HOUSTON — The grand champion steer at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo sold for a record-breaking $1 million on Saturday.
The rodeo's former president, Don D. Jordan, and his family made RodeoHouston history with their 2022 Junior Market Steer Auction purchase. The steer was shown by Aven Horn of Anson, Texas.
Editor's note: The above video was published on March 14.
The previous record, $625,000, was set back in 2019.
“The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and I were born in the same year, so we’ve spent a lot of birthdays together,” said Jordan, who celebrates his 90th birthday this year.
A record was also broken for the sale of the reserve champion steer, which was shown by Tristan Himes of Sterling City, Texas. The steer was bought for $625,000, which broke the previous record for a reserve champion of $367,000. The old record was also set in 2019.
“These kids are what Houston is all about,” said Alan Kent, one of the people who purchased the steer. “People just want to be able to give back.”
Horn ended up taking home $85,000 for his grand champion steer and Himes took home $45,000.
According to the rodeo, there is a cap placed on each auction lot and when bidding goes above these caps, the money goes towards the rodeo’s educational fund for scholarship and grant recipients.
Check out more events and stories from this year's Rodeo Houston here.