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For Immediate Release

April 26, 2010

4 champions note talents needed to win World Livestock Auctioneer Championship, June 19 at Oklahoma National Stockyards

      Oklahoma City -- Four contestants competing here June 19 in LMA’s 47th annual World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC) have definite ideas about the talents needed to win the world title.
     The four – Brian Little, Wann, Okla.; Russele Sleep, Bedford, Iowa; Jim Hertzog, Butler, Mo.; and Tye Casey, Plymouth, Ind. – are worth listening to.  They each won one of the four qualifying contests to get to the WLAC, which will be conducted at the Oklahoma National Stockyards.
     The top eight scorers in each qualifying contest move on to compete here. The 33rd semi-finalist, given a “bye” into the contest, is the current International Auctioneer Champion, Paul Ramirez, Tucson, Ariz.
     Oklahoman Little won his way here by being the top scorer at the qualifier Sept. 25 in Billings, Mont.  He said the champion must have “a chant people enjoy and want to listen to,” overall auctioneering ability, “and rapport with the buyers and sellers.”
     A “pleasant-sounding chant” is also high on Sleep’s list of championship-caliber skills. “You want to be pretty easy to listen to, because some sales can last several hours, and you want to keep the buyers and sellers interested.”
    Other skills needed to be world champion include “knowing what the livestock you’re selling are worth…knowing what they should sell for.”  Sleep was named champion after competition Oct. 9 in Crawford, Neb.
     Casey somewhat echoed the comments of Sleep and Little, saying the champion “really ought to have a good and clear chant,” and be able to “deal well with people.”
    For the record, when the 33 semi-finalists step into the auction block Saturday morning and sell several drafts of cattle, six judges – all LMA members – will judge them on the vocal clarity and quality of their chant, bid-catching ability, execution of the sale, and by answering the question, “Would I hire this auctioneer?”
     The top 10 scorers then return for a final round of selling, where the same judging criteria is used.  The three titlists – world, reserve and runner-up champion – will be announced at an awards banquet the evening of the 19th.
     Hertzog, who won the Dec. 2 qualifying contest in Parsons, Kan., has a little different view of what makes a world champion. “Most important is the ability to be a good spokesman and advocate for the livestock industry.” 
     That’s because, Hertzog believes, that when the 33 are whittled down to the 10 finalists, their scores will be “extremely close” based on criteria like the quality of their chant and bid-catching ability.
     To find that good spokesman for the industry, the semi-finalists are also scored on their interview skills.  Each of them will be asked the same three questions on industry issues, by reigning world champion, Ty Thompson.
     The interview, conducted Friday before the contest, counts for 25 percent of the semi-finalist’s total contest score. Judging criteria are presentation, clarity of expression/articulation, knowledge of the industry, ability to be an industry spokesman, and again, would the judge hire this auctioneer.
     The four qualifying champions all said they’re working to stay informed about industry issues. 
     A typical comment came from Little, who said, “I just keep reading industry publications,” although as Sleep noted, “You can’t really prepare, because you won’t know the questions until you get there.” 
     What skills will the four bring to the contest?
     “I may not be the fastest,” Casey said, “but I think I have a really clear voice. Everywhere I go, people say, ‘I can understand you.’”
     He won the champion title after competition Oct. 15 in Calhoun, Ga.
     Sleep said, “I’m a pretty fair judge of cattle, because I’ve been around the livestock industry all my life.  I try to have a good chant, and when I’m working a sale, I try to show my knowledge of the cattle going through the ring.”
     Little cited his overall auctioneering ability, “and my experience as owner of the Coffeyville (Kan.) Livestock Market…(knowing) how a market operates, and my knowledge of industry issues.”
     Hertzog, who owns a market in Passaic, Mo., noted his knowledge “of the market value of cattle, and being able to read buyers – to determine which ones are likely to bid again, and which ones won’t.”  
      The four are all working auctioneers. When asked if they were doing any special preparation for the contest, their responses were similar to Sleep’s, who said his practice was “working 3-4 sales a week.”
     And, he added, “I’m going to treat Oklahoma City as another day at work” – a day that could bring one of them, the top title in their profession.
     The contest starts at 8 a.m., and is free and open to the public.
     The three winners – world, reserve and runner-up champion – are named at an awards banquet the evening of the 19th. They take home thousands of dollars in cash and prizes, including, for the world champion, a year’s free use of a new truck.