It was 62 years ago that the rodeo first rolled into Humble, and six decades later, it’s still going strong.  It wasn’t always this way, as there have been years we almost lost the entire event.

This would have been a crying shame, but not just because the rodeo is a tradition that brings families together for good old-fashioned fun, or because it gives us all a chance to enjoy delicious barbecue and live entertainment, or even because it benefits the Humble ISD Education Foundation. It would be a shame because it is an opportunity for FFA students to shine.

These students are some of the best and brightest in the nation, and they deserve to have this opportunity to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

FFA is the largest youth organization in the world – with nearly a half a million members to date. According to the National FFA organization Web site, their mission is dedication “to making a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.”

Some pretty high-profile citizens are former FFA members, including Pulitzer Prize winner Nicholas Kristof, Garfield creator Jim Davis, entertainers including Lyle Lovett, Trace Adkins, Don Henley (of the Eagles), Tim McGraw; and former U.S President and Nobel Prize winner Jimmy Carter.

These aren’t necessarily the kids that stadiums of fans rise up and cheer for, although they certainly should be.  Their accomplishments are not measured by points in a game, but by months on end of hard work. The FFA students participating in our rodeo have taken on the year-round responsibility of caring for livestock they have chosen to show at the buyer’s auction, where they compete for buckles, ribbons and cash that many save to use for college.

Making the commitment to feed, exercise and care for these animals twice a day, seven days a week, year-round is not something to be taken lightly.

I recently met two FFA students, Sina Panzar and Nick Clifford, both juniors at Kingwood Park High School. I walked away impressed with their attitude and dedication to their role in FFA.

Both students told me that they have worked extremely hard for months on end, but that they were grateful for the opportunity – that it taught them to reap great rewards from their efforts.

“After all the work, when you get into that ring, it’s all about you and your animal, and it just feels great,” said Panzar. 

Their enthusiasm was contagious, and I felt myself intrigued by a world I knew very little about.

And, truth be told, it kind of made me feel embarrassed that I often complain about having to empty my cat’s litter box once a day.

It is my sincere hope that those of us planning to enjoy the rodeo this year will take a few minutes to stop by the livestock pens and meet some of these heroes of the rodeo, and to compliment them on a job well-done.

– Anne McIlhany