Fort Worth Kicks Off Stock Show & Rodeo

The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo kicked off Friday at the Will Rogers Memorial Center. The show this year runs right up to the day before the Super Bowl, so organizers hope for a big boost in attendance. They're bringing in the horses and the cows so you can get a taste of the life of a cowboy.

The 23-day event begins with Ranching Heritage Weekend, starting with a horse agility competition.

"This is a big deal for us. We think it [the show] has one of the best reputations," said Terry Crofoot, a judge and exhibitor. "I think it represents our state well, you know, the heritage."

It's the show's 115th year, and the people who run it are expecting a crowd of at least the usual 900,000 people. Vendors are hoping the Super Bowl brings a herd of tourists to shop their aisles during the last week of the show.

There's something going on every day. Even if you don't take home anything from one of the 17 livestock auctions, you can still take home a piece of the West, whether it's jewelry, clothing, or home decor.

"They're going to feel like they just walked out of Cowboys & Indians magazine," said Debbie Fanning, owner of B Scene Jewelry & Gifts. "We look forward to seeing all of our customers that usually come to see us and also the new ones."

The show has a couple of other new features this year, including 30 percent more parking than last year.

The event admission price includes free admission to three Fort Worth museums -- National Cowgirl Museum, Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, and Texas Cattle Raisers Museum.

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