Wall Native Ties RodeoHouston Record, Sells ‘Woozy’ For $1 Million

HOUSTON, TX - The 2024 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Grand Champion Steer was "Woozy," a Simmental raised by Blaize Benson of Wall, TX. 

The Steer sold at auction for $1 million, tying the record for HLSR. 

The donors for Lot 1 were Barbara and Don Jordan, Laura and Steve McNear, and Chris and Lisa Cunningham. 

According to RodeoHouston, in 2022, Don Jordan set the record Steer bid to celebrate his and HLSR’s 90th birthdays. 

He came back this year with his hopes set on keeping that coveted title.

"This year, I wanted to defend the world record that I have, and my fellow buyers were nice enough to help me make that a reality," he said.  

Don also spoke about his personal love for the HLSR.

"I’ve been involved with this organization for over 70 years; I care about it, and there are so many other people that do as well…everybody here contributes what they can, and that’s what makes it a genius organization," he said. "In February 1948, I took a bus to Houston alone and caught a calf in the calf scramble that changed my life, and I’ve been involved in it ever since, aside from when I was in college and the U.S. Navy." 

After hearing the sale results, Benson discussed how grateful he was to show on the green shavings.

"I’m incredibly blessed to be here and am grateful to the man above who put me in this situation," the 15-year-old said.  

Benson’s mother, Chelsie Benson, discussed the impact the HLSR will have on Blaize.

"He works really hard, and we’ve done this since he was eight," she said. "It doesn’t go this way very often; I know this is a core memory that he’ll have forever."

Blaize and his family have shown at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo since 2017, except in 2020.

“It’s really amazing to be able to watch your child’s dreams come true,” Chelsie said. “It was something he had dreamt of since he started coming here. Watching through his eyes has been incredible." 

We also just reported that 11-year-old Stratley Strube made history with her Reserve Grand Champion Lamb selling for a record-breaking $240,000. 

Shortly after that story was published, Stratley’s mother reached out and told San Angelo LIVE! an interesting fact. 

"We are next-door neighbors and lifetime friends with the Benson family," Brooke Strube said. "Our kids have grown up together. This year's reserve grand champion lamb and grand champion steer were raised side by side, sharing a fence with one another. It was definitely a show season we will never forget and a special opportunity to share in the success with our neighbors."