{"id":154426,"date":"2026-02-07T00:07:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-07T00:07:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/154426\/"},"modified":"2026-02-07T00:07:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-07T00:07:13","slug":"white-castle-hungry-for-win-nabs-grand-champion-steer-at-fort-worth-stock-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/154426\/","title":{"rendered":"White Castle, hungry for win, nabs grand champion steer at Fort Worth Stock Show"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Scott Nishimura, Fort Worth Report
February 6, 2026<\/p>\n

White Castle, a 1,459-pound European crossbred steer whose family admits to an affinity for cheeses and hamburgers, won grand champion Friday at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo\u2019s Junior Steer Show.<\/p>\n

The prize guarantees White Castle\u2019s exhibitor, 13-year-old Caiman Cody, an eighth grader from Hood County, a big payday in Saturday\u2019s stock show-ending Junior Sale of Champions<\/a>. About 300 champion animals shown by youth in the stock show\u2019s steer, barrow pig, lamb and goat competitions will be for sale in the auction, which raised more than $10 million last year<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust unbelievable,\u201d Caiman told reporters about his win after the two-day steer show ended. \u201cI don\u2019t even know what to say. It\u2019s just been working for over a year now. My family\u2019s been working with me. And there\u2019s been some tough days, but we just fought through it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"(MariaStands are filled with hundreds of spectators for the Junior Steer Show at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo on Feb. 6, 2026. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n

\"(MariaYouth show their steers in the European crossbreeds and other breeds classification for the Junior Steer Show at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo on Feb. 6, 2026. Steers are sorted based on their weights and breed. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n

\"(MariaYouth show their steers in the European crossbreeds and other breeds classification for the Junior Steer Show at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo on Feb. 6, 2026. Steers are sorted based on their weights and breed. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n

White Castle, a Charolais, started what may begin a new string of victories by European crossbred steers at the Fort Worth Stock Show. The yearslong streak was interrupted last year by the victory of an American crossbred<\/a>, which fetched $375,000 during the auction<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And in what apparently was a good year at the Fort Worth show for steers named after foods, Cheeto won reserve champion steer \u2014 also setting the 1,499-pound European crossbred up for a big payoff Saturday.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis whole moment is unlike any other right now,\u201d said Cheeto\u2019s exhibitor Cash Goretska, 16, of Abilene. Cash took a class champion with a European crossbred in last year\u2019s show.<\/p>\n

\"(MariaFrank Ward of Orland, California, judges White Castle in the European crossbreeds and other breeds heavy weight classification at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo on Feb. 6, 2026. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n

\"(MariaWhite Castle, a 1,459-pound European crossbred steer, is shown by 13-year-old Caiman Cody at the European crossbreeds and other breeds classification at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo on Feb. 6, 2026. Cody is an eighth-grade Tolar FFA member in Hood County. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n

Both families raise cattle for a living. Caiman\u2019s family, for one, runs about 100 head of show cattle per year, Kasey Cody, his mom, said.<\/p>\n

Caiman described White Castle as \u201csuper sweet. He\u2019s my buddy.\u201d The all-white steer was restless after the show ended. White Castle and Cheeto defeated about 1,500 other entries to win the top two prizes.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s kind of riled up because he\u2019s tired,\u201d Caiman said. \u201cIt\u2019s been a long day now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Caiman, who has shown steers at the Fort Worth show for four years, said he didn\u2019t expect too much when he and his family arrived with White Castle. His highest previous finish was sixth in his class during his first year at the stock show.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I had a good chance of making the sale and getting the top 10 in my class,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I had no idea this was going to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"(MariaWhite Castle, a 1,459-pound European crossbred steer, is shown by 13-year-old Caiman Cody at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo on Feb. 6, 2026. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n

\"(MariaCaiman Cody and White Castle, a 1,459-pound European crossbred steer, pose with their family after being awarded the grand champion steer at the Junior Steer Show at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo on Feb. 6, 2026. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n

Caiman\u2019s mom, Kasey Cody, tried to process the top prize as her son spoke to reporters on the floor of Will Rogers Coliseum.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the accomplishment of all accomplishments in this industry,\u201d she said. \u201dAnd this is what we do day in and day out. This is what the boys do for fun. When we wake up, we feed these guys before we eat. We feed them before we eat dinner. God is incredible. We are so blessed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cash described Cheeto as \u201cgentle, like a big old puppy dog. He\u2019s always hungry, kind of like me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cheeto was a logical name because the steer has a yellow hue, he said.<\/p>\n

\"(MariaCash Goretska, 16, of Abilene, shows Cheeto after winning reserve champion steer at the Youth Steer Show at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n

This was Cash\u2019s sixth year of showing steers at the Fort Worth show. Even though he\u2019s experienced success at the show, Cash said he was still processing winning reserve champion and what it\u2019ll be like to be the second steer out at the auction.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a one-of-a-kind experience, really,\u201d he said. \u201cYou get to go on that stage in front of all those people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"(MariaWhite Castle, a 1,459-pound European crossbred steer, is shown by 13-year-old Caiman Cody at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo on Feb. 6, 2026. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n

Scott Nishimura is senior editor for local government accountability at the Fort Worth Report. Reach him at scott.nishimura@fortworthreport.org<\/a>. <\/p>\n

At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This <a target=”_blank” href=”https:\/\/fortworthreport.org\/2026\/02\/06\/white-castle-hungry-for-win-nabs-grand-champion-steer-at-fort-worth-stock-show\/”>article<\/a> first appeared on <a target=”_blank” href=”https:\/\/fortworthreport.org”>Fort Worth Report<\/a> and is republished here under a <a target=”_blank” href=”https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nd\/4.0\/”>Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License<\/a>.<img src=”https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fortworthreport.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/cropped-favicon.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1″ style=”width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;”><\/p>\n

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