The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo will kick off its preseason Feb. 26-28, 2026, with the World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest. (Courtesy Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo)
The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo will kick off its preseason Feb. 26-28, 2026, with the World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest. (Courtesy Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo)
Officials with the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo announced in an Oct. 1 news release that Kyle Olsen, a seven-year veteran of the organization, will be the new chief show operations officer. He is the first CSOO of the show in over three decades.
What we know
According to the news release, Olsen brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in managing large-scale, high-profile events and complex public venues. His career background includes:
Director of events and production at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona
Event services at NRG Park
Director of operations for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
"There is no question Kyle will lead this organization’s operations strategy into a new era. He has an extensive background in live events and is passionate about ensuring our guests have a flawless, memorable visit each March,” Chris Boleman, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo president and CEO, said. “We can’t wait to see what Kyle accomplishes in his new role. We are proud to have him as a leader and spearhead operations at one of the world’s most premier events.”
Olsen replaces Mike DeMarco, who is retiring after 34 years with the Rodeo, per the release. During his tenure, DeMarco served as chief show operations officer, executive director and operations manager.Kyle Olsen graduated from Texas Tech University. (Courtesy Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo)In similar news
Special days for the 2026 Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo were also revealed Sept. 30 and are as follows:
March 2: Opening Day
March 4: Armed Forces Appreciation Day
March 6: Black Heritage Day
March 9: First Responders Day
March 11: Community Day
March 12: Volunteer Appreciation Day
March 15: Go Tejano Day
The rodeo will take place March 2-22, 2026, at NRG Center. The entertainer lineup is anticipated to be released at 7 p.m. Jan. 8.
Cassandra joined Community Impact in November 2022 as a local education reporter for Montgomery County. She transitioned to a city hall and government reporter position to cover the city of Houston in March 2024. She became editor of the Inner-Loop papers in October 2024. A graduate of Lamar University, she previously served as a general reporter for The Port Arthur News and spent time as a freelance travel writer. Outside of the newsroom, she enjoys reading, traveling, hiking and taking photos.
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