It takes a lot of work to raise a State Fair of Texas Youth Market Grand Champion.
"Not many people get to do this," Jett Hale said. "It's a select few."
Hale raised the Grand Champion Youth Market Steer, a crossbred named Bryce.
"It's a lot of work, but it's worth it," Hale said.
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Hale's steer sold at the Big Tex Youth Livestock Auction on Friday for $160,000 to Frank Deel, setting a new State Fair record.
"All of this money is raised by volunteer committee members at the Fair," Senior Vice President of Agriculture & Livestock Daryl Real said. "The beautiful part is that every dollar that they raised goes to a kid."
"I've worked with him all year," Bryleigh Beyers said of her Grand Champion Youth Market Barrow, Baby. "So he's very special to me."
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Beyer's barrow sold for $30,000 to the Briscoe and Carpenter families.
"For these kids, they may not play football or little league," Real said. "This is what they do."
"We're all tied together in the steer barn, in the pig barn," Hale said. "We're tied together through people and families."
The Grand Champion Youth Market Lamb sold for $30,000 to the Amy & Les Ware Foundation. The Grand Champion Youth Market Goat sold for $35,000 to the Chambless Family Foundation. The Grand Champion Youth Market Broiler sold for $26,000 to Chris Rozzell.
The Big Tex Youth Livestock Auction set a fundraising record this year, topping last year's $1.9 million.
