Caleb Bram, of Louise ISD FFA, grabs the banner proclaiming him Champion for the Santa Gertrudis Jr. Breeding Cattle category while exiting the arena with his heifer Thursday, March 9, 2023, at the 84th annual Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show in Mercedes. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)A Santa Gertrudis calf sticks close to its mother in their stall Thursday, March 9, 2023, at the 84th annual Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show in Mercedes. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)Holt Yackel, of El Campo FFA, leads his Santa Gertrudis Star 5 heifer into the arena Thursday, March 9, 2023, at the 84th annual Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show in Mercedes. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)Competitor Sophia Reyes, 10, waits in the contestant area with her heifer Petunia and its baby, named Blaze, Thursday, March 9, 2023, at the 84th annual Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show in Mercedes. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)Reserve Champion for the Santa Gertrudis Jr. Breeding Cattle category Cade Bram,, of Louise ISD FFA, takes a break in the contestant area outside the arena Thursday, March 9, 2023, at the 84th annual Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show in Mercedes. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)Competitors take their cattle outside to the wash area to prepare for the afternoon’s showings Thursday, March 9, 2023, at the 84th annual Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show in Mercedes. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)Competitors Lia Kathleen Gutierrez and Analiya Fleming, of RIo Grande City High School, are pictured Thursday, March 9, 2023, at the 84th annual Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show in Mercedes. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)An inflatable ice cream cone waves in the wind as food vendors sell to the crowds of visitors Thursday, March 9, 2023, at the 84th annual Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show in Mercedes. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)Attendees walk through the food and item vendor stalls Thursday, March 9, 2023, at the 84th annual Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show in Mercedes. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)Two women prepare gorditas on a griddle for customers at Lupita’s Gorditas venfdor stall Thursday, March 9, 2023, at the 84th annual Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show in Mercedes. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)Rows of cowboy hats are displayed for attendees to buy at a vendor tent Thursday, March 9, 2023, at the 84th annual Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show in Mercedes. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)Daniel Saldaña, a senior at James Nikki Rowe High School, prepares to notch an arrow during the archery competition Thursday, March 9, 2023, at the 84th annual Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show in Mercedes. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)The Los Fresnos Archery line up to shoot during the archery competition Thursday, March 9, 2023, at the 84th annual Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show in Mercedes. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)At the signal, archery competitors go to grab their bows for the next round of shooting Thursday, March 9, 2023, at the 84th annual Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show in Mercedes. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)
