The line of red and white shirts line up on the square in Reliant Stadium as one of the wildest and most heartwarming events at Rodeo Houston begin! With the drop of a hat, 14 calves race away from 28 youngsters armed with only a rope halter and a dream. Spectators look on in awe as the group of Texas 4-H and FFA members pursue that dream.

With kids and calves darting in every direction across the Reliant Stadium floor, the Calf Scramble becomes one of the most chaotic, unscripted events of the Rodeo. Successfully catching a calf may be surprisingly the easiest part. Each of the students who catch a calf is awarded a $1,250 certificate to purchase a registered beef heifer. Raising and showing this heifer becomes a year-long project as the scrambler sees to the grooming, feeding, and care of the animal. The exhibitor returns to the Houston Livestock Show the following year for a special competition. Calf Scramble exhibitors also receive a $250 bonus when they return to compete with their heifer.

Supervised by an agricultural science teacher or county extension agent, winners must keep accurate and detailed records of the animal’s progress, while submitting records to both the Show and the donor to chronicle the heifer’s development.

Each year, approximately 340 certificates are awarded. Since the Calf Scramble was added to the Show in 1942, $8,862,000 has been awarded in certificates and bonuses to 17,522 young Texans.

If you would be interested in being a Calf Scramble participant, please visit www.rodeohouston.com for rules and obligations. The deadline for entry is November 30, 2007 and the dates of the Rodeo are March 3 - 22, 2007.

If you have any questions, please call 868-7167 or email twswift@ag.tamu.edu.