Thanks to generous donors, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo rewarded more than 1,900 Houston Livestock Show™ junior market exhibitors with additional premiums totaling $2,225,714.
Texas 4-H and FFA members who qualified for the junior market barrow, lamb and goat, poultry, and steer auctions received an additional premium generated from the bonus pools of each respective auction, in addition to the guaranteed amount the exhibitor already received during the 2017 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
“Through the tremendous generosity of our donors and the hard work of our volunteer committees, the success of our junior livestock auctions in March allows us to further reward the commitment of our exhibitors,” said Joel Cowley, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo president and CEO. “By encouraging and rewarding the participation of students from across our great state, our support of the youth livestock program allows students to learn about agriculture while acquiring valuable life skills that will serve them well into the future, regardless of their eventual vocation.”
Based on placing, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo establishes a guaranteed minimum payment for each exhibitor who qualifies for a junior market auction. The Rodeo also sets a cap amount above the guaranteed minimum for each auction lot. When bidding exceeds the cap amount, the additional funds go into the Rodeo’s Educational Fund to be used for scholarship and grant recipients. Amounts bid between the guaranteed minimum and the cap are accumulated in the bonus pool for that auction and are then distributed through additional premium checks in September.
The following additional premiums were distributed to each exhibitor who qualified for the respective auctions:
- Junior Market Steer Auction: $2,766.77
- Junior Market Lamb and Goat Auction: $1,161.73
- Junior Market Barrow Auction: $582.80
- Junior Market Poultry Auction: $272.39
To learn more about how the auctions work, visit:
http://www.rodeohouston.com/Visit-the-Show/Livestock-Horse-Show/Auctions-Sales.