A moment meant for the show ring turned into a landmark event in youth agriculture when a 13-year-old exhibitor watched his grand champion steer command an unprecedented $550,000 at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo Junior Sale of Champions on February 7.
The record-setting animal, White Castle, a 1,459-pound European crossbred, was shown by Caiman Cody of Tolar in Hood County. What followed was a fast-moving bidding battle that ended with Azle-based Trico Electric submitting the winning offer—blowing past the auction’s previous ceiling and sending a clear message about the value placed on youth exhibitors.
Trico Electric founder Gary Menzies, whose past top bid at the sale was $58,000, said the decision came suddenly. He stepped in ahead of major players including Hillwood and Fort Worth insurance brokerage Higginbotham, both longtime supporters of the sale.
The final price shattered the 2023 record of $440,000 and far exceeded last year’s grand champion total of $375,000. For Caiman, the moment barely felt real. “It’s unreal,” he said afterward. “I don’t even know how to explain it.”
The Cody family, professional cattle raisers with a 100-head operation, plans to reinvest the funds back into their program. Caiman’s father, Bret, is a fourth-generation cattleman, and the family is known for giving their steers playful names inspired by burgers and cheeses. While the outcome exceeded expectations, the family said they never take the opportunity lightly.
“We’re overwhelmed and incredibly thankful,” Caiman’s mother, Kasey, said. “You always hope for something big, but this is beyond anything you imagine.”
Caiman already has his eyes on the future—college, agriculture advocacy, and educating younger generations about farming and ranching. The family’s celebration afterward was intentionally simple. Ice cream, according to Bret, was more than enough.
For Menzies, the motivation behind the purchase went beyond the headline price. A longtime member of the Fort Worth Stock Show Syndicate, he emphasized the sale’s mission. “This is about supporting kids and turning it back into the next generation,” he said.
The historic night continued with another standout sale. The reserve grand champion steer, Cheeto, exhibited by 16-year-old Cash Goretska of Abilene, sold for $300,000, tying the reserve record. Goretska described the experience as a whirlwind. “Once it crossed $200,000, everything happened fast,” he said. “It was wild.”
Additional premium sales rounded out the evening:
Grand champion barrow: $123,000 to Standard Meat Co.
Reserve barrow: $70,000 to Kimberlin Ranch
Grand champion lamb: $90,000 to Ladies on the Lamb and Andrews Distributing
Reserve lamb: $35,000 to Ladies on the Lamb
Grand champion goat: $50,000 to LKCM Headwater Investments and Luther King Capital Management
Reserve goat: $30,000 to Big City Crushed Concrete
By the end of the auction, $10.2 million had been raised—with every dollar going directly to the youth exhibitors. The Fort Worth Stock Show Syndicate also crossed a historic milestone, surpassing $100 million in total lifetime spending, reinforcing the event’s role as one of the most impactful youth livestock auctions in the country.
What began as a single steer in the ring ended as a defining chapter in Fort Worth Stock Show history—one written by young exhibitors, bold supporters, and a community willing to invest big in the future of agriculture.