The National Western Stock Show (NWSS), often labeled as the “Best 16 Days in January,” has continued its momentum after the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 show was canceled due to the pandemic, but the complex used it as a launch point for the groundbreaking of its new facilities. Last year was its first show back after the pandemic, and the 2023 show from Jan. 7-22 welcomed the general population back on site with enthusiasm, as it showcased its new Stockyards Event Center with events throughout the 16 days.
A new event, the Stockyards Beef Festival, capitalized on the fresh facilities in the Yards. On Jan. 12, a first-of-its-kind event was held, a “tasting” event featuring both meat and wine. Different beef brands were on display, including BR Beef, Gilroy, CA; Connealy Angus Meat Market, Whitman, NE; Bill King Ranch, Stanley, NM; Legacy Custom Meats, LaGrange, TX; and Certified Hereford Beef, Kansas City, MO.
Accompanying this beef selection were wine pairings from California, Colorado and Arizona. Breeders, exhibitors and the general Denver public were all invited to attend in the Stockyards Center pen show arena. After the tastings were completed, a special sale was held, with four breeders consigning a heifer to be sold and displayed on site. The breeds represented were Angus, Hereford, Charolais and Simmental.
The entirety of this event kicked off a new honor to be presented each year, induction into the Hall of Fame for The Yards at NWSS. The first inductee was the John J. (J.J.) Vanier family of Brookville, KS. According to the event program’s welcome statement, “It is difficult to name a ranch who has done more, over a longer period of time, to contribute to the legacy of these stockyards. Their support of the greater beef industry has been a constant and continues to this day.”
Another first put the partnership between commercial and purebred cattle producers across the country on a large stage in the new Stockyards Event Center Sale Ring. The Maternal Merit Sale boasted in its catalog that, “In starting this sale, our goal was to build on the history of the yards and bring commercial focus that the yards and the cattle business have been built on.”
Consignment breeds to this sale held on Jan. 11 included Angus, Balancer, F1 black baldies, Red Angus and SimAngus. A total of 20 heifers from each breed, broken into lots of five, were AI bred by top service sires and prepared to enter into any rancher’s operation.
This sale intends on repeating itself annually, “bringing 100 head of elite, hand-selected AI bred heifers that have been sourced from some of the top seedstock and commercial operations in the country.”
Closing out the days in January, a sweet moment happened during the grand drive of the NWSS Market Steer Show. Make-A-Wish Colorado worked with the staff at the NWSS to welcome Kayden Halls, Bayfield, CO, into the ring as a guest judge for the final selection.
“Ranching is the backbone of our country,” Halls said in an interview with NWSS. “The livestock industry and 4-H gives kids the perspective to get more educated about what they eat and where it comes from.” The honor of being a judge and slapping the grand champion is coveted, and the excitement this young lady had was visible.
The 2023 Auction of Junior Livestock Champions broke records, with a total record of $585,000 across the top eight champion animals. The money raised during this sale is invested in the junior exhibitors “that raised the animal as they plan for their agricultural future and college educations. In addition, a portion of the proceeds supports the National Western Scholarship Trust. The Scholarship Trust funds agriculture studies and rural medicine scholarships at colleges throughout Colorado and Wyoming.” A total of 110 students received scholarships from the fund this year.
Moving forward, the NWSS still has large plans for its facilities to continue to grow and be remodeled. A groundbreaking event was held on Dec. 14, 2022, for the new Livestock Center that will be the new home for events that were previously held on the Hill, including the open cattle and market livestock shows. This building will be on the same level as the Stockyards Event Center. To learn more about the facilities, new campus and improvements, visit nationalwesterncenter.com. — Chloé Fowler, WLJ correspondent
