Grand Champion steer Zinger, shown by Mason Grady of Johnson County, Texas (Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo)
HOUSTON – A new Junior Market Steer Auction recordwas set at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on Saturday, as the top-selling steer brought $1.5 million.
Zinger, shown by Mason Grady of Johnson County 4-H, was crowned as the Grand Champion steer on Friday night to a packed NRG Stadium. On Saturday, Zinger sold for a whopping $1.5 million to Trinity River Land & Cattle Co. The previous record was set at $1 million in 2022 and tied in 2024.
That wasn’t the only record set this year, though.
The Reserve Grand Champion steer, Ryan, shown by Jett Hale of Miami FFA, sold for $750,000, breaking Hale’s previous record of $690,000. The donors for this year’s Reserve Grand Champion were Barbara and Don Jordan, Laura and Steve McNear, and Lisa and Chris Cunningham.
Reserve Grand Champion steer Ryan, shown by Jett Hale of Miami, Texas (Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo)
Christian Hudspeth is a Houston native who joined KPRC 2 News in December 2025. Christian began his news career at KTRK in 2022 before moving to newsrooms in Waco, Texas (KXXV), Las Vegas, Nevada (KTNV), and now back to H-Town. He earned his BA at the University of Houston Jack J. Valenti School of Communication in 2023.