90 years ago, a group of farmers and ranchers from around the area put together what would become the SandHills Stock Show.
Years later, a rodeo would be added and the annual January event has continued to grow each and every year.
This year, the over week-long rodeo reaches its milestone year.
The SandHills Stock Show and Rodeo will take place from Jan. 5-14 at the Ector County Coliseum.
“I think everyone’s pretty excited,” Vice President of the SandHills Stock Show and Rodeo Gary Don McCain said. “We have a big celebration going on for our stock show. It’s the 90th year so we’re pretty excited about it. We should have some fireworks going off. We’re hoping to get the OK from the city. That’ll be exciting. We haven’t done that in years.”
The event began as a simple stock show but quickly grew into a premier horse show in 1940.
“The stock show started 90 years ago and it was a bunch of a farmers and ranchers from the surrounding areas,” McCain said. “A bunch of local ranchers got together to do a stock show. It’s grown tremendously over the years.”
By 1955, the show welcomed professional rodeo cowboys and cowgirls to compete.
The stock show and rodeo has continued throughout the years, surviving the Great Depression, a World War and most recently, a pandemic.
“We’re really excited,” McCain said. “There’s a good group of entries this year for both our stock show and our rodeo. I think people have gotten COVID behind them and are ready to go out and do something.”
The event now serves as the kickoff for the new year for the Texas stock show circuit and rodeo season.
The first rodeo performance will take place at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 5.
There will be six total rodeo performances over the course of 10 days as well as numerous different stock shows.
The Super Tuesday roping will take place at 10:30 a.m. with the team and match roping at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 10.
Over the years, the rodeo has brought in a number of quality professional cowboys and cowgirls as the event helps kick off the new rodeo season.
“We have some really good entries with the rodeo itself,” McCain said. “We’re the first rodeo of the calendar year. We’ll have some champions here and there. We’ll have Bennie Beutler and Son will be bringing in the livestock. They’re the top class buck and stop. They’re out of Elk City, Oklahoma. They’ve done well for us here.”
Among the top cowboys to compete at this year’s rodeo is No. 1-ranked bull rider and No. 4-ranked Saddle Bronc Rider Stetson Wright.
“Every world champion that was crowned this year will be in Odessa,” McCain said. “We’ll have Stetson Wright. He’s the all around Bull Riding champion, I believe. We call it the Building Rodeos because it’s winter time and everything will be in the buildings until April. Everyone wants to hit the ground running. The added money is what the guys are hoping to win and head down the road.”
There are about 1,000 entries so far in the upcoming rodeo.
Audiences can expect plenty of entertainment at each rodeo with Randy Corley returning as the rodeo announcer.
Caleb Young will also be performing on the evening of Jan. 13.
For tickets and more information about this year’s rodeo, go to tinyurl.com/4za4vnnc.
If you go
>> What: SandHills Stock Show and Rodeo.
>> When: Jan. 5-14.
>> Where: Ector County Coliseum.
>> Where to purchase tickets: tinyurl.com/5n9xaycy
