To qualify for competition at any stage of the WLAC, each entrant must complete an official WLAC entry form, be at least 18 years of age, auctioneer livestock at least once per month at a regularly scheduled livestock auction and be in good financial standing with all LMA members.

Each contestant must be sponsored by and include the contact information of at least one regularly selling livestock auction (LMA membership is not required of sponsors) willing to vouch for his/her status as a livestock auctioneer. Contestants are allowed multiple sponsors however sponsors are limited to regularly selling livestock auctions or livestock dealer businesses. Sponsors may be contacted to verify contestant information. The WLAC host market may not sponsor any contestants and contestants are restricted from selling at the WLAC host market after January 1 of the contest year. The WLAC Qualifying Event hosts may not sponsor contestants for their own event and entrants must not have sold at the WLAC Qualifying Event host market where they intend to compete within 6 months of the event date.

The WLAC Committee reserves the right to, at anytime, request proof of employment as a livestock auctioneer such as, but not limited to: a 1099 tax reporting form; or to conduct a background check for felony convictions or non-payment of livestock / other business with LMA members. Committee findings may result in disqualification from competition events.

The WLAC Qualifying Events will be conducted in three locations across the LMA Membership. Each event is a single round with contestants selling a minimum of eight drafts of livestock (traditionally cattle) during a live sale at the host market. The number of drafts will be determined jointly by the host market and WLAC Committee. The top 10 auctioneers from each WLAC Qualifying Event, meeting all entry criteria, shall be immediately qualified for the WLAC Semi-Finals. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd highest scoring contestants from each of the WLAC Qualifying Events shall also be named Champion, Reserve and Runner-Up, respectively. A rookie award will also be presented to the highest scoring, first-time competing contestant in each of the WLAC Qualifying Events. Contestants will only qualify for this award at one WLAC Qualifying Event.

Contestants are allowed to compete in up to two WLAC Qualifying Events during each competition year. Contestants competing in two WLAC Qualifying Events may only qualify for the WLAC Semi-Finals from one. After qualifying, contestants are ineligible for entry at any other WLAC Qualifying Event during the same competition year.

For each of the WLAC Qualifying Events, five judges will be selected to score contestants based on the following criteria. All five judges’ scores will be combined for a total possible 550 points. In the event of a tie, the scores from the judging criteria, in the following order, will break the tie: how likely are you to hire this auctioneer, knowledge of product and market value, and clarity.

Presentation
Command of Sale (10 pts possible per judge)
Introduction, Professionalism & Poise (10 pts possible per judge)
Body Language & Eye Contact (10 pts possible per judge)

Chant
Clarity (10 pts possible per judge)
Rhythm, Timing (10 pts possible per judge)
Voice Quality & Control (10 pts possible per judge)

Execution of Sale
Knowledge of Product (10 pts possible per judge)
Bid Catching (10 pts possible per judge)
Auctioneer Accuracy & Expedition of Sale (10 pts possible per judge)

How likely are you to hire this auctioneer (20 pts possible per judge)

Contestants must complete and submit a WLAC entry form along with payment of $100 per WLAC Qualifying Event. Entry fees are required upon registration. If an entry fee is paid for two WLAC Qualifying Events and the contestant qualifies for the Semi-Finals at the first event, the additional $100 will be paid toward their remaining Semi-Finalist entry fee. If a contestant enters a WLAC Qualifying Event and is unable to attend, advance notice of cancellation must be given to LMA in order to receive a refund.

Completed entry forms and payment in full must be received at the offices of the Livestock Marketing Association, 11501 Outlook Street #250, Overland Park, KS 66211-1811 by 4:00 p.m. (CST) on the business day assigned as a deadline for each event. No entries will be accepted past the posted deadlines. Complete entries will be accepted by mail or online at www.LMAWeb.com.

The WLAC Semi-Finals competition is composed of two parts, the interview and live auction and will feature the 30 contestants who qualified from the WLAC Qualifying Events and the reigning International Auctioneer Champion if he/she meets all of the above contestant qualifications. Qualifying contestants are required to submit a contestant agreement and entry fee of $400 to confirm their participation as a Semi-Finalist, and their acceptance of the terms of the WLAC Champion Contract. Additional contestant materials may be required by the WLAC Committee or LMA staff as needed from time to time. Completed forms and payment in full must be received at the offices of Livestock Marketing Association,11501 Outlook Street #250, Overland Park, KS 66211-1811 by 4:00 p.m. (CST) on the business day assigned as a deadline. Documents and fees returned past the assigned deadline may result in disqualification or reduction of points in the semi-final round.

Five judges will be selected to score the live auction competition. Live auction round judges will not view or participate in the interview competition. Five separate judges will be selected for the interview round with that panel consisting of a member of the LMA Government and Industry Affairs Committee, LMA Membership Services Committee, an agricultural media representative and two at large allied or livestock industry representatives. If a committee member is not eligible as a judge, an alternate will be determined by the WLAC Committee.

The interviews are held in front of a live audience during the Livestock Marketing Association Annual Convention. The reigning Champion will ask each Semi-Finalist the same three questions determined by a selection committee consisting of LMA leadership and support staff. Leadership having a conflict of interest will be excused from the selection process and alternate representatives will be selected as deemed necessary by the WLAC Committee.

For the interview, the five judges will score contestants based on the following criteria. All five judges’ scores will be combined for a total possible 550 points.

Presentation
Initial Command & Introduction (10 pts possible per judge)
Professionalism & Poise (10 pts possible per judge)
Body Language & Eye Contact (10 pts possible per judge)

Response
Did the contestant answer the question (20 pts possible per judge)
Substance of Answers & Knowledge of Industry (20 pts possible per judge)
Articulation (20 pts possible per judge)

Would this auctioneer make a good livestock marketing industry Ambassador (20 pts possible per judge)

The 31 Semi-Finalists will sell a minimum of eight drafts of livestock (traditionally cattle) during a live sale at the host market. The number of drafts will be determined jointly by the host market and the WLAC Committee. The live auction judges will score each contestant based on the following criteria with all five judges’ scores combined for a total possible 550 points. The live auction will account for 75% of the Semi-Finalist score. In the event of a tie, the scores from the judging criteria, in the following order, will break the tie: how likely are you to hire this auctioneer, knowledge of product and market value, and would this auctioneer make a good livestock marketing industry Ambassador.

Presentation
Command of Sale (10 pts possible per judge)
Introduction, Professionalism & Poise (10 pts possible per judge)
Body Language & Eye Contact (10 pts possible per judge)

Chant
Clarity (10 pts possible per judge)
Rhythm, Timing (10 pts possible per judge)
Voice Quality & Control (10 pts possible per judge)

Execution of Sale
Knowledge of Product (10 pts possible per judge)
Bid Catching (10 pts possible per judge)
Auctioneer Accuracy & Expedition of Sale (10 pts possible per judge)

How likely are you to hire this auctioneer (20 pts possible per judge)

Ten Finalists will be selected based on the combined interview (25%) and live auction (75%) scores.

The original Semi-Finalist interview score of the 10 Finalists will carry over to the Finals and account for 25% of the Finalist score. The Finalists will not be interviewed again.

Following a short break after completion of the Semi-Finals, Finalists will draw for order and return to the block to sell a minimum of eight drafts of livestock (traditionally cattle). The number of drafts for the final round will be determined jointly by the host market and the WLAC Committee. The same set of live auction judges as in the Semi-Final round will score the 10 finalists using the same scoring criteria from the earlier live auction round. The Semi-Final live auction score will hold no basis after the Finals competition has begun.

In the event of a tie to determine championship placings the scores from the judging criteria, in the following order, will break the tie: how likely are you to hire this auctioneer, knowledge of product and market value, and would this auctioneer make a good livestock marketing industry Ambassador.

The Audrey K. Banks “Rookie of the Year” (ROTY) award is presented to the highest scoring, first-time competing Semi-Finalist/Finalist to the Championship. Participation in the qualifying events does not impact Rookie eligibility. The ROTY eligibility begins when a contestant first qualifies for the Semi-Finals of the WLAC. If no rookie contestant moves on to the Finals round the ROTY is determined based on the highest score in the Semi-Final round. If multiple rookies move on to the Finals, the highest scoring rookie contestant in the Finals round will be named ROTY.

No WLAC Committee Member, Judge or Contestant may bid on livestock during the WLAC event at which they are participating.

A schedule of events will be provided to all participating contestants prior to the WLAC events. For those events marked as REQUIRED ATTENDANCE, no exceptions will be made and contestants must be in attendance at the start time posted. FAILURE TO ADHERE TO POSTED CONTESTANT SCHEDULES WILL RESULT IN AN AUTOMATIC DEDUCTION OF POINTS OR DISQUALIFICATION. This is reviewable by the WLAC Committee for instances outside the contestant’s control.