Denver, CO — It was a packed house for the 2026 Auction of Junior Livestock Champions, presented by Farm Credit in the new CoBank Auction Arena inside the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Livestock Center. The standing room only crowd drove bidders to set five new records across the top 8 animals, including the Grand Champion Market Steer, topping out at $320,000.
The top 8 champion animals collectively sold for a new record of $822,500, besting the old record by $185,000. Buyers gathered to show their tremendous support of youth exhibitors, the future leaders of agriculture. The private event aired live on 9NEWS and 9news.com, highlighting the top junior market animals from this year’s National Western Stock Show.
Each year, thousands of junior market animals compete with only 108 advancing to this year’s auction, as the highest-placing entries. The auction is the final sale for these champions, with proceeds directly benefit the junior exhibitors. A majority of each winning bid goes to the young exhibitor, who raised the animal, while 10% of each sale supports the National Western Scholarship Trust, which helps fund education in agriculture and related fields.
Dr. David Anderson with Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension discusses how geopolitical tensions and the Middle East, along with export disruptions in the Chinese market, will shape cattle markets in the months ahead.
March 12, 2026 12:54 PM
·
A man accused of orchestrating a nationwide cattle investment fraud scheme has been arrested in California after being on the FBI’s wanted list.
March 12, 2026 11:33 AM
·
Ben Kurtzman with American Farmland Trust discusses the growing pressure on farmland and ranchland and the steps being taken to help conserve farms and ranches across the country ,as unrest in the Middle East adds more obstacles for producers.
March 11, 2026 03:18 PM
·
Jake Charleston of Specialty Risk Insurance offers his perspective on current cattle market conditions and shares advice for producers seeking to stay protected in an uncertain market.
March 10, 2026 03:08 PM
·
National Pork Producers Council incoming president Rob Brenneman shares insights from the National Pork Industry Forum in Kansas City, where producers gathered to discuss Farm Bill policy, sustainability, and other priorities for the year ahead.
March 10, 2026 01:44 PM
·
USDA’s March WASDE report leaves U.S. corn, soybean and wheat ending stocks unchanged while adjusting global production estimates for South America.
March 10, 2026 01:01 PM
·
