Founders’ Invitational Rodeo happens this weekend

The sights and sounds of yesteryear will be heard this weekend as the 9th annual Texas State Championship High School Rodeo Founders’ Invitational will take place at the William and Alton Allen Exposition Center in Hallettsville this Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 14-15. 

In 1947, Claude Mullins, a local school superintendent, Alton Allen, a local attorney, and Leon Kahanek, Sr., a local pharmacist, and with all three being ranchers who had an interest in the sport of rodeo, organized the first High School Rodeo.

As a result, their idea steadily increased in popularity through the years where the interest grew with over 500 contestants from around the state converging on Hallettsville each June for a week of competition. Event winners qualified for the National High School Rodeo.

As the years went by, the increasing size of the rodeo demanded more space and housing and eventually brought an end to the State Championship High School Rodeo in Hallettsville in the late 1970’s. 

Another important part of the history of high school rodeo in Hallettsville came from Alton Allen inventing, what has become known as the “Hallettsville Barrier”.

The barrier, which is still used at rodeo events throughout the world, involves a barrier in calf roping or steer dogging, where the calf or steer must break the barrier before the horse and rider leave the roping box. If the barrier is broken before the allotted time, a 10-second penalty is added to the competitor’s score.

It has been over 35 years since the last high school state championship rodeo was held in Hallettsville, but the Allen Family, CH Graphics, and the Lavaca Exposition Association, along with other generous sponsors have brought the sport of rodeo back to its roots.

This weekend’s events will involve the top four contestants in each event from Texas High School Rodeo regions competing for jackpot fees as well as $20,000 in added scholarship money. In all, around 200 competitors have been invited to compete at this year’s event.  

Competition in this year’s rodeo will begin Saturday when contestants will compete in performances starting at 11 a.m. and again at 6 p.m.

In addition, the Lavaca Historical Museum in Hallettsville has generously volunteered to open its doors from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday to allow visitors interested in exploring the Texas State Championship High School Rodeo Exhibit, as well as its other exciting exhibits.

On Sunday, the top competitors from Saturday will come back to compete in the final round at 10 a.m.

Concessions will be open with hamburgers, hot dogs, nachos and frito pie made with the Cervenka family’s homemade chili.

Competitors will vie in events that include bull riding, barrel racing, pole bending, break-away roping, goat tying, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, tie-down calf roping, steer dogging as well as team roping for both header and heeler.

Admission to the rodeo is free for all events.

In addition to the Dickson-Allen Foundation and CH Graphics, the 2023 sponsors to date are as follows:

Platinum

• H. H. Howell, Inc.

Gold

• Baytex Energy USA, Inc.

• Burgher Enterprises Inc.

Silver

• Peveto & Associates, Inc.

Bronze

• Allen & Allen Law Firm, P.C. and Lavaca Title Company in memory of Alton Allen;

• Daniels Land Services Inc.

• Fenner Land Services, LLC

• Rocky Creek Resources, LLC

All-Around

• Philip Reed Energy Group, LP.

Event

• Peoples State Bank