HOUSTON — A lot of people are sad this year’s Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was canceled due to the pandemic but there’s a silver lining in all of it.
Rodeo organizers still plan to meet their mission of giving away more than $21 million in scholarships and grants to junior exhibitors.
It means young competitors will get a chance to showcase their animals in May.
Emanuel Ortiz has been raising his pure bred Brangus nicknamed “Bean” since June.
“She’s been a pretty good heifer,” Ortiz said.
The two have built a strong bond together.
“I really love her, and I enjoy working with her," Ortiz said.
He’s been working with Bean to compete in this year’s junior exhibition at the Houston Rodeo.
“So it starts off at 6 in the morning, feeding her, getting her ready for the day, walking her, bathing her daily,” Ortiz said.
Carson Gibson looks forward to showing off his black Brangus named “She’s Packing."
“It’s day in, day out,” Gibson said about the amount of work it takes to take care of She’s Packing.
“It’s one of them animals where, like you care for it,” Gibson said. “You don’t want anything to happen to her. You just want the best for the animal.”
Rodeo organizers are committed to holding the junior exhibitions as a private event.
While Ortiz and Gibson are disappointed the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is canceled, they’re thankful they get an opportunity to showcase their dedication to their animals.
“You've just got to be grateful for what you have and what’s being offered,” Ortiz said. “Being grateful for at least getting an opportunity to at least go and show, show off Bean."
“I’m blessed that we still have the show and the juniors can show what they’ve done," Gibson said. "And they’ve worked so hard just to get where they’re at, and I’m just blessed that we still have that show.”