By George Slaughter
Katy Rodeo officials have postponed the rodeo and carnival, set for February 18-20, due to the coronavirus pandemic. The parade, set for February 20, has also been postponed.
Meanwhile, the Katy ISD Livestock Show, set for February 16-19, along with the Live Auction and Barn Sale, set for February 20 at the district’s Agricultural Sciences Facility, 5825 Katy Hockley Cut Off Rd., remain on schedule.
The Katy Rodeo and the Katy ISD Livestock Show are two separate entities, though they have been staged together for decades. The rodeo began in 1943 and is in its 78th year. Rodeo Chairman and President Gary Johnson said the rodeo has been staged at the same time as the livestock show as far as history allows, though it’s possible the earliest rodeos were staged separately.
The rodeo raises money for Future Farmers of America chapters at each of the Katy Independent School District high schools and for scholarships. Local service groups such as the Knights of Columbus (concession stands), Lions’ Club (carnival), Katy Veterans of Foreign Wars (tickets), and volunteers are long-time rodeo supporters.
“It’s very disappointing that we have to postpone the rodeo,” Johnson said. “The whole reason for the postponement is to keep the community safe. The last thing we need to do is put people in harm’s way. The success of the rodeo is gauged by the community’s ability to participate in the events.”
Johnson said officials expect to reevaluate the situation in the next couple of months and consider whether the rodeo might be rescheduled.
“That’s what the hope is, but we’ll have to gauge where we are with the coronavirus,” Johnson said.
In a letter to parents, guardians, and staff, the district said the livestock show will take place with safety protocols in place. The live auction and barn sale will take place both in-person and online. The special needs rodeo has been postponed for 2021.
The district said that student participation in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Art Competition is still scheduled to take place. The district anticipates receiving additional information regarding Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo events soon.