Stock Show's Grand Champion Steer Enjoys Tea Time At The Brown Palace

DENVER (CBS4) - The grand champion steer at this year's National Western Stock Show was set to be auctioned off Friday night, and to honor the day the big steer was the honored guest during high tea at a landmark Denver hotel.

Bringing the annual winning steer into the lobby of the Brown Palace Hotel after their big win is an annual tradition.

This year's grand champion is named Red Rocky. He comes from Westmoreland, Illinois, and weighs in at 1,369 pounds.

Shilo Schaake, his caretaker , told CBS4 he had the grand champion steer two years ago, so hanging out in the historic hotel with a cow is becoming old hat for him.

"The judge, he said 'You could find this one at the zoo. He's got elephant legs on him and he's got a neck like a giraffe and he can move like a cat,' so that's pretty good," Schaake said. "Most people just call him a creature because they think he's pretty neat."

Schaake said he plans to use the money from Friday night's sale for college tuition.