Brock Mortvedt stands with Storm, the 2025 National Western Stock Show’s Reserve Grand Champion Breeding Doe. Brock’s parents Ryan and Carrie are standing behind him second and third from the right, and his brother Dayton is standing fourth from the left.
January has become synonymous with winning at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, CO, for two local families who pour their hearts, blood, sweat, tears, and hundreds of hours of work into raising quality and show-worthy livestock. Last week, all of the sacrifices paid off for the Ryan and Carrie Mortvedt and Wade and Kaylene Rodgers families as their children showed Reserve Grand Champions in their respective divisions at the 119th National Western Stock Show.
The Mortvedts, along with Carrie’s parents Gerald and Elaine Droppert, raise com-petitive show lambs and goats at the Droppert Livestock Farm located north of Sully. This past week, “Storm,” shown by the Mortvedt’s 12-year-old son Brock, was crowned Reserve Grand Champion Breeding Doe on Thursday, Jan. 23, at the 2025 National Western Stock Show. Dayton, 14-year-old son of Ryan and Carrie, and his market lamb “Tarheel” made the Auction of Junior Livestock Champions held Jan. 24. Both animals were raised at the Droppert family farm. Droppert Livestock also raised the Champion Speckleface Market Lamb shown by Caden Simpson from Colorado.
The Rodgers family, who own and operate Rodgers Cattle Company near Searsboro, have made a name for themselves for raising the finest bulls and show cattle in the nation.
The Rodgers family also racked up success and brought home the hardware from the National Western Stock Show and at shows across the nation this past week.
Rhylee, 15-year-old daughter of Wade and Kaylene, and her steer Mogcky received the congratulatory slap as Reserve Grand Champion Market Steer on Wednesday, Jan. 22. Rhylee also showed the second-place Class 8 Market Steer. On Tuesday, the Rodgers’ 12-year-old daughter Shay showed the Class 7 Market Steer winner.
The winning is bittersweet for the families as the prized animals were auctioned off in front of a sold-out crowd filling the arena at the 2025 Auction of Junior Livestock Champions following their success. The top eight champion animals collectively sold for a new record of $637,000. In total, 98 animals were sold at the Auction of Junior Livestock Champions, fetching a record-breaking $1,452,500. A portion of the proceeds benefits the National Western Scholarship Trust. This year’s event held special significance as it marked the final walk for livestock exhibitors on the prestigious green carpet in the historic 1909 Stadium Arena. The deep bonds formed as the families raise and lovingly train the award-winning animals will be held on to forever as they look ahead to future success as champion exhibitors.
This year marked the final year the National Western Stock Show was held in the aging National Western Complex infrastructure. The event drew more than 658,109 visitors over the course of 16 days, Jan. 11-26. Two new major facilities are under construction, including the Sue Anschultz-Rodgers Livestock Center and The Legacy, the new world headquarters. The Cille and Ron Williams Yards opened to the public before the 2022 Stock Show. Plans for an Equestrian Center are moving ahead. Once complete, these four facilities will serve as cornerstones of the National Western Center, one of America’s most ambitious urban renewal projects. The multi-phase effort involves road and rail infrastructure improvements, a revitalization of the South Platte River, and the establishment of the Spur, Colorado State University’s new academic center.
For more information about the National Western Stock Show, visit nationalwestern.com.
