Ellis County 4-H’er sells reserve champion market steer for $50,000 at State Fair of Texas
DALLAS – The 77th annual Big Tex Youth Livestock Auction held Friday, Oct. 3, at the State Fair of Texas saw Ellis County 4-H member, Elizabeth Norwood, garner a $50,000 bid from State Fair of Texas Concessionaires and Midway Ride Operators for her reserve grand champion market steer.
Earlier in the sale, the grand champion market steer, Buttercup Fletcher, as shown by Harper Hale of Miami FFA, had drawn a record $200,000 bid from longtime State Fair donor, Frank Deel and family.
Hale and Norwood were the top two winners from the Youth Market Steer Show, which drew 442 entries this year. Overall, the fair’s annual livestock show drew more than 2,600 entries, with 604 of those advancing to a spot in the auction.
Students who earn a spot in the auction get to sell their animals to the highest bidder, according to State Fair of Texas media release. Students then receive a previously determined maximum payment – or premium – for their animal, with excess proceeds put toward supporting more Texas students through the Big Tex Youth Livestock Auction and Scholarship Program.
Prior to this year’s auction, donor Roger Perry was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award to celebrate his significant contributions to the organization.
Other grand and reserve grand champions sold during Friday’s auction were:
• Grand Champion Market Barrow, owned by Weston Lackey of Haskell FFA, sold to John and Cele Carpenter for $35,000.
• Reserve Grand Champion Market Barrow, owned by Zachery Ky Blount from Kerr County 4-H, sold to The Chambless Family Foundation for $25,000.
• Grand Champion Market Lamb, owned by Stratley Strube of Tom Green County 4-H, sold to the Amy and Les Ware Foundation for $31,000.
• Reserve Grand Champion Market Lamb, owned by Reagan Miller from Denver City FFA, sold to Dee and Bob Ruckman for $15,000.
• Grand Champion Market Goat, owned by Hayzen Halfmann of Glasscock County 4-H, sold to Oncor, Sherry Bartholow, and Roger Perry for $53,000.
• Reserve Grand Champion Market Goat, owned by Alexis Guthrie from Marion FFA, sold to Wayne and Laura Williams for $15,000.
• Grand Champion Market Broiler, owned by Isabel Coufal of A&M Consolidated FFA, sold to Rousso Concessions for $28,000.
• Reserve Grand Champion Market Broiler, owned by Levi Titzman from Walker County 4-H, sold to Mike Ablon for $12,000.
Since 2015, full-time employees of the State Fair of Texas have also pitched in to purchase an animal at auction. Continuing that tradition for the 10th year in a row, nearly the entire State Fair team pitched in to bid $19,000 on a market steer owned by Lynnleigh Read from Wise County 4-H, as well as an additional $7,000 on a market steer owned by Copper Popelka from Hockley County 4-H.
“Because the Big Tex Youth Livestock Auction and Scholarship Programs truly embody the State Fair’s mission of promoting agriculture, education, and community involvement, the team feels very passionate about contributing to these students,” a spokesman said.
Since 2018, the State Fair of Texas’ Big Tex Youth Livestock Auction and Scholarship Programs have awarded more than $21.4 million in auction awards and scholarships.
The State Fair of Texas continues through Sunday, Oct. 19.
For more information, visit online at www.bigtex.com.
