The rodeo brought more than $475 million into the region according to a 2010 economic report analyzing the previous five years. Similar amounts can be projected for the next five years, according to rodeo officials.
The 2011 rodeo set a record for total attendance with more than 2.2 million people attending the show. Roughly 25,000 residents from Tomball and Magnolia attended the rodeo last year, according to a study that analyzed attendance by ZIP code.
For residents in surrounding cities like Tomball, the rodeo spurs business in the area and provides opportunities for local students to earn scholarships through a variety of venues, such as the livestock show and the art show.
“When the rodeo comes to town, that’s when things start happening,” said Ken Schultz, owner of Branded Western Wear in Tomball. “It’s just part of life around here. It’s kind of like the beginning of spring.”
Increased business
Schultz’s business specializes in western-style clothing, and rodeo season is a big time of year for him, he said. While the Houston Rodeo does not bring the same kind of foot traffic to Tomball that it does to the metro area, Schultz attributes the rise in business to local customers shopping more.
“People want to freshen up their wardrobe for the rodeo,” he said. “We do what we do all year long—we just do more of it.”
Mary Jane Berry, the western department manager of Charlotte’s Saddlery in Tomball, said she sees a similar uptick in business.
Charlotte’s Saddlery deals in supplies for riding and taking care of horses. Just about every department of the store — from the horse wear to the pharmacy — is affected by the rodeo, and overall sales increase by about 30 percent, according to Berry.
Being involved in the Rodeo is a source of pride for people, she said.
“I think people become more Texan, if that’s even possible,” she said. “It makes us proud too, if the horses being shown have stuff that was bought at Charlotte’s Saddlery.”
Student involvement
The impact of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo also extends to the classroom, where students in school districts across Harris and Montgomery counties have the chance to earn a variety of scholarships through rodeo programs.
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