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For Immediate Release

July 20, 2011

Northern Livestock Video Auction, Billings, hosts 2011 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion July 26 for ‘Classic Cattle Sale’

     BILLINGS, MONT. – Charly Cummings, winner of the 2011 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC), will bring his title-winning talent here to Northern Livestock Video Auction’s 8th annual “2011 Summertime Classic Cattle Sale,” July 26 -- the second day of the three-day sale that starts July 25.
     He will work on the 26th with Ty Thompson, who won the 2009 WLAC, and with Northern Livestock auctioneer Joe Goggins. Thompson and Goggins are co-managers at Northern Livestock.
     The sale starts each day at 8 a.m. (MT).
     The auctioneers – Cummings, Thompson and Goggins will take turns in the auction block – will be working the sale at Billings Live Stock Commission, 2443 North Frontage Road.
     “We will sell 91,000 cattle from states in the northern tier of the United States,” Thompson said.  “On Monday, we’ll sell light calves and yearlings; Tuesday, mid-weight calves, and heavy calves on Wednesday.”
     The sale works like this: videos of the cattle are broadcast on the Dish Network, channel 219, and simultaneously on the Internet at www.cattleusa.com. 
     The auctioneers describe the cattle as they go up for sale. Bids are picked up as they come in, from pre-registered buyers, over the phone or via the Internet website.
     The auctioneers will also watch for bids from buyers viewing the sale at Billings Live Stock Commission.
     Cummings defeated 32 other contestants to win the 48th annual WLAC last month in Williamston, S.C.  It was his fourth time competing for the world title
     His previous highest finish was last year, when he was named runner-up world champion, or third place.  In 2008, he won the “Rookie of the Year” award, given to the first-time contestant with the highest score in that year’s semi-finals.
     The annual WLAC, considered the World Series and Super Bowl of the livestock auctioneering profession, was created and is conducted by Livestock Marketing Association, the national trade association for progressive marketing businesses like Northern Livestock Video.
     Thompson said he invited Cummings to come to Billings “because Charly, like all of LMA’s World Livestock Auctioneer Champions, is an important figure in our industry.
     “He’s a talented example of the important role the livestock auctioneer continues to play in competitive livestock marketing – the method we proudly use for every sale we have,” Thompson continued.
     “We’re excited to have Charly be a part of this great national example of competitive  marketing, as we sell quality northern U.S. cattle.”
     For further sale information, call 866-616-5035, or visit www.northernlivestockvideo.com, and click on Upcoming Sales.
     In addition to being an auctioneer, Cummings, 32, is a partner in Southeast Kansas Stockyards in Gas, Kan.
     During his year as champion, he will travel across the U.S., appearing at LMA member markets and at industry events. And that’s just fine with him.
     “I look forward to visiting many marketing businesses like Northern Livestock Video, spotlighting what they do for America’s independent livestock producers, day in and day out. 
     “I also enjoy being a spokesman for this industry. We need more people in our industry to talk about what we do,” Cummings said.
     Thompson said he wanted to invite everyone “who enjoys listening to a great auctioneer like Charly to tune in on the 26th, either on the Dish Network or on the Internet – and if you’re in the area, stop in at Billings Live Stock Commission and watch him in person.”