Today is Go Texan Day in Houston, which means you may well find yourself in traffic stopped in order to let the hundreds of trail riders, their horses and covered wagons make their way into the city to rendezvous at Memorial Park. It’s all a glorious and prideful opener to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Heck, you may even be dressed in your snap-button shirt and fancy Western boots as you read this.
Yesterday the Valley Lodge Trail Riders – the rodeo’s second-oldest trail ride group – made a stop northwest of town at the Barker-Cypress Park and Ride Facility to chow down on fajitas and fixin’s from Houston’s oldest family-owned Tex-Mex joint, Molina’s Cantina. We caught up with them during their lunch break.
The Valley Lodge Trail Ride – which has been nicknamed the “Champagne Ride” because the members eat so well throughout the seven-day trot – is composed of 150-some riders who make a 75-mile journey from Brookshire, Texas. The Molina family – today represented by brothers Raul, Roberto and Ricardo Molina – has been serving the Valley Lodge Trail Riders their Tex-Mex spread for nearly 30 years.
From left to right: Raul, Ricardo and Roberto Molina
We caught up with the three brothers to talk tradition and the Houston Rodeo.
How did your family get involved with the Valley Lodge trail riders?
Roberto: The Valley Lodge group used to come in to our Highway 6 location after warm-up rides. We became friends, and they invited us to come out as guests. Then I actually moved out west and became more involved with the ride.
Why is it important to you to continue this tradition?
Roberto: The Valley Lodge Trail Ride is like a second family to us. We have all watched each others’ kids grow up, and now those kids are bringing their kids on the ride. It’s a beautiful thing.
Raul: I think it’s important because everything in Houston and life changes, for me not so much for the good. But this is a good, family-oriented trial ride. I’ve worked with the rodeo for 25 years, and you see the kids come in and they are unbelievable. It gives you hope. They are polite, courteous, hard-working.
What is your favorite Trail Ride memory?
Roberto: Probably some of my fondest memories are of hearing my friend Bobby Schmidt’s voice as soon as the trail riders pulled in. And then listening to his crazy jokes! He passed away a few years back, but I still think of him every time we serve them lunch.
Ricardo: Seeing the young kids and watching them grow up. Also, taking my daughter when she was weeks old to show her off. Other memories are the weather, which can be beautiful, windy or rain like a monsoon. Either way, the show must go on.
Raul: I was riding the trail ride with Roberto one year, and the trail boss got inside the ice cold water trough to rejuvenate himself after a long night of riding.
How many pounds of fajitas do you serve the trail riders?
Ricardo: Depends on the riders, but usually about 60 pounds each year.
Molina’s chicken for the trail riders
Besides serving the trail riders, what’s your favorite part of the Houston Rodeo?
Roberto: Serving on committees and giving back to the community. I am on Grand Entry, Armed Forces Appreciation and Quarter Horse. I love the vibe rodeo brings to Houston.
Ricardo: Taking the kids to the stock show.
Raul: Working on the committee [Breeders Greeters] and the days that the kids come through. The stock show, it’s all for the kids. It’s a very worth-while three weeks.
What’s your favorite childhood memory of the Rodeo?
Roberto: Going to the parade.
Ricardo: Going to the stock show. Also, back in the day, being able to drive up to the Astrodome on a whim, park and go inside to the clubs. It’s all much more difficult now.
Raul: We’d fix the locks on some of the doors of the Astrodome where we could get in after it was closed. We would get into the open stables and spend the night in there.
What’s your favorite rodeo food?
Roberto: Funnel cakes and the huge baked potatoes in the horse arena
Ricardo: Jerky and funnel cakes
Raul: I serve on the committee Breeders Greeters, and every year I look forward to cooking burgers with the committee members. Everybody works hard and plays hard.
A fajita plate for the Valley Lodge Trail Riders
If you could see just one concert at the Rodeo this year, who would it be?
Roberto: Kid Rock is on the top of the list.
Ricardo: I’ve been told we will see Shawn Mendes. Apparently the young ladies think he is great!