Junior Livestock Show kicks off at RodeoHouston after last year's cancellation

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The return of RodeoHouston events started Monday morning at NRG Center, where local high school students showed off their livestock.

A lot of local students have been waiting for this for over a year. The show kicked off with the Junior Breeding Sheep Show.

The competition is a long time coming after it was cut short last year due to the start of the pandemic. The rodeo was the first major event cancellation in Houston due to the pandemic.

Still, students have been getting their animals ready for the show all year.

Originally, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo announced the yearly festivities would be pushed back to May 2021 due to the pandemic. However, they went on to announce last month that the event would be canceled for the year, except for the Junior Livestock and Horse Show competitions.

RELATED: RodeoHouston's May start in 2021 canceled altogether

There will be a financial impact from the cancellation of the 2021 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, but with the pandemic very much present, everyone between the city's mayor and a handful of vendors agree that it was the right move. The video offers insight into their reaction to the event being called off.

This year is the first time the rodeo has not been held since 1937.

The Junior Market Auctions and Champion Wine Auction will also still be held in May, also as private events like the junior shows. These events will follow all state and local health and safety guidelines, the rodeo said.

ABC13 talked to a Pearland ISD student who is really looking forward to this year's event.

"This pandemic is not going to stop me one bit. I'm still going to be coming up here twice a day and doing what I love," Turner High School AG student Carlie Guzzetta said. "I mean, it's not going to stop me."

The Junior Livestock Show runs through March 21.

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SEE ALSO: Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo to host 2021 Junior Show, cancels Open Livestock Show Competition

We all remember when the rodeo shut down. Now what will it look like when it returns in 2021?