The Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show, known commonly as the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo is the oldest continuously running livestock show and rodeo. It has been held annually in Fort Worth, Texas since 1896, traditionally in mid-January through early February. A non-profit organization, the Stock Show has provided millions of dollars in grants and scholarships in its tenure and continues to provide hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to assist the future leaders of agriculture and livestock management.

The city of Fort Worth was nicknamed “Cowtown” shortly after the Civil War, as cowboys stopped for supplies in the town while herding their cattle from South Texas to the Chisholm Trail. After the arrival of the Texas and Pacific Railway in 1876, various business people in the town began erecting stock yards in an effort to become a greater part of the cattle industry. In 1883, the Fort Worth Stockyards were officially incorporated.