
With the 117th edition of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo just days away, we visited with Stock Show President and General Manager Brad Barnes about what's up this year. He admits that being 117 years old is great for tradition, but it is a challenge to come up with new ways to reach out to the next generation of Stock Show patrons.
What can we expect new? The Junior Agricultural Mechanics Project Show is the newest event in the Junior Exhibitor Show. It's a competition where students can show off their mechanical, fabrication and equipment restoration skills. Stock Show Ambassadors, a new committee of approximately 100 volunteers, will be at our general admission gates, greeting our guests and helping with questions and providing directions.You can't miss them in their new custom, Western-styled purple blazers. We have improved the Stock Show app for the Smartphone and Android. Probably the most exciting feature will be the all-new Score It! feature that allows rodeo patrons to become armchair judges and provide a score for the rough stock events and predict a time for the timed events.
How difficult is it to keep the show fresh? Being 117 years old is a bit of a two-edged sword; it's great for the rich traditions and heritage, but sometimes an organization that is that long in the tooth can become complacent. It's a continual challenge to find the balance between maintaining that heritage and those traditions, while at the same time moving forward and reaching out to the next generation of Stock Show patrons. We conduct a survey every three years to determine what our guests would like to see incorporated.
How about entertainment? Whiplash, the famous cowboy monkey, will be making his appearance at our 30 PRCA rodeo performances starting Jan. 24. He last performed in 2008. When I'm visiting with community groups and businesses throughout the year, the No. 1 question is: "When is Whiplash coming back?" Also, during each PRCA rodeo performance, Jerry Diaz, a famous fourth-generation charro, will perform a unique tribute to Will Rogers.