HOUSTON — The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is about much more than having fun. It also gives FFA students a chance to go to college with their prize animals.
That includes Stiles Patin of Cameron, Texas, who had the grand champion steer crowned at the Rodeo Friday night.
“Never in a million years did I think, 10 years ago when I started showing, that I would ever get to this point,” he said. “I'm just so thankful for my crew and my family and God to get to this point.”
Patin plans to go to West Texas A&M University for a degree in agriculture or business. His steer, King, sold at auction Saturday for $550,000.
Meanwhile, 18-year-old Tristan Hines and his reserve grand champion steer, Astro, sold for $540,000 to the Champagne Cowgirls. It's a winning family tradition kept alive by Tristan. His mom won grand champion in 1984 while his cousins won grand champion in 2005 and 2014.
“One of the nicest things is getting to meet the kids and their families,” Ellie Francisco, Champagne Cowgirls founder, said. “It is special knowing that our money is going to the education of Texas kids.
For those keeping track, last year's grand champion steer sold for $1 million!
And congrats to 14-year-old Sage Bearden of North Texas, whose grand champion barrow sold at auction for a record $375,000 on Thursday. That blew last year's record of $250,000 out of the water!
It’s not the only record that was broken at this year’s Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. A record was also set at the School Art Auction. Eighteen-year-old Mia Huckman’s painting titled ‘Our Last Roundup,’ sold for $275,000, topping the previous record of $265,000….which was also set by Huckman.
Records were also broken at the Junior Market Poultry Auction.