The Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo comes to an end on Saturday. The big event on Saturday morning is the Junior Sale of Champion Steers, Lambs, Barrows and Wether Goats.
Grand Champions will be selected on Friday. They're moments that are forever captured in time and can lead to grand futures for those whose animals are able to make the sale.
"I've got Texas A&M set for my future," said Morgan Johnson of Krum FFA.
Johnson did pretty well for herself on Thursday, finishing fourth in her Hereford class which guarantees her a spot in the junior sale.
"It's a pretty big deal, I mean there are over 1,430 contestants here," Johnson said. "On Saturday, I get to walk him through the sale."
Johnson's steer is named Spartacus and his sale on Saturday will go toward her next livestock project and eventually her college scholarship, where she hopes to be an Aggie like her older sister. Her father said livestock sales paid for two years of tuition for his eldest daughter.
For the last 35 years, a group of about 100 businessmen in Fort Worth have worked hard to make sure students like Johnson and her sister have that opportunity of affording college. The Fort Worth Stock Show Syndicate started in 1980, with just $20,000 but hopes to raise more than $3 million again to make sure every animal at the junior sale gets sold.
"We’ve raised over $42 million, affected 8,000 kids and last year we raised $3.3 million," said Scott Prince, the syndicate's chairman.
Every penny raised goes directly to the kids, those in the sale and 20 students who get $10,000 scholarships.
"These are the kids that are going to be in agriculture the next 15-20 years," said Trey Gordon, the syndicate vice chairman of sponsorship. "And they’re so important to our economy and our society, these are the kids you want to help."
Gordon said once companies and business people see the auction, they're sold on contributing and do so year after year. And while the syndicate would like to raise more than $3.5 million for its 35th anniversary, Prince said every dollar donated is appreciated because it all goes to kids like Johnson.
"I’m just hoping we get a little bit of money and go on from there," she said.
On Friday judge Dan Shike will crown a grand champion steer at Watt Arena, which was packed on Thursday.
Shike's picks will lead to 354 steer commitments from the syndicate, a record for the event. The auction starts at 9 a.m. at the West Arena on Saturday. For more on contributing to the syndicate, click here.
