The Best Moments From the 2023 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
Our best moments at the rodeo.
Image: Anthony Rathbun
Just like that, it’s a wrap! This year’s RodeoHouston has come to a close, and 2023 could arguably be called one of the best yet.
While this year’s Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo didn’t break any attendance records, there were several moments over the three weeks-long event that stood out to us. Here are 9 of our favorites.
Bun B’s Southern Takeover
View this post on Instagram
Following 2022’s popular H-Town takeover, Bun B was back this year and he brought even more friends. As a celebration of Black Heritage Day (March 3), this year Bun B’s “Southern Takeover,” featured an impressive roster of southern musicians, including Jazzy Phae, Juvenile, Mannie Fresh, and Erykah Badu. In addition to the great music, Bun B thoroughly entertained the crowd with his high energy and a dizzying array of spirited costume changes, many of which paid homage to his now-defunct music group Underground Kingz (UGK).
Fare at the Fair
View this post on Instagram
The carnival portion of the rodeo brought us some classic but always delicious bites like the deep-fried Oreos and the juicy turkey legs. But each year also brings new unconventional cuisine for guests to sample, such as pizza on a stick or deep-fried lasagna. Then there’s the next level Gold Buckle Foodie Awards, which we were lucky enough to be invited to, where we got to sample exotic bites like pickled pizza and rattlesnake corn dogs.
Kenny Chesney’s Larger-Than-Life Belt Buckle
My ninth time playing @RODEOHOUSTON. Thanks to everyone for having me and my crew back. pic.twitter.com/Xki3xjnHqq
— Kenny Chesney (@kennychesney) March 16, 2023
Kenny Chesney may be a Tennessee native, but his Texas roots were on full display during his performance this year, which marked his ninth appearance at the Houston Rodeo. To commemorate this milestone, he had a massive sterling silver customized 2023 belt buckle made. If that’s not Texas, we don’t know what is!
50 Cent Wins Big at the Wine Auction
View this post on Instagram
There’s no telling who will show up at the rodeo. Houstonia shared that rapper and business magnate 50 Cent planted roots in H-Town last year, and now he’s doing his best to claim full Houstonian status. He won big in 2022 at the Rodeo Uncorcked! Wine Auction, taking home the top Texas wine Hye Meadow Winery Boooom Red, Texas High Plains, 2017. And this year he went even bigger, winning the 2023 Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show, Bernhardt Winery Antiquity Chardonnay Reserve, Danube Plain, 2020, for $165,000.
Fashion at the Fair
View this post on Instagram
One of the more underrated aspects of the HLSR that we love the most is the fashion. Every year thousands pull their iconic Cavender’s cowboy boots out of retirement and throw on their Texas tuxedos to make their way to NRG Stadium. Check out some of our favorite cowboy and cowgirl attire during Go Tejano Day.
Livestock Show Records
View this post on Instagram
From the tender babes participating in the mutton bustin’ competition to the teens raising and caring for animals, the livestock show is one of our favorite parts of the HLSR. This year, four new world records were set at the junior market poultry auction, where 18-year-old exhibitor Kamryn Till’s grand champion junior broilers sold for $300,000. To top that, in the junior market lamb and goat auction a lamb was sold for $350,000, both setting new world records.
The Rodeo at Night
View this post on Instagram
As the song goes, “the stars at night are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas.” When the sun sets on NRG Stadium the carnival transforms into a wonder of illumination. In addition to the glow from the rides and attractions, the Sky Elements Drone’s drones light up the night sky outlining massive rodeo motifs like the RodeoHouston logo and a cowboy tipping his hat.
Turnpike Troubadours Rock the House
The whole damn town's in love with y'all, @TpTroubadours 🧡 pic.twitter.com/ts1RkcWoov
— RODEOHOUSTON (@RODEOHOUSTON) March 12, 2023
There’s no such thing as a small concert when it comes to the rodeo. No matter the genre or the artist, Houston shows up for its music. This year, the highest-grossing attendance came from the Turnpike Troubadours show on March 11, which boasted an audience of 74,657 people.
World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest
View this post on Instagram
To honor Texas’s storied tradition of cooking meat, the HLSR hosts the World Championship Bar-B-Que Contest, where 250 teams fight for the top spot of the best barbecue. This year’s competition attracted 214,903 people, with Jasper County’s Go-Texan BBQ, led by grill master Trey Whitehead, claiming the top spot with a score of 263.33.
