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John J. McBride
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For Immediate Release
March 9, 2009
46th annual World Livestock Auctioneer Championship, June 13 at Fergus Falls, Minn., market, puts spotlight on competitive marketing
Fergus Falls Livestock Auction Market, Inc., Fergus Falls, Minn., will put the auction method of selling livestock in the spotlight, when it hosts the 46th annual World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC) on June 13.
“The auctioneer continues to be a very vital part of competitive livestock marketing,” said market owner Joe Varner. “We’ll have 33 of North America’s best, competing for the top title in their profession, the world livestock auctioneer champion.”
The annual contest is sponsored and conducted by LMA, North America’s largest membership organization dedicated to supporting, representing and communicating with and for the entire livestock marketing sector.
Varner, who owns or is a partner in 15 livestock markets, said, “It’s always been my dream to host the WLAC. We hope to have the biggest turnout ever for the contest.”
The contest is an actual sale, with buyers on the seats. Varner said he expects 3,500 – 4,000 cattle, made up of some 1,000 fed cattle and butcher cows, and 2,500 feeders. “These will all be home-raised, and a lot of backgrounded, quality cattle.”
Thirty-two of the Championship semi-finalists qualified for the Minnesota contest through four WLAC quarterfinal qualifying contests, conducted from September – December, 2008 by LMA. The top eight scorers in each quarterfinal move on to Fergus Falls.
The 33rd contestant is the current International Auctioneer Champion, Peter Raffan, of Armstrong, B.C. The WLAC traditionally gives a “bye” into the semi-finals to the winner of this Canadian contest.
Bobby Smith, a market owner from Fairview, Okla., is LMA’s president. He said, “All of us with LMA are excited to bring the Championship to Joe Varner’s market. Like hundreds of markets across the county, Fergus Falls not only puts competition into livestock marketing – the best way to get the best price – it’s also an important part of the local economy.”
The contest starts at 8 a.m. and is open to the public.
Six judges, all LMA members, score the semi-finalists on two elements: an interview competition, and the live auction rounds. The interviews will be conducted before a live and webcast audience, Friday morning, the 12th, during LMA’s annual meeting.
Reigning world champion Matt Lowery will ask each semi-finalist the same three questions, on industry issues and topics. This interview will count for 25 percent of their score, and judging criteria include presentation, clarity of expression/articulation livestock industry knowledge, spokesman for the industry, and would you hire this auctioneer?
Saturday morning the semi-finalists are judged as they sell several drafts of cattle. The judging criteria includes clarity of their chant, vocal quality, bid-catching ability, conduct of the sale and answering the question, “Would I hire this auctioneer?”
The top 10 scorers then return for a final round of selling, where the same judging criteria are used. The three titlists – world, reserve and runner-up champion – are announced at an awards banquet the evening of the 13th.
The three winners take home thousands of dollars in cash and prizes, including, for the world champion, a year’s free use of a new truck.
The contest is the closing event for LMA’s annual meeting, which begins June 11 at the Ramada-Plaza Hotel in Fargo, N.D. It is open to marketing business owners and producers. A number of key industry issues, featuring knowledgeable speakers, will be featured.
For program and registration information, call LMA at 800-821-2048.
The semi-finalists and their hometowns are Mitch Barthel, Perham, Minn.; Ted Baum, O’Neill, Neb.; Jeff Bynum, Southside, Ala.; Darren T. Carter, Ninety Six, S.C.; Tye Casey, Plymouth, Ind.; Nick Caspers, Hecla, S.D.; Jake Cheechov, Eugene, Ore.; Dan Clark, Winner, S.D.;
Charly Cummings, Yates Center, Kan.; Shannon Davis, Yantis, Texas; Justin Dodson, Welch, Okla.; Tom Frey, Creston, Iowa; Jim Hertzog, Greenwood, Mo.; Lynn Langvardt, Wakefield, Kan.; Brian Little, Wann, Okla.; Kevin Magby, Atoka, Okla.;
Andrew McDowell, Vandalia, Ill.; Brandon Neely, Berkeley Springs, W.Va.; Mike Nuss, Minatare, Neb.; Ted Odle, Brush, Colo.; Peter Raffan; Tanner Ragan, Sulphur Springs, Texas; Don Rodgers, Bakersfield, Calif.; Jay Romine, Mt. Washington, Ky.;
Duane Rus, Rock Valley, Iowa; Jason Santomaso, Sterling, Colo.; Kevin Schow, Paxton, Neb.; Kyle J. Shobe, Lewistown, Mont.; Jeff Showalter, Broadway, Va.; Gabe Spikes, Bowie, Texas; Ty Thompson, Billings, Mont.; Al Wessel, Long Prairie, Minn.; and Billy Younkin, Cecil, Ala.
Tye Casey, Plymouth, Ind., replaces Eli Detweiler, Jr., Ruffin, N.C., who withdrew from the contest for personal reasons. According to contest rules, the next highest-scoring contestant at the quarterfinal contest where Detweiler qualified – Zanesville, Ohio – will move into the semi-finals, and that was Casey.
