Although streets near the Will Rogers Memorial Center and Dickies Arena were open after Winter Storm Fern hit North Texas in late January, the city\u2019s main livestock competition saw a nearly 20% drop in visitors, according to estimated figures from event organizers.<\/p>\n
A little more than 1 million people went to the 2026 show, a significant drop from the 1.26 million visitors who attended last year. Organizers noted winter weather also hampered attendance in 2024, but that show still drew 1.14 million after a record-breaking 2023 show that welcomed 1.27 million visitors.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnlike last year, we experienced five days of adverse weather,\u201d said Matt Brockman, communications director for the stock show.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Freezing temperatures, coupled with snow, freezing rain and ice hindered this year\u2019s show, Brockman said. Significant amounts of sleet occurred Jan. 23, followed by about 36 hours of freezing rain, ice and snow that ended midday on Jan. 25.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTemperatures remained below freezing for a continuous 58 hours,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roads and surfaces did not begin thawing until Jan. 27, when the temperature finally rose above 32 degrees. That five-day period of icy conditions led to a decline of just under 195,000 visitors, Brockman said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe storm\u2019s impact was significant, occurring on what is, typically, one of the FWSSR\u2019s highest-attendance weekends,\u201d he said. \u201cThe effect lingered for several more days, and attendance didn\u2019t return to normal until the last five days of the show.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/20260126_151412-1024x768.jpg\")
Scattered traffic moves on Interstate 35W south of downtown Fort Worth on Monday, Jan. 26. (Eric E. Garcia | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n
Weather has been a frequent factor in show attendance since the event started in 1896 as the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show, Brockman said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s show had 32,679 entries for shows and contests, a 2.1% increase from 2025. Last year\u2019s show had 31,983 entries, a 6.4% decrease compared to 2024.<\/p>\n
Youth entries totaled 11,765 and included 4-H and FFA members from 232 of the state\u2019s 254 counties. Open livestock entries came from 33 states.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1771025648_376_20260207_0208-Nishimura-StockShowAuction-4-scaled-1-1024x683.jpg\"){kind=spacer}
Tolar resident Caiman Cody, 13, leads grand champion steer White Castle during the Junior Sale of Champions Livestock Auction on Feb. 7 at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. (Christine Vo | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n
White Castle<\/a>, a 1,459-pound European crossbred steer exhibited by Caiman Cody, 13, from the Hood County town of Tolar, sold for a record-setting $550,000 on Feb. 7 at the show\u2019s annual Junior Sale of Champions. The grand champion steer was purchased by Trico Electric<\/a>, a 40-year-old commercial electric contractor based in Azle.<\/p>\n The stock show\u2019s previous record for the grand champion steer was 2023\u2019s $440,000<\/a>.<\/p>\n Cheeto, the 2026 reserve grand champion steer, was exhibited by Cash Goretska, 16, of Abilene. That steer sold to Hillwood for a record-matching $300,000 in the Feb. 7 auction.<\/p>\n The annual auction of champion steers, barrows, goats and lambs exhibited by youth raised more than $10.1 million in total proceeds for the exhibitors of the auction.\u00a0<\/p>\n Eric E. Garcia is senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n