Livestock Marketing Association

< Back to Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE

World Livestock Auctioneer Championship to be hosted in California

February 22, 2019

Kansas City, Mo.

Tulare Sales Yard, Tulare, Calif. will host the 2019 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC) on June 7 and 8. The event is free and open to the general public. The 56th annual WLAC will take place in conjunction with the Livestock Marketing Association’s (LMA) Annual Convention.

A total of 31 semi-finalist auctioneers will compete in the contest comprised of an auctioneering and interview portion. The auctioneering contest will take place during a live sale, where contestants will sell cattle to actual bidders in the seats. Additionally, because of the important, high-profile role, each WLAC semi-finalist must establish their knowledge of the livestock marketing industry and demonstrate ability to express that knowledge with clarity, in an interview competition.

Contestants who qualified to compete are Russele Sleep, Bedford, Iowa; Dean Edge, Rimbey, Alberta; Vernon Yoder, Dundee, Ohio; Jim Hertzog, Butler, Mo.; Will Epperly, Dunlap, Iowa; Dustin Smith, Jay, Okla.; Neil Bouray, Webber, Kan.; Chuck Bradley, Rockford, Ala.; Curtis Wetovick, Fullerton, Neb.; Dakota Davis, Caldwell, Kan.; Daniel Mitchell, Cumberland, Ohio; Jay Romine, Mt. Washington, Ky.; Philip Gilstrap, Pendleton, S.C.; Christopher Pinard, Swainsboro, Ga.; Wade Leist, Boyne City, Mich.; Tim Yoder, Montezuma, Ga.; Darren Carter, Ninety Six, S.C.; Jeremy Miller, Fairland, Okla.; Jacob Massey, Petersburg, Tenn.; Jim Settle, Arroyo Grande, Calif.; Lynn Langvardt, Chapman, Kan.; Justin Mebane, Bakersfield, Calif.; Eric Drees, Nampa, Idaho; Colton Brantley, Modesto, Calif.; Brandon Frey, Creston, Iowa; Steve Goedert, Dillion, Mont.; Shane Hatch, Kirtland, N.M.; Brennin Jack, Prince Alberta, Sask; Garrett Jones, Los Banos, Calif.; Zack Zumstein, Marsing, Idaho; and Ryan Konyenbelt, Ft. Macleod, Alberta.

Reigning World Livestock Auctioneer Champion, Jared Miller, will be in attendance, along with many other past World Livestock Auctioneer Champions. Each will sell cattle during the Parade of Champions, a portion of the WLAC sale between the semi-finalist and finalist rounds.

If you are interested in viewing the WLAC, tune into the live online stream. The interviews will be on Friday, June 7 and can be viewed live on www.LMAauctions.com starting at 3:00 p.m. (PST). The auctioneering competition will be at Tulare Sales Yard beginning at 8:00 am (PST) and will also be streamed live on www.LMAAuctions.com. After the event, the WLAC will be broadcast as a special, one-hour show on RFD-TV.

About the Livestock Marketing Association

The Livestock Marketing Association (LMA), headquartered in Overland Park, Kan., is North America’s leading, national trade association dedicated to serving its members in the open and competitive auction method of marketing livestock. Founded in 1947, LMA has more than 800 member businesses across the U.S. and Canada and remains invested in both the livestock and livestock marketing industries through member support, education programs, policy representation and communication efforts.

RELATED PRESS RELEASES

June 20, 2024

Wade Leist Wins World Livestock Auctioneer Championship

June 14, 2023

Massey Wins 2023 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship

Jacob Massey, from Petersburg, Tenn., was named champion at the 2023 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC). The championship, now in its 59th year, was held at Arcadia Stockyard in Arcadia, Fla., and presented by the Livestock Marketing Association (LMA).

June 16, 2023

LMA BlockTrust Network Pilot Project Sales Kicking off in California June 17

Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) in cooperation with BlockTrust Network, Mobile Cattle Marketing, Petaluma, Calif., Humboldt Livestock Auction Yard, Humboldt, Calif., Turlock Livestock Auction Yard, Turlock, Calif., Cattlemen’s Livestock Market, Galt, Calif., and Blue Grass Stockyards, Lexington, Ky., are conducting a pilot project to determine how blockchain technology offered by BlockTrust Network may allow LMA member livestock marketing businesses to leverage voluntary data capture of cattle moving through the auctions.