Sophomore Daniel Delmonico and junior Paige Williams won $1750 to invest in a market steer project next year after participating in the HLSR Calf Scramble over spring break.

“We have a variety of animals we can choose from,” Delmonico said. “There’s lamb, goats, swine. Steer is not as common because it’s more work and more money and it’s a bigger animal by probably ten times.”

The calf scramble involved 30 kids trying to catch one of 15 calves in a giant rodeo arena by tackling it, haltering it, then leading it back to its box in the middle of the arena. Demonico was able to catch one successfully, while Williams didn’t catch any, but was given the “Hard Luck” award for her efforts.

“One of the arena judges saw that I was working really hard, just in the wrong place at the wrong time, so they felt I got ‘hard luck’,” Williams said. “They awarded me the same certificate I would have gotten if I had caught the calf.”

The $1750 that both students won will be invested in a steer or heifer that they will have the chance to raise next year and which will be exhibited at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

“The donors through Houston rodeo are very much willing to help us and we can go to them with questions, so we have a broader helping area than just our ag teachers, who are very helpful,” Williams said.

Both students have a passion for animals and are involved in the school’s FFA department and animal program.

“[I enjoy] the ability to get to work with animals but as I learned throughout the year it’s more than just the animals and it’s definitely about the people,” Williams said. “We’re very similar and want the same things and we all care about animals.”