Louis Pearce
LOUIS PEARCE – A true Texan whose storied history as rancher, cattle breeder, horseman, businessman and over sixty years service with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo more than qualifies his inclusion in the “Texas Heroes Hall of Honor”.
In 1938, Pearce bought his first bull for the family ranch in Brazoria. Young Louis exhibited cattle and cutting horses, crediting a prize horse with bringing him to the attention of what was then called the Houston Fat Stock Show and Livestock Exposition. After World War II, he went to work in the family business, Texas Iron Works (currently known as TWI Corp.), later becoming president of Waukesha-Pearce Industries in 1947, an offshoot of TWI. But the businessman never lost his Texas cowboy roots. In 1947, he joined the horse show committee in Houston. Pearce calls his association with the event, “A labor of love for me.” During his tenure, he has seen the Fat Stock Show grow into The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, helped facilitate the move to the Houston Astrodome, served as chairman of the horse show for 16 years, President of the Livestock Show and Rodeo from 1967 through 1969, brought in Elvis Presley and later George Strait to boost revenues and in the process aided in providing millions of dollars in scholarships for Texas youth. He continues on the board of directors and with the executive committee. The late artist, Jim Reno, modeled the cowboy in the bronze sculpture displayed in front of the Astrodome after Louis Pearce. He was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 1998, the National Cutting Horse Hall of Fame and the Texas Cowboys Hall of Fame. He continues to take great pride in the fine herd of Brangus cattle on his ranches in Atascosa and Maverick Counties. “When it’s all said and done,“ Pearce says, “I want to be remembered as a cowboy.” |
2014 INDUCTEES JEHU D. "JUD" ASHMORE JOHN DOUGLAS "BUD" FITZPATRICK TODD WHITEWOOD 2013 INDUCTEES DAVID K. LANGFORD ROBERT L. MANSFIELD LARRY NOLEN GARY P. NUNN MARGARET "PEGGY" TOBIN 2012 INDUCTEES CRAIG CAMERON H. JOAQUIN JACKSON ARKEY BLUE BUDDY GROFF 2011 INDUCTEES COY HERMAN "TOOTS" MANSFIELD RICHARD S. "KINKY" FRIEDMAN LOUIS PEARCE WYMAN MEINZER MATHIAS EDWARD "SCOOTER" FRIES 2010 INDUCTEES BILL PICKETT JOSE POLICARPIO "POLLY" RODRIGUEZ RED STEAGALL BUCK TAYLOR RUDY ROBBINS DON & JUDY HICKS 2009 INDUCTEES J. MARVIN HUNTER J. FRANK DOBIE MAUDEEN MARKS "CAPTAIN" JOE BOWMAN RAY WHARTON CLEO HEARN KEVIN FITZPATRICK "EMPRESARIO" TERRY BOOTHE DR. RAUL GAONA, SR. |
