Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo alleges being shoved by Rodeo security over seat dispute

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HOUSTON – Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo claimed she was physically shoved and threatened with arrest by security staff at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in a now-deleted Facebook post.

However, HLSR officials said in a statement that Hidalgo and her group tried to access the dirt area without valid tickets. During the reported confrontation, they said they were directing the group back to their original seating.

After HLSR released its response, Judge Hidalgo published a two-page letter addressed to high-ranking rodeo executives surrounding the situation.

Wednesday night, KPRC 2’s Bryce Newberry spoke to a RodeoHouston source, who confirmed the following information regarding Judge Hidalgo’s participation in the rodeo in 2026:

Lina Hidalgo had suite tickets to Megan Moroney.
Since chute seats were sold out, officials asked her to return to the suite multiple times. Eventually, they asked her to leave altogether when she refused to return to her assigned suite.
Lina Hidalgo is the only elected official to ask for chute tickets in the 2026 HLSR season.
So far this Rodeo season, Lina Hidalgo has visited the Rodeo at least 3 other times and been given 21 chute tickets for free, which have a total value of nearly $9,000.

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In the since-deleted Facebook post, Hidalgo explained that she serves as the Ex-Officio Director because of her political position as County Judge.

However, she said she was told by security that the rodeo director had made a change preventing her from accessing the dirt area.

“The head of Security for the entire rodeo was also there blocking us,” she said in the post.

Hidalgo said that when she disputed the order and waited to talk to the director, she was “physically shoved and threatened with arrest” by security.

“They took to physically grabbing and pushing the County Executive of the third largest county in the nation,” she continued.

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HLSR officials offered this statement when asked about the Hidalgo situation:

“On March 10, during the sold-out Megan Moroney concert, Judge Lina Hidalgo attempted to access the dirt area without a valid chute seat ticket. Additionally, she attempted to bring several guests, also without chute seat tickets. Rodeo security advised that dirt access is limited to chute seat ticket holders only, a premium ticket priced at $425 and the group was directed back to their ticketed seating.”

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