Texana Thursday: Riding along the Salt Grass Trail

The Salt Grass Trail Ride culminates in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Parade (Creative Commons license attribution, photo courtesy Joel Salazar)

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo will soon be upon us, and in anticipation of that comes a tradition that turns 65 this year.

The Salt Grass Trail Ride began in 1953. The story goes that the then-mayor of Brenham, Reese Lockett, had attended the Orange Bowl football game in Miami, and endured several flight delays returning home to Texas. He was said to have told friends he didn’t want to go anywhere that he couldn’t ride home on his horse.

Lockett had committed to serve as arena manager for what was then called the Houston Fat Stock Show coming up. A friend told him that, if that was the case, Lockett would have to come to Houston on horseback.

The word got out, and Houston-area reporters were interested in the story. Even Pat Flaherty, who was then one of Houston’s top newscasters, came along to film the ride for local television. It was a great way to promote the fat stock show.

There was a touch of history in the idea of a trail ride. In the 19th century, during the winter months, cowboys would drive their herds of cattle down to the Texas Gulf Coast area, where they could graze on the salt grass that was so plentiful in the area.

So now the ride began again, albeit this time for promotional reasons. It caught on with enthusiasts. About 80 people made the first ride with Lockett.

The trail ride now begins in Cat Springs, about 103 miles northwest of Houston, in February. Riders make their way to Houston and assemble Friday afternoon to camp in Memorial Park. They participate in Saturday’s parade in Downtown Houston.

To be sure, the Salt Grass Trail Ride isn’t the only one that makes a journey to Houston for the rodeo. Riders come from San Antonio and Beaumont, as well as other cities such as Brookshire, Cheek, Hempstead, Montgomery, Prairie View, Rosenberg, and Shepherd. One trail ride to Houston originates in Logansport, Louisiana.

Trail riders are of all ages. The definition of “roughing it” has certainly changed over the years. Imagine cowboys with cell phones riding alongside a major highway back in the day.

The trail rides enable people to go back in time and relive the past. They add to the pomp and pageantry of one of Houston’s biggest annual events. They are an important, and popular, part of Texas culture today.