Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Parade Rounds Up UH Coogs

UH Represented in Feb. 28 Parade by Rodeo Scholars, Alums, Marching Band

This weekend, Houstonians will head downtown to celebrate cowboys, horses … and Cougars.

The annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR) Parade will kick off at 10 a.m., Feb 28 at Bagby and Walker Streets. Among the parade participants is a delegation of University of Houston Coogs including the Spirit of Houston Marching Band, distinguished alumni and students.

The Spirit of Houston – comprised of 350 students –  is a HLS&R Parade institution. Football fans experience its high-energy performances at Cougar games, and Houstonians have witnessed the band perform in spaces such as Discovery Green and the East End’s Navigation Esplanade. The band also thrilled national audiences during the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show (featuring Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake and Kid Rock) and at the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match at the Astrodome. Joining the band will be UH’s cheerleaders, color guard and Cougar Dolls.

The UH Cougar Float – with the University’s familiar logo and a replica cougar scaling a rock –  will spotlight former students and longtime UH supporters.

UH also will be represented on the Rodeo Float. Students benefitting from HLS&R scholarships will show their appreciation for the organization’s commitment to education. Cougar rodeo scholars include Veronica Campos, Merline Gonzalez, Abigail Veliz, Daisy Montes De Oca, Jeanette Robledo, Gabriela Luna, Jackie Sanchez, Delia Gomez and Andrew Moreno.

In the days leading up to the parade, the UH community will get into the rodeo spirit during the HLS&R World's Championship Bar-B-Cue (featuring the UH Cougar Cookers). On Feb. 27, faculty, staff and students will don western wear to celebrate “Go Texan Day.” University leaders will show their Cougar colors at NRG Stadium during UH Night at the Rodeo on March 9. On this night, UH dignitaries will lead the grand entry into the rodeo.

The University of Houston is a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research university recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the nation’s best colleges for undergraduate education. UH serves the globally competitive Houston and Gulf Coast Region by providing world-class faculty, experiential learning and strategic industry partnerships. Located in the nation’s fourth-largest city, UH serves more than 40,900 students in the most ethnically and culturally diverse region in the country. For more information about UH, visit the University’s newsroom.