese banquets. He also has foundlong-lost family. “I was talking to agentleman at one of the banquets,and when the conversation turnedto family, suddenly we realized thatwe had common relatives — wewere cousins! Now how’s that for asmall world?”

Family is important to McAnelly.When he talks about his children,his eyes light up and there is a newexcitement in his voice. You mighthave seen him during the Show, car-rying around his costumed daugh-ters, making sure that they got totheir dance recital on time. Heshares the love of the HoustonLivestock Show and Rodeo, and hischildren, with his wife, Caryl, whois actively involved with her owncommittees. The friends thatMcAnelly has made seem like fami-ly now, too. “I would not trade thelifetime friends that I have made foranything in the world,” saysMcAnelly. “The people I have methere are now part of my life awayfrom the Show as well.”

O U T G O I N G V I C E P R E S I D E N T S

Stories byEditorialBoard

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O F F I C E R P R O F I L E

John Causey

Robert McAnelly

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A successful rancher and formerbusiness owner, Suzanne Eppsmade Show history serving as theorganization’s first female officer.

“I’m just really one of the guys,” saysEpps, vice president in charge of theBreeders Greeters, Communications —Broadcast, Communications —Editorial, Ladies’ Go Texan, Magazineand Western Art committees.

“All the officers have such funtogether. The friendship developedbetween us has come so naturally,not because we have been forcedtogether. It has been an honor toserve with such a fine group of men.I hope this friendship will continueto grow for years to come.”

Many people say that the Showhas a family feel, but that is espe-cially true for Suzanne Epps. Afterlosing her husband Jim, it was diffi-cult to go out and socialize, to be apart of large groups — but not withthis organization.

“I knew that no matter what we were doing, everyone wouldmake me feel at home. It is thiskind of friendship and bondingthat has made the Show so closeto my heart.”

Of course, another reason thatEpps feels family ties with the

Show could be that her own fami-ly is so deeply involved with theorganization.

“Of course my husband wasinvolved for many, many years. Mychildren are also involved in theirown committees and plan on havinga long relationship with the Show. Itis a pleasure to share this experiencewith them.”

A special highlight this year was theunveiling of the Show’s newest bronzestatue, “Yes,” depicting a female Showparticipant, which was dedicated toEpps. She also was the founding officer of the Show’s MagazineCommittee, established in 1992.

Epps is looking forward to spend-ing more of her spare time with herfamily and on her ranch, but is nos-talgic about her time as a Show offi-cer. “My ranch has been attention-starved for the past three years. I amlooking forward to spending timethere. I will miss my duties, though.I have learned so much through thepeople I have come in contact with:committee volunteers, other Showofficers and students. I am so fortu-nate to have had this unique andwonderful experience.”

As a Houston native, Richard Bean

was always interested in becominginvolved with the HoustonLivestock Show and Rodeo. Hebegan his progressive career withinthe Show as a Corral Club Commit-tee volunteer. After working his waythrough that committee, he movedover to the World’s ChampionshipBar-B-Que Contest Committee,where his involvement, says Bean,has brought him the most personalenjoyment.

When taking into account themany charitable foundations andchurch organizations of which Bean,an accountant, is a part, it is easy tosee that the Show carries the mostweight in his schedule. The onlyexception is perhaps his wifeDorothy who, coincidentally, he metthrough his affiliation with theShow.

Concluding his term as vice pres-ident and officer in charge of manycommittees—especially his dutiesas officer in charge of the World’sChampionship Bar-B-Que ContestCommittee — is bittersweet forBean. Of course, he is excited to letthe new officers come in, but findsit difficult to let go.

“When you think of the economicimpact this entire operation has onthe city and on the futures of stu-dents all around the state, you justwant to do everything you can tomake it a complete success. I think Iwill have to really pull in the reins tokeep myself from encroaching onthe duties of the new officers, butyou know I’ll be right in there rollingup my sleeves to do the chores. Iwant the new officers to do as much,to enjoy the time as thoroughly andto have as rewarding an experienceas I have had.”

When asked what the mostrewarding part of being a Show offi-cer has been Bean responded, with-out hesitation, “The kids andtheir scholarships.”

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Suzanne Epps

Richard Bean

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C O M M I T T E E S P O T L I G H T

ow do you say thank you to11,000 volunteers who givehundreds of thousands of hours

a year to make an event like theHouston Livestock Show and Rodeosuch a success? It’s not an easy job,but a special committee actuallydoes that on behalf of the Show’sExecutive Committee, officers,directors and staff.

The Committeemen’s Bar-B-QueCommittee is responsible for allfacets of the annual appreciationbarbecue held every summer in theAstrohall. This unique committee iscomprised of representatives ofother Show committees—much likean ‘Honor Guard’ of Show volun-teers. They are charged with saying‘thank you’ to all the volunteers in avery special way; and they do it with2,600 pounds of meat, several hun-dred pounds of beans and potatosalad, entertainment and numerous

door prizes.“We’ve been given the very impor-

tant task of saying thank you to all ofthe committee members for all oftheir hard work,” said chairmanWinn Skidmore. “But our commit-tee is unique because it is made upof the members of other committeeswho have very special skills to puton this type of event.”

With the talents of 200 volunteerswho have gained experience fromother committees, the eight vicechairmen have a much easier timeputting on a party for 11,000. But itdoes take time, and the cooking andsetup begin on the Thursday beforethe Sunday event.

Spindletop Oilmen’s Golf Charities,a non-profit organization known forits award-winning barbecue, cooksfor the event as a service to the Show,under the direction of committeevice chairman Joe Fidler. Vice chair-

man Alan McAnelly’s 54 volunteersset up the food and beverage areasand prepare the hors d’oeuvres. Vicechairman Donald Winford is respon-sible for preparing the corn-on-the-cob. Finally, vice chairman MarkWalls handles beverages.

In addition to great food and enter-tainment, the appreciation barbecueis known for its door prizes. Vicechairman Sally Woody and hereight-member team start monthsbefore the event to get as many as200 door prizes donated. The prizesrange from vacations to hats or boots.

But such a large party is not all funand games. Behind the scenes thereare also volunteers handling build-ing and maintenance, as well assecurity under vice chairmanMickey Murphy. Vice chairmanSheri Parrack heads up the greeters,who prepare and distribute nametags and door prize tickets, and wel-come all the guests.

Despite all of the hard work toserve their fellow committee mem-bers, this group of volunteers has agreat time getting ready for theevent. Harry “Skid” Skidmore, hus-band of the committee chairman,chips in by feeding the committeemembers while they prepare for theparty. And just prior to serving thehungry crowds on the day of theevent, the Show’s officers, includingShow President Don Jordan, servethe Committeemen’s Bar-B-Que vol-unteers their lunch.

“It’s great seeing all of the commit-teemen come together and get recog-nized,” Winn Skidmore said. “Wereally enjoy serving our fellow com-mittee members and making sure theyrealize how much their time andefforts mean to this organization. Butultimately, we all do this for thekids and for the scholarships.”

C O M M I T T E E S P O T L I G H T

Story by CharlotteKirk

Committeemen’s Bar-B-Que Committee

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Members of the Committeemen’s Bar-B-Que Committee sample some of the fix-ings at the annual appreciation party. From left, Billie Vasquez, Sheri Parrack,Winn Skidmore, Richard Bean and Joe Fiddler.

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Story byMark Jones

ecause rodeo and ranching areso deply entrenched withHispanic culture, the Go

Tejano Committee is a perfect mar-riage with the Houston LivestockShow and Rodeo.

When the first cattle arrived inthe Western Hemisphere, withthem came the “vaquero,” orSpanish cowboy. In fact, the Texascowboy’s own culture developedfrom that of the vaquero. TonyBruni, Go Tejano Committee chair-man explained, “Fully 100 yearsbefore the Texas trail rides to thenorth, there were Spanish trail rid-ers. The vaquero taught theAmerican cowboy.”

The 1995 Go Tejano perfor-mance featuring Selena and Emiliodrew 61,041 fans to the Astro-dome—the biggest day this yearand closely rivaling the all-timerecord Astrodome crowd. But GoTejano Day and the Go TejanoCommittee mean more than justentertainment. One of the threemain functions of the committee isto promote interest in Hispanicstudents and to promote the Showin the Hispanic community.

The committee began in 1986 asthe Reata Division of the Show’sGeneral Go Texan Committee withonly eight members. In 1990, theGo Tejano Committee was orga-nized as an official Show commit-tee. The group’s symbol is the lari-at, or in Spanish, “la reata.”

The fund-raising activities of thecommittee have brought in scholar-ship dollars at explosive rates. In itsfirst year, the committee awarded$6,000 in scholarships. In 1995, theShow and the Go TejanoCommittee, with 180 members,will award $206,000 in scholarshipsto college-bound Hispanic high

school seniors. The fund-raisinggoal for 1996 is $250,000. The GoTejano Committee gives the largestnumber of scholarships toHispanics of any organization in theHouston area. The committee isable to raise the money through anumber of successful fund-raisingevents, including several dances, afashion show, “VaqueroDays” at Jones Plaza onthe day of the Showparade, table seating forthe dances, and theever-popular diner atthe Show.

At this year’s Show,spectators packed theCattle Arena for fourbilingual FiestaCharras, essentially aSpanish Wild WestShow, where childrenand adults in nativecostume performedroping tricks on horse-back and sang. Insideand outside theAstrodome, mariachibands performed.

“There’s nothing likethis anywhere else Iknow,” said CandelariaVargas-Rielt, who drove fromLaredo to be at Go Tejano Days.“It’s not a show; it’s our heritagethat people see here. Hispanics hadmore to do with Texas history thanmost people know.”

According to officer in chargeGeorge A. Demontrond III, thecommittee presents all scholar-ships at a Go Tejano Awards cere-mony, which includes a success-ful Hispanic guest speaker. Thisyear’s scholarships will be pre-sented May 23. A ReataCommittee, which is independent

of the Show, is the selection com-mittee that interviews and selectsscholarship participants. Appli-cants have to be of Hispanicdescent, meet criteria of residen-cy, be in the upper 50 percent of their class and have demon-strated leadership, character andeconomic need.

Committee vice chairman Luis R.Cano said the enthusiasm for theGo Tejano Committee and GoTejano Day isn’t hard to understandconsidering the Greater Houstonarea has an Hispanic population of800,000, most of which are fromranching backgrounds. “There is adeep appreciation for ranching, androdeo had always been popularwith the Hispanic community.”The high-caliber entertainment isalso an important factor, and heexpects next year’s events todraw even more people.

Lifetime Vice Presidents CommitteeGo Tejano Committee

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Mariachi bands compete for the Texas State Championshipon Go Tejano Day.

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O F F I C E R P R O F I L E

al Hillman, the Show’s 15thpresident, typifies the quali-ties of leadership, business

acumen and perception that haveled the Show to its success.

The desire to be involved with theShow’s scholarship program initial-ly led Hillman to participate as anew member, and his deep interestin education at all levels has beenprevalent in all aspects of his Show-related endeavors.

Early on, Hillman utilized hisbusiness contacts to jump start theMetropolitan Scholarship Programunder which businesses, both largeand small, help provide scholar-ships for local young people. UnderHillman, who put together a team tobring the Show’s message to corpo-rations in the Houston area, thefledgling program gained momen-tum and evolved into the powerfuleducational provider it is today. In1994, this program alone awarded$1.13 million in scholarships to 113local students.

Hillman believed that the educa-tional aspects of the Show werebroad-based and significant enoughto encompass the world as well aslocal youths, so he helped create theInternational Livestock Congress, a function of the InternationalCommittee. Each year such nationallivestock experts as the manager ofthe King Ranch and the president ofthe U.S. Cattlemen’s Associationmeet with the presidents of thenational cattlemen’s associations ofother countries, including Mexicoand Canada. Learning occurs on aglobal level, and speakers such asJames Baker, former U.S. secretary ofstate, provide information to a

worldwide audience. The concept ofthe consular corps luncheons,another forum for international edu-cation and exchange, was brought tothe Show and created by Hillman.

Perhaps the best example ofHillman’s belief in the breadth ofthe educational opportunities theShow can offer is his recent pairingof the Show with the HoustonSymphony in a Show-sponsoredprogram. In this program underpriv-ileged and “at risk” fifth graders arebrought to a symphony program atwhich they also see a state of the artvisual presentation on another topicsuch as U.S. history. Hillmanbelieves that by affording these chil-dren the opportunity to experiencethe music and the intellectual chal-lenges this program offers, the Showoffers them rare and upliftinginsights into “another way of life.”

Hillman grew up in Houston andgraduated from the University ofTexas in 1949 with a degree in busi-ness administration. He is activelyinvolved with his alma mater as alife member of the Ex-StudentsAssociation and as a participant inmany University of Texas programs.

A businessman in Houston,Hillman heads Hillman DistributingCompany, a wholesale beveragefirm which distributes domesticand imported beer. His other busi-nesses have included real estatedevelopment as well as automobileand truck leasing. He also isinvolved in ranching, whichencompasses stocker steer produc-tion and a Brahman-Hereford cow-calf program.

Hillman has close family relation-ships which carry over into the busi-ness world. His wife Betty, a business-woman in her own right, is involvedin virtually every aspect of theHillman companies’ businesses. Theirson Michael works with his father inthe beverage distribution business.

Their daughter, Tricia, is involved in arelated business of her own.

Hillman points out the manyways the Show benefits youth, fromthe sense of responsibility gained bycaring for an animal and preparing itfor the Show to being exposed towhat may be a change in culture byexperiencing the symphony. Yet, headded, the Show’s benefits do notflow to the youth only. The inspira-tion experienced by the adult partic-ipants as a result of seeing the effectof the Show on young lives providesa great sense of personal direction. Italso yields the desire to continue towork for the enhancement ofthe Show.

E X E C U T I V E C O M M I T T E E P O R T R A I T

Story byAnn Jacobs H

HalHillman

Hal Hillman

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owboys and bucking bulls arethe fun and thrilling parts ofthe Houston Livestock Show

and Rodeo, but a firm foundationmakes all the excitement work. Partof that support is the organization’sAccounting and InformationSystems Department. The Show,behind all the denim and dirt, is abusiness like any other, but also dif-ferent than any other.

Formerly two different depart-ments, Accounting and InformationSystems were reorganized to in-clude membership and personneltasks under one umbrella, in addi-tion to overseeing the financialaspects of the Show.

Under the department are severaldivisions: Personnel services thefull-time staff and its daily needs,including the handling of wages,taxes, OSHA, insurance and gener-al personnel management. Mem-bership helps the staff interact with

and track more than 30,000 mem-bers and 11,000 committee volun-teers as well as maintains a mem-bership database.

The Information Systems Directorcurrently is updating the Show’scomputer system to accommodatechanges and to permit the staff tofunction more efficiently. Advancesallow for quick retrieval of informa-tion for committees and officers touse in making planning decisions.Monthly financial statements aremade available to committee leader-ship to improve the quality of infor-mation used to make decisions.

To evaluate the Show each year,committees now receive more com-prehensive financial information tobegin planning for the followingyear. Requests for capital expendi-tures, budgets and long-range deci-sions are better planned with these operational improvements.Throughout the years, each com-mittee has been given a budgetcommensurate with the objectivesof the committee. With systems inplace to provide reliable informa-tion, the committees can now auditand manage their funds.

The Show’s Accounting and

Information Systems Departmentnot only works closely with theorganization’s volunteers, it alsomust perform the day-to-day finan-cial functions associated with anylarge corporation. These normalitems have a unique twist, however.Accounts receivable bills for steers,lambs, pigs and poultry, whileaccounts payable is sending outchecks to cowboys, cowgirls andlivestock exhibitors.

During Showtime alone, morethan 2,500 checks are written total-ing more than $9.5 million and morethan 10,000 billings are produced

for approximately $5.3 million.Tom Bartels, assistant general

manager of the Accounting andInformation Systems Department,said that the Show has improvedtremendously since 1987. “Thisorganization, a multi-million-dollarentity, will not continue withoutforethought, planning and attentionto details,” Bartels said.

This division of the Show maintains comprehensive, reliableinformation enabling its leader-ship to continue to improve the quality of its decisionsand planning.

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Story bySundraSpears

A C C O U N T I N G & I N F O R M A T I O N S Y S T E M S

S T A F F P R O F I L E

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ACCOUNTING ANDINFORMATION

SYSTEMSPERSONNEL

Tom BartelsAssistant General Manager/

Controller

Debbie ScofeliaAssistant Controller

Dianna FurneyAccounts Receivable

Administrator

Karen KoepkeAccounts Receivable

Administrator

Denise McCoyAccounts Payable

Administrator

Mike NewmanInformation Systems

Director

Beth GilesMembership Director

Tom Bartels tabulates sales totals at the junior market auctions.

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Bulk RateU.S. Postage

PaidHouston, TX

Permit No. 9791Houston Livestock Show and RodeoP.O. Box 20070Houston, Texas 77225-0070

23 - Annual Meeting, Sales Pavilion

Hispanic Scholarship Awards,Meeting Room 200

1 - Board of Directors Meeting,Meeting Room 200

1 - Final deadline to clear all out-standing accounts with the Show

3-4 - Show offices closed forIndependence Day

9 - Committeemen’s AppreciationBar-B-Que; Astrohall

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