Volunteering for the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo

Tiffany Shockley uses her Volunteer Time Off for the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo – one of the largest events in the city, with 1.5 million visitors each year.

Tiffany is on the Horse Show Committee. It manages events like a charreada competition, youth rodeo, team and breakaway ropings and much more. The committee also handles the unloading and stalling for the Horse Show and Pro Rodeo, checking health papers on all horses entering the fairgrounds. The committee educates visitors about horses and the sport of rodeo through the interactive Horse Discovery area and manages the on-site feed stores.

Tiffany said, “I began volunteering in 2013 and became a life member in July 2014. I spend my time between the barns and mostly in our Horse Discovery area. We keep many breeds on display. We have Clydesdales, Percherons, miniature ponies, a miniature donkey, Morgans and Quarter Horses for the rodeo patrons to experience. Some children and even adults have never had the opportunity to see a horse up close, and we give them that. We also keep some of the future bucking stock horses on display in our Born to Buck area. This gives people a chance to see the future bucking stock horses of Pro Rodeo up close and personal.”

The main focus is raising money for scholarships through San Antonio Livestock Exposition (SALE). SALE has awarded more than $279 million in scholarships, grants and educational programs statewide. In 2025 alone, the rodeo impacted over 20,000 students across all 254 Texas counties.

“I was a SALE scholarship recipient, and I feel that it is important to give back,” Tiffany said. “I want my kids to see how this organization changes kids’ lives by awarding these scholarships. If it was not for this scholarship and for grants that I received, I would not have had the opportunity to attend college immediately after high school. This organization changed my life, and it changes the lives of students across the state of Texas.”

Each year, Patterson employees have eight VTO hours to use in a way that fits their schedule and their community. The time can be used for chaperoning school field trips, helping a food bank or working a rodeo as Tiffany does.