Local steers exhibited at Houston

Several local youth took show steers to Houston over spring break, and one of them, Albany eighth grader Gracie Price, placed high enough to earn a spot in the prestigious sale.

Price took sixth in class 1 light weight Shorthorn at the Junior Market Steer Show.

Other steer exhibitors at Houston this year included JT Holland, Hattie Jo Braly, Kenzie Neve, and Cade Neve.

Also selling market animals in the Houston sale this year were several local youth with qualified pigs, including Connor Smith’s Champion Poland China barrow.

“The sale went great!” Shackelford County agent Michaela Bradford said. “There was a great buyer turnout, and the sale as a whole was a huge success. Connor’s pig ‘Crockett’ sold for $124,000, a record amount for a Champion Poland barrow.”

The check issued to the Nancy Smith fourth grader will not have quite that many zeros.

The Houston sale is organized so that qualifying animals are guaranteed a set amount, based upon the species and their class placing. Funds raised beyond that amount are kept by the show management to use for various scholarships.

Smith’s sale check will be $10,000, the amount allotted to a breed champion pig.

“I am proud of the hard work the Smith family has put in this year, and it was exciting to share in their success,” said Bradford. “It was so much fun to be a part of the sale this year.”