Reimann wins NWSS steer show, awarded traveling trophy that honors his late dad

The Nick Reimann Memorial trophy is awarded to the exhibitor of the grand champion market steer at the National Western Stock Show, the Super Bowl of livestock shows. Awarded in honor of Reimann, a South Dakota cattleman who was killed in an airplane crash in 2014, the trophy is presented by Reimann’s parents, widow, Kyrstin, and two children. This year, the family awarded the trophy to Reimann’s son, Croix, 13 years old, after he won the honor.

Kyrstin Reimann-Doris said winning the steer show was a surreal experience and one she said they won’t be able to top.

“Everything was so surreal, it was just awesome,” she said. “We never thought we would be in this position and it’s just been amazing.”

Croix’s champion steer is a 1,379-pound out of In God We Trust out of a Charolais cow. The reserve champion steer weighed 1,419 and was shown by Mason Shalla of Iowa.

Reimann-Doris and her daughter Cannon, who hopes to exhibit a steer at the NWSS next year, watched from the side of the legendary green carpet while Doris’ young son, Cahill, who is 5, played in the dirt at their feet. Doris said the last time she and two oldest kids stood there, it was Croix who was playing in the dirt in the same spot. Chapel is their youngest at 2 years old.

The family is headed to Sioux Falls, S.D., next weekend with their prospect steers to kick off the new year once the NWSS concludes.

Glen Martin of Mason, Texas, served on the three judge panel this year and spoke about the quality of the cattle and the quality of the kids exhibiting them.

“We don’t know what the future holds, we don’t know what tomorrow brings, you don’t know anything about anything except the moment right here, right now, and I encourage you to live in that moment,” Martin said. “I encourage you to tell the folks that you love, you love them, to show them you love them. I encourage you to forgive others, to care about people, to be the bigger man or the bigger lady in every circumstance. I encourage you to have a relationship with the one and only, the only Savior you’ll ever have — the Lord Jesus Christ — and if you do that, we’ll see each other at the end of the destination.”

This year’s market steer show was judged by Dustin Frank, Martin, and Kirk Stierwalt. The junior market livestock sale will be Friday, Jan. 19 where world champion auctioneer John Korrey of Illiff, Colo., will try to top last year’s record $200,000 champion steer price.

MAKE A WISH UPDATE

Before selecting the champions, judge Dustin Frank of Chappell, Neb., took a moment to share an update to a story we reported last year. Then 12-year-old Kayden Halls of Bayfield, Colo., was granted a Make a Wish and was invited to give the champion slap, selecting the champion steer at the 2023 NWSS alongside Frank, Kirk Steirwalt, and Shane Meier. The time-honored champion slap was delivered to the steer shown by Justin Pfannebecker of LaSalle, Colo. Frank said Halls, whose health is much improved, returned to LaPlata County, Colo., joined the livestock judging team, and earned high individual honors at the Arizona National Livestock Show’s judging contest. The national contest was Halls first livestock judging contest.

Kayden’s mom, Jaime, said she has finished chemotherapy to treat leukemia, her numbers look good, and she feels great. Best of all, she said, her hair is growing back.

The National Western Stock Show in Denver runs through Jan. 21.