The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ has getting dirty down to a science. You probably have not given much thought to all that goes into the flooring of our favorite rodeo events and concerts on the NRG Stadium floor, but the skill and experience needed to lay the dirt is truly a mix of art and science.
The dirt used on the stadium floor is provided by the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation and is used exclusively for the Rodeo. It is a mixture of clay, topsoil and sand, sourced just west of Houston. Mike DeMarco is the chief show operations officer and oversees many processes at the Rodeo, including the load-in and load-out of the dirt. “This mixture is in ratios to maintain a density that will allow participants to perform all aspects of RODEOHOUSTON®. It has to withstand barrel racing, bull riding and a concert in a few short hours every single night,” DeMarco said.
Before dumping the dirt, a dense clay ramp is created in the middle of the stadium floor, as well as a pathway leading to it. Fully loaded, the stage can weigh 450,000 pounds, so a firm foundation is essential. After that, enough dirt is brought into the stadium to cover about 18” of the arena floor, and workers will spread, compress and level it over three days. Water is added in layers if the dirt is too dry; if the dirt is too wet, the workers will dehumidify the stadium and toss the dirt to help it dry out. They use specific tools to achieve this consistency, including arena drags — the giant “dirt combs” pulled by tractors between rodeo events. All of this is done to reach the optimal level of moisture.
Each rodeo event requires a different dirt density to ensure the correct footing for the athletes, horses and livestock. The grounds crew also prepares the dirt differently depending on its location — like steer wrestling on the arena’s south end or bull riding and barrel racing on the north end. Additionally, the Grand Entry Parade on the perimeter must be especially dense to support the heavy wagons and fire trucks that are part of the ceremony.
“The Rodeo has been blessed with a team of outstanding operators who understand the layout, work the dirt on a daily basis, and support the roll-out of the stage twice a day, once for a sound check and once again for the concert,” DeMarco said. They are an incredibly talented and dedicated group of people, most of whom return year after year to take part in installing and maintaining the dirt floor during the Rodeo.
While they are particular about the moisture and composition of the soil, they also work hard to keep the dirt clean. “Clean dirt” is a term used to describe dirt free of foreign objects, many of which could pose a hazard to rodeo participants and stock. Every day, crews check the dirt thoroughly, and then again before it goes into storage every year. It is kept in two locations every year, on concrete and under a cover for protection from weather events. In the fall of 2024, the Rodeo began constructing a dirt storage barn to house it. Like everything else in life, Rodeo dirt does not last forever. It has a 10-15 year life span and then will be dispersed in fields and replaced.
The team’s expertise in ensuring participants have a safe stadium with quick installation and removal is one-of-a-kind. A world-class show like the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has to be built on the absolute best foundation: Rodeo dirt.