FORT WORTH, Texas — Note: The video above is from Friday, Feb. 4, before the steer was sold.
"Not many kids can say that their college is paid for when they're 17," a thankful Tristan Himes said on Saturday.
Himes had much to be thankful and excited for after his 1,389-pound European Cross steer sold for $310,000 at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo Saturday morning. The steer named Steve was the 2022 show's grand champion.
Before Saturday's auction, the 17-year-old from Sterling City, Texas told WFAA he felt "extremely blessed" after his steer was named the grand champion. He said he's been showing steers at the Fort Worth show since he was in third grade.
"Trying to create a product that is high-quality, healthy... that's what it's all about," he said Friday.
The champion steer was sold to a group called Steering Committee, and one of the buyers, Dean Tetirick, said during a news conference after the auction that Steve "exceeded" the group's budget.
"You get caught up in the excitement of the moment," Tetirick said, describing the bidding process. "One guy in our group, he looked down at the guy with the paddle and he said 'If you're not first, you're last.' So that's how that happened."
Tetirick said the plan is to give the steer to the Fort Worth Zoo. He said if the zoo can't take him, then he'll have to find a spot for Steve on his ranch.
"[Steve the steer] is like one of my best friends. To do it at this level and to win, you have to make a lot of sacrifices," Himes said about raising steers. "I spend more time with him than I do any of my friends at school."
Raising a grand champion also runs in Himes' family. One of his cousins, Flint Newman, won at the show in 2014.
"It's a family tradition," Himes said.