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For Immediate Release

March 26, 2010

Oklahoma National Stockyards hosting 33 top auctioneers June 19 for 47th annual World Livestock Auctioneer Championship

     OKLAHOMA CITY – The 33 auctioneers competing here June 19 in the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC) have a big fan in Rob Fisher, president of the Oklahoma National Stockyards, which will host the contest.
     “I’m a firm believer that the auction method of selling livestock is the best way for a producer to get the best price,” he said.  And a major factor in having a good auction, Fisher said, is a talented auctioneer.
     A good auctioneer “takes control of the market that day,” he said, by keeping the sale moving, catching bids and demonstrating a knowledge of the livestock going through the ring in front of him.
     June’s contest will bring 33 of North America’s best livestock auctioneers to the Stockyards, as they compete for the top title in their profession, that of world champion.
     The annual contest, now in its 47th year, is conducted and sponsored by Livestock Marketing Association (LMA), Kansas City, Mo. LMA is North America’s largest membership organization dedicated to supporting, representing and communicating with and for the entire livestock marketing sector.
     The Stockyards, a long-time member of LMA, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.  Fisher said he felt hosting the contest “would fit in well with our centennial, and it would make the celebration even better.”
     The Stockyards hosted the WLAC once before, in 1991.
     The contest will be an actual sale, with buyers on the seats.  Fisher said he expects from 7,500 – 10,000 cattle, “mostly feeder cattle that will be sold in large lots.”
     Fisher, who turns 60 this year, has been working at the Stockyards “since I was 10 years old” – or fully half of the market’s 100 years.
    The contest may last just one day, but Fisher said the Stockyards has been working for several months getting ready. By June 19, “We will have spent a little over a half-million dollars in refurbishing and remodeling” the facilities, he said.
    Thirty-two of the Championship semi-finalists qualified for the contest here through four WLAC qualifying contests, conducted by LMA from September – December 2009.  The eight top-scoring contestants in each quarterfinal move on to compete here.
     The 33rd contestant is the current International Auctioneer Champion, Paul Ramirez, Tucson, Ariz.  LMA has traditionally given a “bye” into the WLAC semi-finals to the winner of the International contest, held at Canada’s “Calgary Stampede.”
     The June 19 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 and the live auction rounds.  The interviews will be conducted before a live audience Friday afternoon, June 18, during LMA’s annual meeting.
     Each semi-finalist will be asked the same three questions, on industry issues and topics. This interview will count for 25 percent of their score.
     Judging criteria are presentation, clarity of expression/articulation, knowledge of the industry, ability to be an industry spokesman and would the judge hire this auctioneer?
     Saturday morning the semi-finalists are judged as they sell several drafts of cattle. The criteria includes the vocal quality and clarity of their chant, bid-catching ability, execution of the sale and would the judge hire this auctioneer?
     The top 10 scorers then return for a final round of selling, where the same criteria are used. The three titlists – world, reserve and runner-up champion – are announced at an awards banquet the evening of the 19th.
     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 convention, which begins June 17 at the Renaissance Convention Center Hotel.  It is open to marketing business owners and producers, and will feature knowledgeable speakers on several key industry issues.
     For program and registration information, call LMA at 800-821-2048.
     The WLAC semi-finalists and their hometowns are: Bailey Ballou, Elgin, Okla.; Ted Baum, O’Neill, Neb.; Jeff Bynum, Southside, Ala.; Darren T. Carter, Ninety Six, S.C.; Tye Casey, Plymouth, Ind.; Lance Cochran, Medford, Okla.; Chuck Cozzitorto, Hilmar, Calif.;
     Charly Cummings, Yates Center, Kan.; Kyle Elwood, Abilene, Kan.; Will Epperly, Moneta, Va.; Dustin Focht, Stillwater, Okla.; Tom Frey, Creston, Iowa; Jim Hertzog, Butler, Mo.; Brian Little, Wann, Okla.; Brian Marlin, Inola, Okla.;
     Joel Martin, Williamston, S.C.; Andrew McDowell, Vandalia, Ill.; Brandon Neely, Southside, Ala.; Mike Nuss, Minatare, Neb.; Ted Odle, Brush, Colo.; Paul Ramirez; Jay Romine, Mt. Washington, Ky.; Duane Rus, Rock Valley, Iowa;
     Jason Santomaso, Sterling, Colo.; Kevin Schow, Paxton, Neb.; Kyle Shobe, Lewistown, Mont.; Rick Shoemaker, Kearney, Neb.; Jeff Showalter, Broadway, Va.; Russele Sleep, Bedford, Iowa; Preston Smith, Nunn, Colo.; Gabe Spikes, Bowie, Texas; and Billy Younkin, Cecil, Ala.
     Mitch Barthel, New York Mills, Minn., replaces previously-named semi-finalist Nick Caspers, Wishek, N.D., who withdrew for personal reasons. Under contest rules, the next highest scoring contestant at the quarterfinal contest where Caspers qualified – at Billings, Mont. – will move into the semi-finals, and that was Barthel.