PRESS RELEASE
Holdenville Livestock Market to host World Livestock Auctioneer Championship qualifier October 1
September 19, 2018
Kansas City, Mo.
CONTACT
Sam Capoun
scapoun@lmaweb.com
(816) 800-2922
PDF: WLAC Midwestern Regional
Word Document: WLAC Midwestern Regional
Holdenville Livestock Market to host World Livestock Auctioneer Championship qualifier October 1
Holdenville Livestock Market, 3233 N 370 Cr, will host the first of three regional qualifying events for the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC). The midwestern regional qualifying event will be October 1. Opening ceremonies will commence at 11 a.m. CST with the Awards Ceremony to follow. A total of 33 contestants will compete for a top 10 placing, granting them a spot in the semi-finals for the 2019 WLAC at Tulare Sales Yard in Tulare, Calif.
Each qualifying event is a live sale where each contestant auctions 8 drafts of livestock (traditionally cattle) to actual bidders. Contestants are judged on the clarity of their auction chant; professionalism; and their ability to conduct the sale while catching bids.
Contestants competing are Zach Ballard, Grant City, Mo.; Andy Baumeister, Mullin, Texas; Neil Bouray, Webber, Kan.; Chuck Bradley, Rockford, Ala.; Troy Bradshaw, Lipan, Texas; Dakota Davis, Caldwell, Kan.; Dean Edge, Rimbey, Alberta; Will Epperly, Dunlap, Iowa; Andrew Finlay, Carbondale, Kan.; Brandon Fey, Creston, Iowa; Joshua Garcia, Goliad, Texas; Jim Hertzog, Butler, Mo.; Kirby Hill, Paris, Texas; Jake Hopwood, Valentine, Neb.; Jase Hubert, Emporia, Kan.; Tanner Jessup, Hillsboro, Kan.; Wade Leist, Boyne City, Miss.; Jeremy Miller, Fairland, Okla.; Terry Moe, Watford City, N.D.; Bill Nance, Sheldon, Mo.; Trey Narramore, Grants, N.M.; Lander Nicodemus, Cheyenne, Wyo.; Mark Oberholtzer, Loyal, Wis.; Sterlyn Paiz, Portales, N.M.; Kade Rogge, Rupert, Idaho; Ethan Schuette, Washington, Kan.; Jim Settle, Arroyo Grande, Calf.; Russele Sleep, Bedford, Iowa; Dustin Smith, Jay, Okla.; Chas Tillman, Swink, Okla.; Marshal Tingle, Nicolasville, Ky.; Curtis Wetovick, Fullerton, Neb.; Vernon Yoder, Dundee, Ohio.
The public may attend the livestock auction and competition free of charge. It will also be streamed live on www.LMAAuctions.com.
The remaining qualifying events are balanced regionally across the LMA Membership. The western regional will be held at Delta Sales Yard, Inc; October 27. The eastern regional will be held at Northeast Georgia Livestock, LLC; December 12.
About the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship
In June 1963, the Livestock Marketing Association held the first annual World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC) at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Denver, Colorado. The purpose: to spotlight North America’s top livestock auctioneers and to salute their traditionally important role in the competitive livestock marketing process. That year, 23 auctioneers from the United States and Canada sold the same 20 head of cattle over and over again.
The contest was held at hotels until 1967, when it traveled to its first LMA member market. Since then the WLAC has been held in conjunction with the LMA Marketing Industry Convention at member markets around the U.S. and Canada. Recent locations include California, Missouri, Montana, Tennessee, Kansas, South Dakota and Alberta, Canada.
Though the rules have changed, the enthusiasm for the competition hasn’t. On average each year, nearly 100 auctioneers enter the qualifying events and only 31 (10 from each qualifying event, one from the auctioneering competition at Calgary Stampede) are selected to compete in the WLAC. The championship consists of three stages: the regional qualifying events held at different markets around the country, followed by the semi-finals and the finals that are held each June in conjunction with the LMA Annual Convention. Contestants competing for the World Champion title must be 18 years old, employed as a livestock auctioneer and sponsored by a local auction market that shares in the favorable publicity generated by the winners.
LMA is proud to sponsor an event that brings together North America’s top livestock auctioneers in a competition that showcases professionalism and promotes the auction method of selling livestock.
About the Livestock Marketing Association
The Livestock Marketing Association (LMA), headquartered in Overland Park, Kan., is North America’s leading, national trade association dedicated to serving its members in the open and competitive auction method of marketing livestock. Founded in 1947, LMA has more than 800 member businesses across the U.S. and Canada and remains invested in both the livestock and livestock marketing industries through member support, education programs, policy representation and communication efforts.
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