PRORODEO Sports News - June 1, 2026

A parade of riders on horseback heads down Chaparral Street in downtown Corpus Christi, Texas, during Buc Days in 1947. Photo Courtesy of the Buccaneer Commission

the skeleton crew and Gay pulled it off. That first year of Rodeo Corpus Christi, they sold out the 2,765-seat arena for all three performances. The original purse included $1,500 in prize money for every event, including the team roping, for a total payout of $10,500. “From our perspective as the guys who were expected to produce some

thing that gave us another revenue stream: that first year we cleared,” Dotts said. “We were in the black by $50,000, and every year we did a little better, a little better and a little better. So we accomplished our goal.” Everything wasn’t always smooth sailing for Rodeo Corpus Christi. But the committee has managed to keep the event alive and constantly growing

for the last 35 years. “Those first few years we had a lot of hiccups,” Dotts said. “One of the things that really helped us is that the San Antonio (Stock Show and Rodeo) guys and (Rodeo) Houston guys were always trying to give us good advice. They actually got us to join the Asso ciation of Rodeo Committees. We got really active in that, and we cured lots

and lots of those little glitches by talking to ro deos across the country.” Dotts ac tually served as the vice chairman of the ARC and as an ARC board member for 12 years.

Buc Days takes place on the Corpus Christi bayfront, featuring a carnival, rodeo, and parades, with major events centered on Water Street.

JUNE 1, 2026 PRORODEO SPORTS NEWS DIGITAL MAGAZINE 11