Chuck Bradley, from Rockford, Ala., was named the 2021 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion at the 57th annual competition held at Dickson Regional Livestock Center, Dickson, Tenn., and presented by the Livestock Marketing Association (LMA). 

“It was such a surreal moment,” Bradley said. “I was in awe. You go back and look at the other past champions, and it’s an elite group. To be classified into that group now, really means a lot to me.” 

Bradley, a three-time qualifier of the WLAC event and 2019 WLAC Reserve Champion Auctioneer, earned his spot to this year’s competition by winning LMA’s 2020 Western Qualifying Event. Twenty-eight other contestants also qualified through three regional qualifying events and received a bye into the 2021 competition due to a cancellation of last year’s event.  

Eric Drees of Caldwell, Idaho, earned Reserve Champion honors, and Will Epperly from Dunlap, Iowa, was named Runner-Up Champion. 

Other top ten finalists were Justin Mebane, Bakersfield, Calif.; Chris Pinard, Swainsboro, Ga.; Sixto Paiz, Portales, N.M.; Neil Bouray, Webber, Kan.; Zack Zumstein, Marsing, Idaho; Dakota Davis, Waukomis, Okla. and Steve Goedert, Dillon, Mont. 

Additional semi-finalists were Alex Anderson, Abingdon, Va.; Zach Ballard, Mt. Vernon, S.D.; Andy Baumeister, Goldthwaite, Texas; Colton Brantley, Modesto, Calif.; Leon Caselman, Long Lane, Mo.; Philip Gilstrap, Pendleton, S.C.; Brandon Hamel, Damar, Kan.; Lynn Langvardt, Chapman, Kan.; Wade Leist, Boyne City, Mich.; Jacob Massey, Petersburg, Tenn.; Jeremy Miller, Fairland, Okla.; Daniel Mitchell, Cumberland, Ohio; Ben Morgan, Organ Cave, W.V.; Trey Narramore, Portales, N.M.; Lander Nicodemus, Cheyenne, Wyo.; Dustin Smith, Jay, Okla.; Curtis Wetovick, Fullerton, Neb.; Tim Yoder, Montezuma, Ga. and Vern Yoder, Dundee, Ohio.  

Kristen Parman, LMA VP of Membership Services, said, “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.” 

As a part of the champion’s role, Bradley will spend the next year traveling the country, sharing his auctioneering skills with other livestock auction markets and acting as a spokesperson on behalf of the livestock marketing industry and LMA. 

“A lot of us who compete in this contest auctioneer for a living every day,” Bradley said. “This year I’m planning to continue to still go out in the field and interact with markets and their producers, while promoting LMA. 

Bradley, a graduate of North Georgia School of Auctioneering, works as an auctioneer for Montgomery Stock Yards, LLC in Montgomery, Ala. He lives in Equality, Ala., with his wife Jill and two children.  

A one-hour highlight show from the 2021 competition will air on RFD-TV June 28 beginning at 7 p.m. (CST). WLAC fans can mark their calendars for the 2022 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship, which will be held June 8-11, 2022, at Shipshewana Auction, Inc., in Shipshewana, Ind.