Winning bids for Fort Worth stock show champion steers have ballooned in 20 years

Dalia Faheid
Yffy Yossifor/yyossifor@star-telegram.com

The sale price for the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo’s Grand Champion Steer has grown by 130% in 20 years. Last year’s Grand Champion Steer sold for $175,000 more than it did in 2002.

Twenty years ago, Lauren Pyle of Weatherford took home the $135,000 grand prize for her 1,264-pound European Cross, sold to the Coors Distributing Company. Then in 2022, Sterling City 4-H member Tristan Himes received a whopping $310,000 for Steve, a European Cross weighing 1,389 pounds. The champion steer was sold to the Steering Committee.

One of the biggest jumps in pricing happened after the Great Recession. In 2009, the Grand Champion Steer sold for $140,000, a decline from the four years prior. The next year, it sold for $210,000, before dropping slightly again in 2011. Another surge happened between 2019 and right before the COVID-19 pandemic started in 2020. The steer sold for $300,000, up from $195,000 the year before, a trend that looks likely to continue into 2023.

Wondering what Grand Champion Steer sales have looked like over the years? Check out the data from the past two decades of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo.

  • 2002: Lauren Pyle of Weatherford, 1,264-pound European Cross, sold to Coors Distributing Company for $135,000.

  • 2003: Catherine Beville of Hereford, 1,278-pound European Cross, sold to Hillwood for $125,000.

  • 2004: Stetson Copus of Burkburnett, 1,293-pound European Cross, sold to Hillwood for $132,500.

  • 2005: Brittany Berend of Friona, 1,314-pound European Cross, sold to XTO Energy Inc. and Gunsmoke Grill for $151,000.

  • 2006: Whitney Holcomb of Tyler, 1,316-pound European Cross, sold to XTO Energy Inc. and Gunsmoke Grill for $160,000.

  • 2007: Hayden Tucker of Round Rock, 1,312-pound European Cross, sold to XTO Energy Inc. for $185,000.

  • 2008: Mallory Newsom of Brownfield, 1,280-pound European Cross, sold to XTO Energy Inc. for $185,000.

  • 2009: Callie Stedje of Gruver, 1,298-pound European Cross, sold to Happy Davis Foundation for $140,000.

  • 2010: Rikki Buckalew of Graham, 1,309-pound European Cross, sold to Larry White Jr. Investments for $210,000.

  • 2011: Landry Barton of O’Donnell, 1,333-pound European Cross, sold to Happy Davis Foundation for $185,000.

  • 2012: Cuatro Schauer of Beeville, 1,328-pound European Cross, sold to Dick Wallrath of Champion Ranch for $230,000.

  • 2013: Stock Martin of Hereford, 1,329-pound European Cross, sold to Happy Davis Foundation for $205,000.

  • 2014: Flint Newman of Stanton, European Cross, sold to Coors Distributing Company for $200,000.

  • 2015: Madilyn Priesmeyer of Round Rock, European Cross, sold to RXpress Compounding Pharmacy for $240,000.

  • 2016: Jagger Horn of Abilene (Anson), 1,362-pound European Cross, sold to Hillwood Properties for $210,000.

  • 2017: Mikala Grady of Grandview, 1,388-pound European Cross, sold to Women Steering Business for $240,000.

  • 2018: Ben Bezner of Texline, 1,329-pound European Cross, sold to Hillwood for $200,000.

  • 2019: Aven Horn of Abilene, 1,399-pound European Cross, sold to Hillwood for $195,000.

  • 2020: Ryder Day of Meadow, 1,386-pound Polled Hereford, sold to GKB Cattle for $300,000.

  • 2022: Tristan Himes of Sterling City, 1,389-pound European Cross, sold to The Steering Committee for $310,000.

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