Instead of horses galloping around a race track, a professional rodeo will take over Sam Houston Race Park for two nights in November.
Athletes with the largest professional rodeo organization – the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association – will compete on Nov. 6 and 7 at the horse racing track in northwest Houston, according to the venue. The event is part of a new nationwide venture called “Rodeo at the Racetrack,” which as the name suggests, aims to cross the bridge between rodeos and horse racing tracks at similar venues in the U.S.
The co-founders of the event first teamed up to host a rodeo at the Canterbury Park horse racing track outside Minneapolis, Minn., in 2024 and began envisioning a nationwide series earlier this year, according to their website. They started selling tickets for their stop in Houston last month.
“Sam Houston Race Park is an outstanding venue with a rich history, and we’re excited to bring this experience to Texas while supporting the important work being done by Camp Hope,” Kip Rakos, CEO and co-founder of Rodeo at the Racetrack, said in a July statement. “Our goal is to create an unforgettable weekend for fans while making a meaningful impact in the community.”
Rakos said he will continue to expand the event through Texas with similar rodeos at Lone Star Park in Dallas and Retama Park in San Antonio next year.
During its upcoming stay in Houston, Rodeo at the Racetrack plans to support Camp Hope – a local housing program works to alleviate the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder for military veterans and their families. A gala supporting the organization is scheduled to kick off the weekend’s events Thursday night at the venue’s “Jockey Club” with dinner, a silent auction and fundraising. Barrel racing and live music will come later that night.
The rodeo will take place on Friday and Saturday. Both nights will feature bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie down roping, breakaway roping, barrel racing and bull riding.
Tickets start at $25 for general admission and climb to several pricier tiers for extra access. They cost $35 for indoor reserved seating, $100 for a “premium rodeo experience” with ringside seats and $200 for VIP treatment.
When eyes aren’t trained on the race track, guests can enjoy live music, vendors, a barbecue cookoff, a meet and greet with rodeo contestants and photo opportunities with Brutus, “the legendary (Brahman) bull.”
On the nights of the rodeo, gates open at 5 p.m., and the competition starts at 7 p.m.
Rodeo at the Racetrack will be a precursor to the venue’s horse racing season, which stretches from December to June, according to Sam Houston Race Park.
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This article originally published at A rodeo that started in Minnesota two years ago comes to Sam Houston Race Park in November.
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