The Big Shows at a Glance
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension's Hidalgo County page names ten major Texas livestock shows: Austin Livestock Show, Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, Heart O' Texas, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show, San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo, San Antonio Livestock Exposition, South Texas Agricultural Round Up (Edinburg), Star of Texas Livestock Show (Austin) and the State Fair of Texas. Most pair a youth livestock show with a professional rodeo, a carnival or fair, and an auction that funds scholarships.
This guide covers the best-known winter and spring shows. Dates move each year, so confirm them with each show's own website and premium book.
Calendar: When They Run
The spring major circuit runs from January into March. The Fort Bend County 4-H listing for the 2027 season gives these windows, and the show sites below confirm several of them.
- Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo: January 15 to February 6, 2027 (per the Fort Bend listing).
- San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo: February 3 to 25, 2027 per the Fort Bend listing. The San Angelo site lists its Junior Heifer Show for February 10-14, 2027.
- San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo: February 11 to 28, 2027 (per the Fort Bend listing). Organizers say it returns in February 2027.
- Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: March 2 to 21, 2027, confirmed on the RODEOHOUSTON site.
- Rodeo Austin: the junior livestock show runs March 11 to 27, 2027, per the Rodeo Austin site.
- State Fair of Texas: validation for it comes earlier, in June, than for the winter and spring shows.
What Youth Exhibitors Do
The core of each show is the junior market show, where 4-H and FFA members exhibit steers, lambs, goats, barrows, broilers and turkeys, plus breeding heifers, gilts and sheep. Houston's junior show also includes ag mechanics, tractor restoration, judging contests, shooting sports and wildlife video and poster contests, and the Fort Bend listing shows Calf Scramble entries at the major shows. Rodeo Austin lists market steer, poultry, lamb and goat, barrow, judging contest and breeding heifer shows.
Fort Worth reports 11,765 junior show entries from 232 of Texas's 254 counties and 32,679 total entries, which gives a sense of scale. San Antonio reported more than 20,000 livestock entries from all 254 counties at its 2025 show, according to the Texas Farm Bureau.
How to Enter
- Validate firstMajor shows require validated projects. For cattle, lambs and goats the Fort Bend listing asks for validation at the summer or fall validation; swine need the fall swine validation. Confirm species deadlines with your county.
- Meet the paperworkFort Bend asks that youth be enrolled in 4-H Online for the current year and hold a Quality Counts number. San Angelo's junior heifer page also requires Quality Counts. Houston entries need forms signed before a notary.
- Enter through your countyHouston says junior entries are made on its Junior Show Entry Portal by your County Agent or Ag Teacher. San Angelo also requires entry through the County Extension Agent or Ag Science Teacher. Fort Worth entries are made online through its entry portal, and Rodeo Austin entries go through austin.fairwire.com.
- Watch the deadlinesCounty offices set early internal deadlines. One Bexar County page asked for paper entries by November 7 in the 2025 cycle, with a $100 late fee. Rodeo Austin lists a December 15, 2026 close for 2027 entries.
Entry fees vary by show and class and are published in each show's premium book, so check the current one rather than relying on a summary sheet.
Auctions, Premiums and Buyers
Houston
RODEOHOUSTON pays exhibitors who place a guaranteed premium set by the show, and volunteer committees pre-sell most lots so premiums are paid even if a lot gets no bid. Examples of 2026 Grand Champion premiums are Steer $85,000, Barrow, Lamb and Goat $45,000 each, and Broiler and Turkey $35,000 each, with the lowest tiers at $2,600. Net proceeds after premiums go to the Educational Fund. The 2026 Grand Champion steer sold for a record $1,500,000.
Fort Worth
Fort Worth's key statistics page reports $10 million raised for Texas 4-H and FFA youth through the Junior Sale of Champions.
Rodeo Austin
The top 454 placing exhibitors earn a spot in the Youth Auction.
San Angelo
Animals entered in the Junior Market Steer, Barrow, Lamb and Goat shows are eligible for the premium sale and add-ons. For the 2026 sale, the live sale ended after Lot 140, with lots 141-222 eligible for add-ons only. Individuals and businesses can buy into a lot through the show's website.
Scholarship Basics
- Houston: more than 800 scholarships totaling $15,126,000 for 2026, including 70 Texas 4-H and 70 Texas FFA four-year scholarships of $20,000 each. The site's How to Apply page has the criteria.
- Fort Worth: $1,235,500 paid in scholarships and more than $113 million in contributions, grants, scholarships and auction proceeds for Texas 4-H and FFA since 1985. A 2022 report also noted two dozen $10,000 Jim Bob Norman scholarships.
- San Antonio: about $12 million in scholarships to be awarded at the 2025 show, according to the Texas Farm Bureau.
- Rodeo Austin and San Angelo: each links a Scholarships page, but the pages reviewed do not list amounts or rules.
The Rodeo Side
The professional rodeos run alongside the junior shows. Fort Worth reports more than $1.5 million paid to athletes in its PRORODEO Tournament, and San Antonio expects over a million attendees and more than 15,000 volunteers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I enter a major show on my own?
Junior entries at Houston and San Angelo go through your County Extension Agent or ag teacher, not directly from the family.
Do I have to win my county show first?
The sources reviewed describe validation and county entry, not a county win, as the gate to the major shows.
Does every placing exhibitor get paid?
At Houston, exhibitors who place receive a guaranteed premium set by the show. Other shows set their own sale rules, so read the premium book.
Official Resources
- RODEOHOUSTON Livestock Show
- RODEOHOUSTON Auctions and Sales
- RODEOHOUSTON Scholarships and Grants
- Rodeo Austin Livestock Show
- Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo key statistics
- San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Junior Heifer Show
- San Angelo Premium Sale
- Fort Bend County 4-H spring major shows
- Bexar County major show entry help
- AgriLife Hidalgo County: major stock shows
- Texas Farm Bureau: stock shows and youth development
Texas Listings Covered by This Guide
- WRCA World Championship Ranch Rodeo
Top Working Ranch Cowboys Association event: qualified ranch teams compete in ranch bronc, stray gathering, team penning, team branding and wild cow milking, Nov. 12-15, 2026.
- Sam Houston State College Rodeo
Sam Houston State College Rodeo in Huntsville, November 13 to 14, 2026, per the Pete Carr Pro Rodeo schedule of Texas events.
- Navarro County Pro Rodeo
Navarro County Pro Rodeo in Corsicana, November 13 to 14, 2026, listed on the CPRA rodeo schedule.
- Uvalde Rodeo
Uvalde rodeo approved on the Women's Professional Rodeo Association circuit schedule for November 20 to 21, 2026.
- Big Bend Ranch Rodeo
Working ranch rodeo in Alpine showing everyday ranch skills; teams qualify for the Working Ranch Cowboys Association World Championship Ranch Rodeo in Amarillo. Posted for Aug 13-14, 2027.
- Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo
Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo in Waco, October 13 to 16, 2026, per the Pete Carr Pro Rodeo schedule of Texas events.
- Black Gold Stampede Rodeo
Black Gold Stampede Rodeo in Henderson, October 9 to 10, 2026, per the Pete Carr Pro Rodeo schedule of Texas events.
- Cowboy Capital of the World Pro Rodeo
Cowboy Capital of the World Pro Rodeo in Stephenville, September 24 to 26, 2026, per the Pete Carr Pro Rodeo schedule of Texas events.
- Palomino Fest and Rodeo
Palomino Fest and Rodeo at the Uvalde County Fairplex west of downtown Uvalde, Thursday September 3 through Sunday September 6, 2026.
- Naples Watermelon Festival
Late-July watermelon festival in Naples in Northeast Texas, traditionally paired with a rodeo. Latest posted dates are July 23-25, 2026; the event is held the last full weekend of July.
- Texas Cowboy Reunion
Texas Hall of Fame rodeo dating to 1930 with four days of rodeo, western heritage and family entertainment in Stamford; Google is title sponsor. Next posted dates are July 1-4, 2026.
- West of the Pecos Rodeo
West of the Pecos Rodeo in Pecos, June 24 to 27, 2026, per the Pete Carr Pro Rodeo schedule of Texas events.
- Stonewall Peach JAMboree and Rodeo
Peach celebration paired with a rodeo in Stonewall, heart of Hill Country peach country near Fredericksburg. Latest listed dates are June 19-21, 2026; held the third weekend of June.
- Stockdale Watermelon Jubilee
82nd annual Watermelon Jubilee at Stockdale City Park with rodeo events, live music, contests and community activities; billed as one of Texas's oldest watermelon festivals. Held June 19-20, 2026.
- Parker County Sheriff's Posse Frontier Days
Parker County Sheriff's Posse Frontier Days rodeo in Weatherford, June 10 to 13, 2026, with an Xtreme Bulls night June 9, per the Pete Carr Pro Rodeo schedule.
- Gladewater Round-Up Rodeo
89th annual PRCA rodeo in Gladewater with roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing, bull riding, mutton bustin' and a free Handicapable Rodeo on June 13. Held June 10-13, 2026; 2027 is its 90th year.
- Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo
Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo, June 4 to 6, 2026, per the Pete Carr Pro Rodeo schedule of Texas events.
- The American Rodeo Championship Weekend
The American Rodeo championship weekend in Arlington, May 22 to 23, 2026, per the Pete Carr Pro Rodeo schedule of Texas events.
- Panola County Cattlemen's ProRodeo
Cattlemen's association pro rodeo at Cattleman's Arena in Carthage, with performances at 7:30 PM Friday and Saturday. Latest verified performances were May 8-9, 2026.
- Tops In Texas Rodeo
Tops In Texas Rodeo in Jacksonville, May 7 to 9, 2026, per the Pete Carr Pro Rodeo schedule of Texas events.
- Nacogdoches Pro Rodeo
Nacogdoches Pro Rodeo, March 26 to 28, 2026, listed on the Pete Carr Pro Rodeo schedule of Texas events.
- Resistol Rookie Round Up
Resistol Rookie Round Up rodeo in Fort Worth, March 20 to 21, 2026, per the Pete Carr Pro Rodeo schedule.
- Texas A&M College Rodeo
Texas A&M College Rodeo in Bryan, February 20 to 21, 2026, listed on the Pete Carr Pro Rodeo schedule of Texas events.
- Los Fresnos Rodeo
Los Fresnos Rodeo, February 19 to 22, 2026, with ProRodeo performances, concerts, parade and a livestock judging contest on Sunday; proceeds fund scholarships for area youth.
- XIT Rodeo and Reunion
Dalhart gathering honoring the XIT Ranch with parades, music, rodeo, a watermelon feed, pork chop feed and the World's Largest Free BBQ. Latest verified dates are Aug 1-3, 2024 (88th edition); newer dates not found.
Guide checked Nov. 11, 2026. Rules and dates change; confirm with the organizer.