HOUSTON — It’s hard to put a number on just how excited people were to be back at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, but 10-year-old Sebastian Vasquez, who was with his family, tried to put it into words.
“One million times excited right now.”
He said he’s already been to four or five rodeos but – on the rodeo’s first full weekend in two years – was as he said pretty excited.
According to RodeoHouston, coming into Saturday, nearly half a million people had already visited the rodeo.
“When I always used to come I remember all the stuff… right now and they bring back memories," Vasquez said.
Rodeo athletes who haven’t competed yet are also itching to get out of the chute like hometown cowboy Anthony Thomas who's from Houston and competing in bareback riding on Sunday.
“When you’re in the bucking chutes and you look up at NRG Stadium there’s so many people and the thrill is so much better for me," Thomas said.
And this rodeo attracts athletes from all over, like Blake Knowles who’s here from Oregon to steer wrestle. He also competes on Sunday.
He’s been to RodeoHouston over 15 times but this year he admits is a little more special.
“My last rodeo, when I left here it was 2020. And it was literally the day they shut the world down – we were in Houston. So I’ve been looking forward to it since that day," Knowles said.
One group of friends may have said it best:
“We’ve missed it a lot for sure.”