Yes, that's a horse blocking traffic: Trail rides roll in and the Rodeo camp life fires up

The traffic hold-ups all around the city and its suburbs over the past week have been for good cause: Today, the 12 trail rider groups have arrived at Memorial Park.

Over thousands of miles and sometimes up to three weeks, these trail riders have promoted the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and served as reminders of Texas' rich Western heritage.

"This originated in the 50s, when trail rides were better for getting the word out than advertising," explained Trail Ride Committee chairman Philip Martin, who appeared surprisingly collected in spite of the impending arrival of 4,000 rowdy riders and their livestock.

The idea of herding in so many trail riders may seem like an overwhelming one, but the structure of the operation assures that everything runs like clockwork.

Each year, the Trail Ride Committee helps to facilitate riders' treks from respective starting points, prepares the park for the temporary takeover of the riders and cleans up once the trail riders leave again.

 "This originated in the 50s, when trail rides were better for getting the word out than advertising," Philip Martin said. 

A subcommittee makes sure that all of the committee's 125 members are well-fed — and with an elaborate Southern dinner on Thursday, a breakfast feast and a delicious fajita lunch on Friday, it's difficult to imagine that they're anything but.

"The rule of thumb is, don't run out," Herbie Lapetina told CultureMap. Lapetina, vice chairman of the rodeo committee cook team, has prepared meals for the Trail Ride Committee for 15 years.

On Friday, the trail riders began to file in around noon. First was the Spanish Trail Ride, which made the 109-mile trip from Shepherd; the group signaled its arrival with loud music, prancing horses and lots of hollers.

Near the entrance of the makeshift campground at Memorial Park, Junior Rodeo Committee members stood by with clip boards and score sheets, counting points to determine the best trail rides.

Erin Okeson, a psychology student at Texas A&M University, has volunteered with RodeoHouston in different capacities over the past four years, and this year was her first as a judge.

Each rider must be rated on dress and spirit, and the full cavalcade on overall presentation, Okeson explained, and all infractions of the rules must be tallied. "I guess you have to be very observant," she laughed.

At a ceremony held on Friday evening, the trail rides who fit the bill were recognized. Spirit awards were given to to the Sam Houston Trail Ride and the Sam Houston Wagon Three.

Salt Grass Trail Ride, the longest-running group, took first for Best Trail Ride in Division I (awarded to a group with 145 or more participants). Prairie View Trail Ride took the title for Division II (50 to 144 participants) and the Mission Trail Ride won in Division III (49 or fewer participants).

The trail riders will file out of the park again on Saturday morning, riding along Memorial Drive and through the streets of downtown for the annual Downtown Rodeo Parade.

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