Rodeo keeps growing with Carr

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Dean Wadsworth rides Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Big Tex, a former world champion bucking horse, to the victory at the 2021 Waller County Fair and Rodeo. Big Tex is one of several Carr horses that have multiple selections to the National Finals Rodeo.
(PHOTO BY JAMES PHIFER)

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – A decade ago, members of the Waller County Fair Association were seeking a prominent PRCA stock contracting firm to help the community’s rodeo grow.

They found it with Dallas-based Pete Carr Pro Rodeo, and the two entities have matured together over time. The proof is in everything that happens during the nine-day fair and the three days of ProRodeo competition at the Waller County Fair and Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29-Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Waller County Fairgrounds in Hempstead.

“When you look at how much our rodeo’s grown since we decided to become a part of the PRCA, I think you can point a lot of fingers directly at Pete Carr and what he’s done for us,” said John Schluens, co-captain of the fair board’s rodeo committee. “We have a strong relationship with Pete, and we get a lot of the top names at our rodeo because of it.”

It’s not just the cowboys and cowgirls that fans in southeast Texas have come to expect; it’s also the names of the animals that comes with Carr and his team of professionals. Cowboys have won the Waller County title on world champions like Real Deal, Dirty Jacket and Big Tex, along with a host of other great bucking horses and bulls that make firm stand out.

Over the last 17 years, Carr has had dozens of bucking beasts that have been selected to perform at the National Finals Rodeo. Even more telling is the fact that only 100 bareback horses, 100 saddle broncs and 100 bulls are chosen each year, and there are Carr horses mixed deep in every category.

Over the last year, the company’s founder and owner, Pete Carr, has re-invested into his bucking stock, adding to his herd more incredible animals. From a young stallion to help the future of the Carr breeding program to some rising bucking stars that have NFR experience, the herd has been charged with more electricity for events like the Waller County Fair and Rodeo.

“Since we first brought Pete on board, we’ve asked him to make sure that every cowboy and cowgirl that comes to our rodeo has a chance to win, and he’s done that year after year,” said Clint Sciba, co-chairman of the rodeo committee. “Pete wants to put on the best rodeo he can for Waller County. He brings great stock, but there’s more to it.

“Pete is also very big on the production of a rodeo. We love that, because we want people who come to our fair and rodeo to be entertained as much as they enjoy the competition. I think together we have proven that to the people in Waller County.”

Yes, they have. Along with announcer Andy Stewart and other pieces of the puzzle, the rodeo seems to run without a hitch. That’s because of the teamwork that was established years ago between the Carr team, Stewart and the dedicated volunteers that help make the large exposition happen every year.

There are countless amounts of man-hours that come into play when producing an event the size of the Waller County Fair and Rodeo. From an organizational standpoint, it takes dozens of volunteers who care.

Waller County has that, and they work in unison with the Pete Carr Pro Rodeo staff to ensure great things happen each fall in Hempstead.

“Everything we do is with a purpose, and there’s a big reason why we’ve been teamed with Pete Carr for so long,” Schluens said. “It works, and it just keeps getting better.”

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