Houston private school student breaks record at 2025 Rodeo art auction
Sophie Zhou (center) broke the record at the annual rodeo auction by selling her painting, "Nurture," at $275,000.
Sophie Zhou, a student at the Kinkaid School, broke the record for largest sale ever at the 2025 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo School Art Auction on Sunday, Match 16. Her painting, "Nurture," was bought for $276,000 and won the Grand Prize.
The painting depicts a mother cow comforting a calf under an angelic light. Zhou's father initially photographed the scene, which led to her recapturing the image in her painting.
“When I first saw the photo my dad took, I was really inspired by the lighting,” Zhou said. “I absolutely loved how this nurturing relationship between the mother and her calf... it was really beautiful, and I wanted to display that in my artwork.”
The donor who left with the painting was Shelley Mulanax, who also purchased the previous record winning painting, “Our Last Roundup,” created by Mia Huckman of Lamar CISD in 2023 for $275,000. Other donors include Kristina and Paul Somerville; J Alan Kent Development; Julie and Alan Kent; Jennifer, Joe, and Bob Van Matre, and other members of the Mulanax Family.
“I have been doing this forever,” Mulanax said. “It is my heritage and something I have always done. We just love helping the children,” Mulanax said. “This is just an amazing organization. We always continue our legacy and the legacy of Rodeo.”
Money raised in the art auction goes toward scholarship and educational costs. Zhou plans to attend The University of Chicago, Georgetown University, or the University of Texas to study political science or economics before going into corporate law or investment banking.
Second place was won by Hyewon (Joy) Park, whose painting "Night at the Arena" shows an action-packed calf-roping. The Reserve Prize sold her piece for $200,000, and plans to work in pediatric dentistry and open an art gallery of her own. Ninety pieces were selected for the auction out of 200,000 entries. Zhou is the first private schooler to win the auction.
The annual school art competition is part of a half-century of art activism by the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, with school children across the state participating. Those selected earn scholarships, travel to summer workshops and display artwork in the Hayloft Gallery during the Rodeo.
Art wasn't the only thinking breaking rodeo records this weekend. Madden Wise of Brownsville sold his lamb for $450,000, while Brisco Black of Zephyr sold a goat for $400,000, a world record.
