A HOUSTON TRADITION · EST. 2023
Rodeo
Auction
Angels
We believe character deserves an audience.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Rodeo Auction Angels (RAA) is an official buying group founded by Dana Barton and Tony Bradfield to champion Junior Market Steer exhibitors at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Since our inception in 2023, we have contributed over 1 million dollars to support the educational mission of the HLSR.​​​
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Each year, students who qualify for the Junior Market Steer Auction earn guaranteed premiums based on placement. These funds support college tuition, future livestock projects, and educational expenses. Through its Educational Fund, the Rodeo has pledged more than $620 million in scholarships to date, underscoring its long-standing commitment to young people.​​
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However, not every exhibitor that makes the auction ring receives a bid—that is where RAA steps in. Animals that do not sell are typically processed for meat value, and students may struggle to recoup their investment after months of disciplined work.​​​
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Rodeo Auction Angels exists for these moments.
WHAT WE DO
By purchasing unsold lots, RAA ensures these students experience the dignity of a live sale and the recognition they have earned. Each student meets with a RAA buyer backstage, presents their project, and commemorates the moment with their Seller & Buyer Portrait. They leave not simply with proceeds, but with confidence, accountability, and the affirmation that their effort mattered.
“Rodeo Auction Angels rounds out the auction, patiently and deliberately, making sure no student's moment goes uncelebrated. Each of the kids goes back to school proud that someone bid on and bought their steer. It's the complete experience of the auction and the values of HLSR. We have families and Ag teachers, who have been in the trenches with their kids all year very emotionally tell us how impactful we are.”
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TONY BRADFIELD, CO-FOUNDER, RODEO AUCTION ANGELS
$1M+
TOTAL FUNDS RAISED FOR YOUNG COMPETITIORS
100+
STEERS PURCHASED SINCE FOUNDING
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3
AUCTION SEASONS COMPLETED
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WHY IT MATTERS
These students are tomorrow's leaders.
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Each participant has accepted responsibility for a living creature every day for a full year: before school, after school, on holidays and weekends. They've learned to delay gratification, manage disappointment, and stay committed to something beyond themselves.
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When a donor shows up for them, even for just a moment in an auction ring, it validates everything. It tells a young person: your hard work was seen. That single experience can shape a lifetime.
YOUR ROLE
CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED BEFORE MARCH 18TH, WILL SUPPORT STUDENTS COMPETING RIGHT NOW IN THE 2026 HLSR.
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Donations are tax deductible to the extent they exceed the fair market value of goods or services received. Click here for a complete list of donor benefits.
"In 2023, our first year, we purchased 30 steers. We set records again in 2025. And we're growing every year thanks to donors like you."
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DANA BARTON CLAY, CO-FOUNDER, RODEO AUCTION ANGELS
CONTACT: TONY BRADFIELD: 212.748.3337 | DANA BARTON CLAY: 512.376.0900 ANGELS@RODEOAUCTIONANGELS.COM