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For Immediate Release

January 23, 2012

First time in any auctioneer competition, Kansan, 18, wins Greeley qualifying contest for 2012 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship

     GREELEY, COLO. – It was his first time in any auctioneer contest, and Blaine Lotz, 18, made the most of it. He won Livestock Marketing Association’s 3rd qualifying contest, held here Jan. 17, for the 2012 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC)
     Lotz, who studied at a Montana auction school when he was 15 and started livestock auctioneering the year he turned 16, defeated 19 other contestants in competition hosted by Greeley’s Producers Livestock Marketing Association.
     Asked how he felt when his name was called as champion, Lotz, of Edna, Kan., said, “To tell the truth, I was very shocked to place as well as I did, considering the competition.”
     He is a freshman at Coffeyville Community College, Coffeyville, Kan. In addition to being a full-time student, he works 2-5 sales a week.
     The reserve champion here was Kevin Schow, Paxton, Neb., and the runner-up champion was Russele Sleep, Bedford, Iowa.
     The three winners are guaranteed a spot in this summer’s WLAC. That’s also true for the next five highest-scoring contestants in the contest here. 
     They were, in alphabetical order, Mike Bailey, Jennings, Kan.; Jeff Bynum, Southside, Ala.;  Dustin Focht, Stillwater, Okla.; Martin Machado, Winton, Calif., and Daniel Mitchell, Cumberland, Ohio.
     The annual WLAC – this year will be the 49th – was created and is conducted by Livestock Marketing Association, to turn the spotlight on competitive livestock marketing, and to salute the many talented auctioneers who are a vital part of that process.
     The WLAC is widely considered the World Series and Super Bowl of the profession. The June 16 world championship will be held Turlock Livestock Auction Yard, Inc., Turlock, Calif.
     First-timer Lotz isn’t worried about the California competition, which will include many veteran contestants. “I’m just thrilled to death to be able to rub elbows with contestants of such a caliber.”
     Nor is he bothered that he will almost certainly be the youngest contestant in Turlock. “No, not really,” he said.  “I am young, but I’m willing to learn, and I’m looking forward to participating.”
     Lotz was sponsored by South Coffeyville Stockyard, Inc., South Coffeyville, Okla., and Fredonia Livestock Auction, Fredonia, Kan.
     Reserve Champion Schow is one of those veteran contestants moving on to Turlock. This will be his sixth time in the WLAC, where he finished among the 10 finalists in 2009 and 2010.
     At the age of 41, he’s been an auctioneer for about 18 years.
     “My Dad was my inspiration to become an auctioneer,” Schow said.
     And no wonder: if he wins in Turlock, Kevin will be the second world champion in the Schow family.  His father, Dean, won the top title in 1980.
     Kevin Schow was sponsored by Ogallala Livestock Auction Market, Inc., Ogallala, Neb., and Ranchland Livestock Auction, Inc., Wray, Colo.
     For Sleep, the runner-up champion and an auctioneer for seven years, this June’s WLAC will be his third. His highest finish to date was last year, when he was one of the ten finalists.
     What keeps him coming back? “It’s just a great group of guys. The auctioneers and the livestock people connected with the contest are just one big family – that’s what I like about it.”
     Sleep’s sponsors were Russell Livestock Market, Russell, Iowa; Clarinda Livestock Auction, LLC, Clarinda, Iowa; Madison County Livestock Auction, Winterset, Iowa; SEK Stockyards, LLC, Gas, Kan., and Fort Scott Livestock Market, LLC, Fort Scott, Kan.
     Contest judges, all LMA members, score each contestant on clarity of chant and voice quality, bid-catching ability and conduct of the sale.  The judges also ask, “Would this auctioneer make a good spokesperson for the livestock industry?” and “Would I hire this auctioneer?”
     A cash award and a custom-made belt buckle goes to the winner in each of the four qualifying contests. The reserve and runner-up champions also receive custom buckles.
     The eight highest scorers in each qualifying contest, along with the reigning International Livestock Auctioneer Champion – Rod Burnett, Armstrong, B.C. – make up the field of 33 for the 2012 WLAC.
     At the WLAC, three titlists will be selected, and the winners receive thousands of dollars in cash and prizes.
     The fourth and final qualifying contest will be March 8 at Groesebeck Livestock and Auction Co., LLC, Groesebeck, Texas.
     The qualifying contests and the WLAC are broadcast live at www.LMAAuctions.com.