By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

April 13, 2006 - Another successful year for the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo has come and gone in Austin, with numerous events, entertainment, merchandise, and food featured from March 11 to March 25.

The Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo in Austin has come a long way, since it was first organized on Congress Avenue in downtown Austin in 1938. At that time, it was called the “Travis County Baby Beef Show” and was organized by County Extension Agent T.H. Royder and the Austin Chamber of Commerce.

By 1957, the Austin Chamber of Commerce presented the event as part of the Chamber’s Agriculture Department. In 1958, a former group, the Farm and Ranch Club, disbanded and offered their pens and equipment to the Ag Department for the show.

As the livestock show began to grow, so did the city of Austin, and by 1999, the name of the show was changed to the “Star of Texas Fair & Rodeo.” Today, the annual event has become the “largest non-profit contributor to education in Travis County, awarding more than $20 million via auctions, cash awards and scholarships to youth during the past 20 years,” according to information provided by the show.

The Star of Texas Fair & Rodeo, a non-profit organization, states that the purpose of the show is to “Promote Youth Education and Preserve Western Heritage.” Over $1.5 million was awarded in scholarships, auction proceeds and other forms of giving.

Scholarships are a bit different from some other shows in that the students applying for them do not have to have an agricultural background or desire to work in agricultural fields, after obtaining a higher education. The Show estimates that up to 75 percent of the scholars fit in this group and live in urban areas of Texas.

Applicants are evaluated by financial “considerations including the size of family and financial need; academic achievement, including high school curriculum and scholastic performance; leadership and character, including extracurricular activities, community involvement and work experience.” 

Those applying for scholarships must complete an “applicant’s narrative and have recommendation letters from a principal, teacher, high school counselor and/or community leaders.” At least two letters are required, and three are preferred.

This year, 4-H and FFA participants were invited to compete in eight different Junior Market Divisions that included steers, hogs, lambs, goats, turkeys, broilers, roasters, rabbits or junior creeding heifers. In total, the young exhibitors earned over $600,000 from the sale of their livestock in the event’s auction. This amount is a decrease from the 2005 auction earnings of $900,000.

New this year was a change in residence for the rodeo — into the Dr. Charles W. Graham Western Heritage Center on the grounds, a new building that provides for further growth of the show.

For the fourth year, Xtreme Bull Riding, was part of the event’s entertainment and competition, and the Wrangler Winter Tour stopped in Austin to join in the ProRodeo action, competing for the title of All Around Cowboy. Jarrod Ford of Greeley, Colo., leads in Xtreme Bull Riding in the World so far in 2006, and Trevor Brazile of Decatur is rated first in the All-Around Cowboy competition.