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For Immediate Release

July 23, 2008

RFD-TV’s special on LMA’s 2008 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship premieres nationally July 28

A one-hour special taking viewers behind the scenes of Livestock Marketing Association’s 45th annual World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC) will premiere at 7 p.m. (CT), July 28 on RFD-TV.

The first 24-hour network for rural America, RFD-TV is on cable systems in all 50 states. On the Dish Network, it’s channel 231, and on Direct TV it’s channel 379.

This year’s WLAC was conducted at Sioux Falls Regional Livestock market, in Worthing, S.D. Matt Lowery, Burwell, Neb., defeated 32 other contestants to win the world title.

Reserve World Champion was Ted Odle, Brush, Colo., and Runner-up World Champion was Ty Thompson, Billings, Mont.

The program will be a comprehensive look at the contest, including the evening awards banquet, where the three titlists are named.

It will include a montage of the 33 semi-finalists as they marketed cattle during the contest, which is an actual sale.

That will be followed by a closer look at the 10 finalists as they return to the ring and sell more cattle.

Co-hosts for the broadcast will be two former world champions, 1998’s Lex Madden, Torrington, Wyo., and 2002’s John Korrey, Iliff, Colo.

The hosts also conducted behind the scenes interviews with the contestants, past champions, market owners, livestock consignors, LMA officials and others involved with the WLAC, widely considered the World Series and Super Bowl of the livestock auctioneering profession.

This is the second consecutive year RFD-TV has broadcast a special on the WLAC. The contest “has a wide appeal,” said RFD-TV Vice President Mike Hansen. The program “has great viewership, and we absolutely get viewer feedback.”

Like last year’s broadcast, this year’s special will be re-broadcast Sunday, Aug. 3 at 3 a.m. and 11 a.m. It may be re-shown on July 29, and viewers should go to RFDTV.com for updated information.

LMA President Bobby Smith said the program “lets us bring an exciting event to a wider audience. And it highlights competitive livestock marketing, which our member businesses practice every day.

“Putting your livestock in front of several buyers creates competition, and that’s the best way to get the best price,” Smith said.

LMA is North America’s largest membership organization dedicated to supporting, representing and communicating with and for the entire livestock marketing sector.

LMA conducts the contest to spotlight the competitive marketing process, and the talented auctioneers who continue to be a vital part of that process.