Five

THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY
LIVESTOCK SHOW

Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show cover girls and alternates pose for this 1956 photograph. The Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show officially began in 1939 as an annual project of the Mercedes Chamber of Commerce in efforts to promote livestock and poultry production. Although the livestock show began in Mercedes, it quickly included Cameron, Willacy, Starr, and Hidalgo Counties in the project. (Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Museum.)

An aerial view of the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show grounds covering more than 100 acres at the north end of Texas Avenue was taken in 1955 when many metal and wood buildings were used to replace tents and other less durable structures. With more than 1,000 volunteers and 4,000 exhibitors expected, the 2014 show was a far cry from the earliest shows. The earliest documented show was a one-day affair in 1913 held at the Mercedes Power Plant, a two-story building located on Second Street (US Business Highway 83) and the Main Canal. It was so popular that the next year, in 1914, it was a three-day event with many exhibits of livestock and agricultural products, lectures, a US Cavalry sham battle, and boat rides on the Main Canal. It did not become an annual event, however, until 1939. Unfortunately, in 1965, a fire destroyed much of the early records of the show, and photographs such as this one have slowly been recovered from other sources. (Mercedes ISD.)

Sun Valley Horse Show Queen Pip Setter and her horse Rex pose for a photograph in 1964. The Rio Grande Livestock Show grounds host many events other than the annual March livestock show. The Sun Valley Horse Show is a Mercedes High School FFA Club fundraiser that accepts Valley-wide competitors in various events. Many other horse shows are held annually at the livestock show grounds. (Weslaco Museum.)

Thomas Treasure (left) awards the “Best Cowboy Trophy” to 12-year-old Kenny Reger mounted on his horse Mr. Red, which is held by an unidentified girl, in the Sun Valley Horse Show held October 1964 at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show grounds. Competitive events included barrel races, stake races, pole bending races, and children’s showmanship. (Weslaco Museum.)

The traditional opening of the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show is the parade held on the first day of the show. It always includes decorated floats, trail riders from various horseman’s associations, marching school bands, cover girl candidates, show officials, city officials, local clubs and organizations either walking or riding floats, and singing or acting stars invited to perform. (Sylvia Arteaga Calles.)

A guest band from the Justo Sierra Boy’s Orphanage and Military School in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico marches in the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Parade in March 1956. Special arrangements were made to allow members of the school to attend the livestock show, and local families agreed to house the younger students in order to help defray lodging costs. (Sylvia Arteaga Calles.)

Mimi Garibay, 1956 cover girl winner sponsored by the Brownsville FFA organization rides in a 1956 Dodge convertible in the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Parade as it wends its way up Texas Avenue to end at the show grounds on North Texas Avenue. (Sylvia Arteaga Calles.)

Members of the Mid-Valley Horseman’s Association pictured here begin their trail ride in Roma about 50 miles west and ride toward Mercedes for two days, camping out and eating from a chuck wagon to finally arrive in time to participate in the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Parade and other activities. (Rosendo Gonzales.)

Singer, film actor, and songwriter Rex Allen (in the center) poses with 1962 cover girl alternates. At left is second alternate Sherrie Gallaway, and at right is first alternate Pam Knapp. Rex Allen, called the Arizona Cowboy, was well known for starring in 19 of Hollywood’s Western movies with Buddy Ebsen and Slim Pickens as his sidekicks. (Mercedes ISD.)

Enjoying the various food booths available at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show are many show visitors. Thousands of local visitors as well as visitors from other states and even other countries visit the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show every year. It is considered one of the Top Ten Shows in Texas and recently draws close to 200,000 visitors annually. (Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Museum.)

Parthenia Archer (left) receives two free rodeo tickets from show director Frances Cooper to see movie star Ken Curtis, who starred as Festus in the television show Gunsmoke and was featured at the 1967 Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show. Two unidentified children help hold up the poster announcing the event. (Weslaco Museum.)

In this 1961 photograph, María Buenrostro (center back) prepares to take these children to the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show. Children are, from left to right, Nátiz Buenrostro, Yolanda Jilpas, and Guadalupe Jilpas. Their activities include visiting the children’s barnyard, the arts and crafts exhibits, the show animal pens, the rodeo, the midway carnival, antique farm equipment exhibit, a magician show, and enjoying live music. (Vito Buenrostro.)

Charles “Charlie” Rankin, a popular Rio Grande Valley radio and television personality who was considered the “voice of agriculture” in the Valley for many years for his informative noon radio programs, takes part in a “wild” cow-milking contest during the 1971 Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show. From left to right, the competitors are Bob McDonald of KRGV holding the cow’s tail, Rankin milking the cow, and Burt Johnson of KRIO holding the cow’s head. Rankin was declared the winner. Rankin attended Texas A&M University after two years in the US Navy on an aircraft carrier during World War II. While at the university, he was instrumental in establishing the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association, serving as its first president in 1949. He was often invited to serve as a judge or an announcer at the Rio Grande Livestock Show and Rodeo in Mercedes. (Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Museum.)

The Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show cover girl parade float every year features the winning cover girl and the first and second alternates. The parade is the opening event every March that kicks off the livestock show. The young ladies posing here are 1986 cover girl Claudette Smith and unidentified alternates. (Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Museum.)

Charles “Charlie” Rankin, well-known radio and television personality in the Valley for his farm bureau talk shows, interviews Lorne Green and Ben Cartwright of the television show Bonanza. The two stars were featured guests of the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show in 1973. The show often brought big name stars, including Gene Autry, Lynn Anderson, Johnny Rodríguez, Dwight Yoakum, and many others. (Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Museum.)

An unidentified rider competes in the saddle-bronc riding event at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show and Rodeo in 1959. In saddle-bronc riding, the rider holds a braided line with only one hand and attempts to stay on for at least eight seconds. Scores range from zero to 100 with 50 points depending on the horse’s bucking moves and 50 depending on the rider’s skill. (Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Museum.)

Taken at the fryer pens at the Rio Grande Livestock Show in 1965, this photograph shows Steven Dollery (left) and his sister Stephanie Dollery, 4-H members and children of James Dollery. James Dollery was an agriculture teacher at Mercedes High School and head sponsor of the FFA club in the 1950s and 1960s. (Weslaco Museum.)

Leading the 1971 Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Parade are two unidentified men wearing chaps with the famous HK brand of the 825,000-acre King Ranch. The HK brand was one of two official brands registered in 1859 for the King Ranch. The letters were the initials of Henrietta King, wife of King Ranch founder Richard King. In 1869, the Running W brand was registered and it remains the official brand today. The King Ranch is well known for developing the Santa Gertrudis cattle breed now recognized as a superior beef cattle breed. In its horse breeding efforts, the King Ranch has produced 1946 US Triple Crown winner Assault and 1950 Kentucky Derby winner Middleground. A King Ranch Quarter Horse named Wimpy was the very first registered horse of the American Quarter Horse Association in 1940, receiving the designation “P-1.” (Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Museum.)

From left to right, 1959 cover girl Ann Watson poses in this photograph with Al Martin and Sherry Tripp, 4-H participants, and their “Grand Champion Pen of Fryers” at the 1958 Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show, as well as Dr. Joseph Townsend of Texas A&M University, who served as a judge at the event. (Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Museum.)

The Studebaker military escort wagon in this photograph is part of the 1st Cavalry Division from Fort Hood, Texas. The group formed in 1972 under the direction of Maj. Gen. James C. Smith and represents an 1870 era “horse soldier” troop wearing standard issue Civil War Union uniforms. They perform mounted drills and weapons demonstrations and were featured guest performers at the 1973 Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show. (Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Museum.)

Charles “Charlie” Rankin (left) poses with an unidentified member of the Texas A&M University’s Parson’s Mounted Cavalry, a ceremonial horse cavalry unit founded in 1974 to preserve traditions of the Texas A&M Cavalry of the 1920s and 1930s. The Cavalry is part of the Corps of Cadets, which was established in 1876 as a student military organization. Texas A&M University is one of six US colleges classified as a senior military college. The Corpsman shown here with Rankin is wearing “senior boots,” brown leather boots to the knees worn only by Texas A&M seniors. Parson’s Mounted Cavalry represents the university at parades, agricultural fairs, livestock shows, and equestrian events in Texas. The group performed military maneuvers on horseback at the 1975 Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show. (Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Museum.)

Vincent Neuhaus, left, and Earl Neuhaus, mounted, participate in a steer-riding event at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show in 1964. Both attended Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. Both own several successful farm equipment businesses although in different cities, and Earl also has served as president of the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show. (Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Museum.)

In this September 1959 photograph, members of the Board of Directors of the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show get an update on planning activities for the upcoming 1960 Show. The board is limited to 24 members as set forth in its bylaws, and board members all work for the Livestock Show on a voluntary basis. (Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Museum.)

Pictured recently are Dario “D.V.” Guerra (left), president emeritus of the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show, and grande dame Frances Richmond Cooper, show director. Guerra is the owner of the D.V. Guerra Ranch in Edinburg and is a longtime volunteer with the livestock show. Cooper first went to work for the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show in December 1954 as secretary to the manager. In 1959, she became show manager and remained in that position until she retired in 1986. Upon her retirement, she served on the board of directors as a volunteer until her death in 2009. She always declared she loved best the awards she received from the Texas FFA and the 4-H clubs. The Texas Association of Fairs and Events, in which she served 13 years as executive secretary, awarded her with its lifetime achievement award in 2002. In 2004, the International Association of Fairs and Expositions presented her with the prestigious Heritage Award for promoting not only the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show but also fairs across the United States. (Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Museum.)