Trail riders arrive in Houston from all over

HOUSTON – The 2016 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has arrived as the 3,000 trail riders made their way to Memorial Park.

"We started up around Plantersville," said Cliff Willson, the trail boss for the Texas Cattleman's Trail Ride.

Willson and his group of nearly 50 riders just rounded up 75 miles on their trip, the shortest of the 13 trails.

"First couple of days, it was a little bit rough. Rain and kind of cold, but it wouldn't be a trail ride without that weather," Willson said.

The longest trail is 386 miles, which begins in Reynosa, Mexico.

With 3,000 trotting their way to Houston, it's hard to believe Trail Ride Committee Chairman Scott Baumann didn't have his doubts. But sometimes, the economy doesn't always play in their favor.

"The cost that it takes them to make the ride, they still do it, and the reason they still do it is because the heritage, to keep the western heritage alive," Baumann.

"Shows our children, our grandchildren what it was like years ago," said Ricky Nelson, assistant trail boss with Texas Cattleman's Trail Ride.

A tradition that started off with four riders in 1952 has grown into something that has been passed down through generations.

It's not all for show though. There's a fierce competition that takes places when all the riders make it to Memorial Park.

In Jeff Simpson's case, he's won the divisional trophy with Texas Independence Trail Riders six of the last seven years.

"Dress code and authenticity and being western and how you act going down the road," Simpson said reciting all the categories riders are judged on. There's also an award for most spirit and safest trail ride group.

"All the riders stop at schools. They give out scholarships themselves. They are not just takers. They are givers," Baumann said. "They give back to the community."