LUBBOCK, Texas — The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was cancelled Wednesday amid growing concerns over the spread of coronavirus.
The City of Houston and the Houston Health Department ordered the event to close, according to a release. A total of 14 cases of the virus have been confirmed in the Houston area.
Kacy Bland, who grew up showing livestock and was going to intern at the event, said the decision to cancel the event is devastating.
“It’s just a very unfortunate situation and there is nothing we as an industry can do about it,” she said.
Bland said there’s a lot that goes into raising an animal for exhibition.
“We have taken care of [the animals] for an entire year, paid vet bills, paid feed bills, paid labor to put into these animals,” she said.
Bland also questioned why the event planners wouldn’t allow those showing livestock to do it without the public present.
The event was scheduled to run until March 22.
