The Grand and Reserve Grand Champion Barrows were selected at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo ™ Junior Market Barrow Show Thursday in the NRG Center East Arena.
2025 Junior Market Barrow Champions:
- Grand Champion – Dallas Martinez, Shelby County 4-H
- Reserve Champion – Ky Blount, Kerr County 4-H
JUNIOR MARKET GRAND CHAMPION BARROW EXHIBITOR
Dallas Martinez, a sixth grader from Shelby County, earned Grand Champion with his Hampshire barrow.
Dallas started showing at three years old and has been competing in major stock shows since he was nine years old. In addition to his passion for showing pigs, he enjoys baseball and football.
After being announced as the winner, Dallas was swept up into a group hug by fellow competitors. When the judge shook his hand, he said only one feeling was on his mind. “I was excited,” Dallas said.
JUNIOR MARKET RESERVE CHAMPION BARROW EXHIBITOR
Ky Blount, a sophomore from Kerr County, was named showed the Reserve Grand Champion crossbred barrow named “Squirt.”
Ky has been showing at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo since third grade and has more than seven years of experience showing market barrows. Hard work and dedication through the years has gotten him this accolade, he said.
“I was at a loss for words,” Ky said. “I didn’t know what to say.”
The Junior Market Barrow Auction begins at 11 a.m. on Friday at the NRG Arena Sales Pavilion.
About the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo promotes agriculture by hosting an annual, family-friendly experience that educates and entertains the public, supports Texas youth, showcases Western heritage, and provides year-round educational support within the community. Since its beginning in 1932, the Rodeo has committed more than $630 million to the youth of Texas and education. The 2025 Rodeo is scheduled for March 4 – March 23. The 2025 World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest, presented by Cotton Holdings, is scheduled for Feb. 27 – March 1. For more information, visit rodeohouston.com and follow @RODEOHOUSTON online via Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and YouTube for all the latest news.