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David Digby hugged his daughter, Hermleigh High School senior Lillyan Digby, after being earning the junior market steer show grand champion award at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Digby’s steer secured a stock show record $625,000 bid.
A Hermleigh High School senior exceeded her expectations Friday at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Lillyan Digby, who is also a member of the Scurry County 4-H steer show program, not only secured a stock show record $625,000 bid Friday, but she was also the first member of her family to win a grand champion title.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” she said. “It took a lot of hard work and years of practice, but I am so happy I was able to make my dad proud.”
Digby said participating in stock shows has been a family tradition for more than 10 years. She started as a third grader and said winning the grand title her senior year is one of her biggest accomplishments.
“Its bittersweet,” she said. “I am really happy I won but it’s also sad that it was my last time participating. I have mixed feelings about it because part of me is happy that it is over because it was very time consuming.”
Digby started getting her steer ready last April, which required months of getting up early before school to practice, as well as practicing a few hours after school.
“It was a lot of work,” she said. “Of course my brother and dad would help, but I would get up at 6 a.m. before school to work with my steer then come back home around 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. after softball or basketball practice to work with my steer some more. On top of that I still had homework to do.”
Although Digby will not be able to participate in stock show competitions any longer, she said she will help keep the tradition going strong by helping her brother, who started competing three years ago.
Looking further down the road, she said she’d also have her future children compete.
After high school graduation, Digby said that she will attended Western Texas College to study either photography or agriculture.