Buyers stay aggressive as Superior’s Big Horn Classic offering jumps 75%

Buyers stayed aggressive through a volatile week on the board as Superior marketed 197,000+ head.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Buyers stayed aggressive through a volatile week on the futures board as Superior Livestock Auction marketed more than 197,000 head at its Big Horn Classic, held Aug. 17–21 in Sheridan, WY. The offering ran roughly 75 percent above the head offered a year ago, swelled by drought and fire across the North and West that pushed cattle to market early.

Cattle producers sold a total of 1,357 lots consigned from 32 states, with 390 successful buyers over the five-day auction. Cattle sold on contract to deliver immediately through April 2027.

“Good cattle, good people, good markets,” said Superior auctioneer Kyle Shobe. “From the auction block, it was evident again and again — short supply and balanced optimism is still driving the cash market. Yes, we have seen an adjustment since the highs of June, but there’s no question we’re still in high times in the cattle business. Remember where we’ve been, keep it in perspective, manage what you can control.”

Calves out of North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana anchored the sale. Northern five-weight steers brought $385 to $520 cwt, slightly tested at $2 to $22 per cwt lower then last test. Heifers drew unusually broad interest with buyers competing for the lighter end, four-weight Northern heifers bringing $540 cwt and six-weight heifers reaching $480 cwt; heifers held their value across every region and in some cases higher than steers. Bred stock was in strong demand with 1st calf heifer pairs topping the market at $5,850 a head.

Genetics again carried a visible premium. Buyers paid up for large, uniform lots out of regions whose purebred breeders have spent decades building consistency into commercial herds, and a special Charolais section on the auction’s third day drew seedstock producers into the room to stand behind their bull customers.

The auction opened days after a sharp break in the futures market with Tyson Foods announcing plant closures. The CME Feeder Cattle Index slid throughout the week. Against that backdrop, prices across the Big Horn Classic finished steady with the 2025 offering, an auction that had set records in nearly every class a year ago.

“I’m proud to work with a company who works so hard for the producers they represent,” Shobe said. “It’s been a great five days selling cattle The Superior Way.”

Superior’s next offering is the Labor Day Video Auction, Sept. 2–3. Find a rep, register to bid or view the online catalog at superiorlivestock.com.

Top Lots

QCS2 LLC, Meriden, WY. 100 Steer Calves @ 500#. VAC 34+, Out of Black Angus & SimAngus cows by Poppe Cattle Co. SimAngus bulls. 100% Black hided. $506.00, Sep 18-25 Del.

JC Ranch, Inc., Big Horn, WY. 100 Weaned Hfr Calves @ 580#. VAC 45+, Superior Progressive Genetics, Out of Black Angus cows by reg. Angus (Pioneer 7301, Powder Horn X803, Special Duty 3533 & Connealy Black Granite) bulls. 100% solid Black. $472.50, Dec 1-10 Del.

Reimler Cattle Co., Buffalo, WY. 220 Heifer Calves @ 480#. VAC 34+, Superior Verified, NHTC, Verified Natural Beef, Veg. Fed Approved, Superior Progressive Genetics, CARE Certified, Out of pred. Black Angus & a few BWF cows by Sitz Angus bulls. Approx. 98% Black & 2% BWF, depending on sort. Product of the USA. $500.00, Sep 25-Oct 10 Del.

Cato Ranch, Sheridan, WY. 136 Feeder Steers @ 825#. VAC 60, Superior Verified, NHTC, Verified Natural Beef, Veg. Fed Approved, Superior Progressive Genetics, BQA Certified, CARE Certified, Out of Black Angus cows by Lucky 7 & Jorgenson Angus bulls. 100% solid Black. Pasture Raised & Product of the USA. $384.00, Oct 09 Del.

Chris Nelson, Towner, ND. 108 Feeder Steers @ 915#. Superior Verified, NHTC, Verified Natural Beef, Veg. Fed Approved, BQA Certified, CARE Certified, Out of Black Angus cows by Black Angus bulls. 100% Black hided. Pasture Raised & Product of the USA. $352.00, Sep 1-15 Del.

Fischer Cattle, Fort Yates, ND. 360 Feeder Steers @ 910#. VAC PRECON, Black Angus & SimAngus cross. 100% Black hided. $355.00, Oct 1-10 Del.

Redland Red Angus, Hysham, MT. 90 Weaned Hfr Calves @ 660#. VAC 60, Angus Access, Superior Progressive Genetics, Out of Red Angus cows by Red Angus bulls. Long reputation (6 generations, 130 yrs on same ranch) for above average growth & carcass traits. Carcass ultra sounded & gain tested for many years. Top selling group of Red Angus hfrs sold every year. Will make highly productive cows. $480.00, Jan 20-30 Del.

Cooper Red Angus Dick Cooper, Billings, MT. 45 Heifer Calves @ 590#. VAC 34+, Angus Access, NHTC, Verified Natural Beef, Veg. Fed Approved, Superior Progressive Genetics, BQA Certified, CARE Certified, Out of Red Angus cows by Ludvigson & Pieper Red Angus (Night Calver, Franchise, Identity Quarterback & Energize) bulls. 100% Red. Red Angus FCCP 840 EID tagged. $525.00, Oct 25-Nov 8 Del.

McConnell Cattle Co., Fort Morgan, CO. 174 Feeder Steers @ 870#. Superior Verified, NHTC, Verified Natural Beef, Veg. Fed Approved, Superior Progressive Genetics, Out of Angus & Angus cross cows by OCC Basic Black Angus bulls. 100% Black hided. $367.00, Aug 25-Sep 10 Del.

100/Poverty Flats Land & Cattle Co., Carrizozo, NM. 306 Weaned Str Calves @ 655#. VAC 60, Superior Verified, NHTC, Verified Natural Beef, Veg. Fed Approved, Owner Certified Natural Plus, Superior Progressive Genetics, CARE Certified, Non-GMO Certified, Out of Northern Black Angus & Angus cross cows by reg. Horned Hereford (Hoffman Ranch & Langford Ranch) bulls. Sensation & TNT Langford bloodlines. Hd count is approx. 2 family brands. Pred. BWF, could be handful of solid Black. Pasture Raised & Product of the USA. $436.50, Nov 5-20 Del.

Paraiso Escondido Ranch, Cisco, TX. 85 Heifer Calves @ 555#. VAC 34+, Angus Access, Superior Progressive Genetics, Out of Red Angus & RWF cows by reg. RA Brown Red Angus & Rocking Chair Hereford bulls. Approx. 80% Red, balance RWF. $500.00, Sep 14-17 Del.

Double Bars Livestock, Grenville, NM. 100 Weaned Str Calves @ 515#. VAC 60, Superior Verified, NHTC, Verified Natural Beef, Veg. Fed Approved, Owner Certified Natural Plus, CARE Certified, Out of home raised Black Angus cows by reg. Diamond 7 Black Angus bulls. May & June calves. 100% Black hided. Gentle & will have condition. Product of the USA. $522.50, Feb 1-15 Del.

C Bar Partnership, Groesbeck, TX. 68 Weaned Hfr Calves @ 735#. VAC 60, Superior Verified, NHTC, Verified Natural Beef, Veg. Fed Approved, Owner Certified Natural Plus, Superior Progressive Genetics, BQA Certified, CARE Certified, Out of mixed crossbred cows by Pieper Red Angus bulls. $406.00, Sep 25-Oct 9 Del.

Proffitt Farms, Burrton, KS. 240 Feeder Steers @ 950#. VAC PRECON, English & English cross. Approx. 80% Black or BWF. $343.00, Oct 10-30 Del.

Taylor Reed, Foraker, OK. 82 Weaned Hfr Calves @ 600#. VAC 60, Superior Verified, AngusLink/Angus Verified, NHTC, Superior Progressive Genetics, Out of Black Angus & Angus cross cows by reg. Black Angus (Luddington & Tower Hills Ranch) bulls. E&B Plus One, Basin Payweight, Tower Hills Lucky, DL Dually, SAV Platinum & SAV Magnum bloodlines. 100% Black hided. Product of the USA. $477.00, Dec 1-10 Del.

Tom & Zach Maddux, Cheyenne, OK. 410 Feeder Steers @ 850#. VAC PRECON, English & English cross. Pred. Black Angus cross. Approx. 85% Black & BWF, balance Red & Charolais cross. $357.50, Sep 15-30 Del.

Curt Akin, Davidson, OK. 24 1st Calf Hfr Pairs @ 1400#. Superior Progressive Genetics, Northern origin 1st calf hfrs with Angus calves by Wann Ranch Angus bulls. Calves born June & July. Running back with reg. Angus bulls. Cows EID 840 tagged. Should be a lot of 3-in-1 packages. $5850.00, Aug 24-31 Del.