Houston Livestock Show + Public Art Project = Fiberglass Horses?

It’s true. By the start of the Houston Livestock Show on March 3rd, the city of Houston will play art gallery to a small herd of its own livestock–28 hand-painted fiberglass mustangs. The Houston Chronicle reports Houston’s latest public art project in the style of Chicago’s Cow Parade in 1999.

Houston started its own Cow Parade in 2001, just two years after the huge success of Chicago’s. The project matches big-name local sponsors with local artists, who adorn the chosen motif with a unique theme for each piece. After public display, the works’ original sponsors usually buy the pieces and auction them for charity or keep them in their own private displays. In keeping with Houston’s public art project last year, which was a collection of gigantic cowboy boots, the mustangs will be as much advertising to add to the Houston Rodeo as it will be charity fundraiser.

Most of the mustangs will be on display at Reliant Stadium for the duration of the livestock show, so try not to confuse the real livestock with fiberglass.

Matching the Houston Livestock Show

If you want to arrive at the Houston Livestock Show in style, you might check out all the cool mustang-themed accessories you can wear to match the city of Houston. You can sport your own livestock show in Houston–the style of choice in 2008.