About 4,000 steer are entered into the Jr. Steer Show at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, only one can be Grand Champion.
Friday was one of the most anticipated days at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. It's the day the winner of the Junior Grand Champion Steer is picked.
"We work all year just to show for 30 minutes," Payton Riley of Cisco FFA said as his Exotic Cross steer named Jerome was being 'fitted' for show in an hours-long process that's like being at a cattle beauty salon. "Pretty close!"
Thousands of 4-H and FFA students enter their steer in the 2-day Junior Steer Show at the FWSSR.
"I love the lessons it teaches you and where it can take you in life," Riley said. "To be responsible, to take care of things, just things you'll need in life."
Thousands of steer are whittled down to a few best-in-class to compete for the Junior Grand Champion Steer title in front of a packed Coliseum crowd.
"We want a perfect blend of a pure athlete," FWSSR Junior Steer Show Judge Dr. Mark Hoge said. "And then we want to step back, and we want something that could go on the cover of 'Vogue' magazine. We want a supermodel!"
Hoge gave the best in their classes one final look before slapping the back end of an American Cross named Alley Cat, which was Mattison Koepp's year-long La Vernia FFA project. Koepp burst into tears of happiness as her dad hugged her.
"Everything will change my life doing this," Koepp said. "Hard work, dedication, getting to this point; is a dream come true!"
Bricelyn Patschke from Idalou FFA took home the Junior Reserve Grand Champion Steer title.
Both Patschke's and Koepp's steers will be in the Junior Sale of Champions auction on Saturday morning. Last year's Junior Grand Champion Steer sold for $340,000.