A record $200,000 bid for the Grand Champion cow was the highlight of Friday night’s National Western Stock Show Junior Livestock Auction.

That the exhibitor — 18-year-old Justin Pfannebecker — is from LaSalle, Colorado made it even sweeter. Pfannebecker is the first time in over a quarter century his teen from Colorado has won the title of Grand Champion Cow.

Pfannebecker and his mom were in tears after winning the bid. Justin has been doing oxen and pig shows since he was eight years old, and with the money he plans to attend college at Texas A&M.

Ames Construction of Aurora wins ‘Stan the Man’.

Colorado teenagers did very well Friday night at a three-hour auction at the National Western Beef Palace Auction Arena, with livestock prices soaring into record territory.

The first six livestock to be auctioned on Friday — reserve and grand champions of blackface lambs, pigs and steers — also fetched $585,000, compared to the previous record of $531,000 set in 2020. set a new record.

Karthy’s 16-year-old Karsyn Fetzer displayed Reserve Grand Champion pig ‘Lil G’ winning $75,000 in a bid from Occidental Petroleum. It also set a record for the highest amount ever paid for a pig.

90% of the proceeds go to exhibitors, and many say they use the money for their college education. 10% will go to the National Western Scholarship Trust, which funds agricultural research and rural medicine scholarships at colleges and universities in Colorado and Wyoming. This year, 110 students received funding to support their education.

Eight members of the Colorado Legislature won $23,000 for two livestock displayed by a Colorado teenager.

The 35-member state Senate raised nearly $3,500 for the auction. The state legislature has lagged badly, with 65 legislators contributing only about $1,500. The rest are from the Lobby Corps and were collected by Mr. Landon Gates of Capitol Focus, LLC.

The first animal won by the legislator was the #1 crossbreed pig exhibited by Flagler Landon Charles. Wellington House of Commons Majority Leader Mike Lynch lamented his colleague’s choice of a pig while cheering on teenagers: “Bad optics,” he joked.

The winning bid of $21,000 was split between lawmakers and the statewide Future Farmers of America.

Rep. Richard Holtoff, who represents Yuma County ranchers, was the first to collect the steers, bidding $35,000 on the second-place bull cross exhibited by Yuma’s Nash Richardson.

A total of 95 animals were auctioned, ending up with the last animal in the auction with at least $12,000 burning a hole in the legislator’s pocket. It’s his number three bull crossbred displayed by Jake King of Co-op in Washington. County performing a steer while limping with a broken leg. King said he played basketball and broke it.

The winning bid of $38,000 was the result of the cooperation of Congressmen, the FFA and Occidental Petroleum.

In addition to Holtorf and Lynch, at the auction: House Ag Chairman Dr. Karen McCormick, fellow D-Longmont Agricultural Commission member, Rep. Mandy Lindsay of D-Aurora and Meghan Lukens of D-Steamboat Springs. Senator Byron Pelton, Republican Sterling, Clive Simpson, Republican Alamosa Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee members, Rep. Gabe Evans, Republican Fort Lupton.

Former House Speaker Terrance Carroll, a member of the Stock Show Committee, also participated in the auction.