Tag Archives: LMA

LMA Daily News Briefing Appearance Announcement

Posted on January 12, 2011 | Comments Off

I just wanted to share with you the brief article that was run in today’s LMA Daily News Briefing.  It talks about the Special Sale I will be working with Dean and Kevin Schow at Ogallala Livestock Auction Market, Inc. on January 20th.   Be sure to check out Ogallala’s website and don’t forget to read the rest of today’s livestock marketing news!

3 talented auctioneers, including 2 world champions, working Jan. 20 special sale at Ogallala, Neb., Livestock Auction Market

      If you enjoy the sound of a talented auctioneer, you have three reasons to be at the Ogallala, Neb.,  Livestock Auction Market, Inc. on Jan. 20.

     That’s when World Livestock Auctioneer Champions Kyle Shobe and Dean Schow will work a special cattle sale at the market.

     Also sharing time in the auction block will be Dean’s son, Kevin. He will compete in the 2011 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC), in June in Williamston, S.C. 

     Market co-owner and president Dwayne Mays said his very talented team of auctioneers will be selling an expected 7,500 – 8,000 feeder and stocker cattle, “from many of our area’s top producers.”

 Shobe is the current champion.  Dean Schow was named world champion in 1980, following competition in Templeton, Calif.  He and Kevin regularly sell at the Ogallala market.

     Asked about appearing with the Schows, Shobe said, “I believe listening to, and watching talented auctioneers work, is a great way to improve your skills.  Working with a fellow world champion like Dean is bound to be an educational experience for me.

     “And I wish Kevin all the best at this summer’s contest.  He’s shown he’s a very talented auctioneer,” Shobe said.

     This will be Kevin’s fifth time in the contest. He finished among the top ten finalists in 2009 and 2010.

   Dean Schow said he was “excited about the opportunity to work with Kyle. He’s a fine young man, a very talented auctioneer and a great spokesman for (LMA).”

Kevin Schow Selling in the 2010 WLAC Finals

 

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Good Company and Pink Lightning

Posted on October 15, 2010 | Comments Off

I already shared with you the business end of my trip to Oklahoma and Kansas so I think it is only fair that I share with you the rest of my adventure.  I have great friends and colleagues that are always coming up with ways to entertain, so there was never a dull moment!

Rodeo Announcers Shop Talk- Justin McKee, Me, Wayne Brooks

I helped Justin and Jeannie McKee gather cows on Thursday and Friday mornings.  On Friday, I had just hopped off my horse and was getting ready to hit to road to Gas, KS when Wayne Brooks pulled up.  Wayne is a former PRCA Announcer of the Year and was in the area to work the State Fair rodeo.  He had the morning off and decided to drive up to see Justin.  It was a pleasant surprise on both ends to run into each other.  The three of us, Wayne, Justin and myself, stood around and talked announcer shop for a while before I hit the road.  It never ceases to amaze me how small the World is some days.

 Friday evening was enjoyed with good company and lots of laughs.  Thanks to the always entertaining Andrew!

The Bird Hunting A Team- Charly, Me, Blaine, Mike

 Saturday morning started with a hearty breakfast at the Copan, OK truck stop.  We then headed off pheasant hunting.  Brian Little, our host, along with the rest of the participants all decided to add some friendly competition to the hunt and place a wager on the team that could bring in the most birds.  My team consisted of Charly Cummings, cattle buyer Mike Lotz and his son Blaine.  Sadly, I had to leave the hunt early in order to catch a plane in Wichita, KS.  However, our team still won the competition!  I don’t know if that shows how good Charly, Mike and Blaine are or how the rest of the boys need a little more practice…hmmm?!

 

 I want to give a quick shout out about Blaine Lotz.  He is a hard work young man and an aspiring auctioneer.  I first had the pleasure of meeting him when he was a student at the Western College of Auctioneering last year.  He is currently President of his FFA Chapter and is active in the livestock industry.  He was at the sale Thursday helping his dad buy cattle.  It is great to see young people so involved with the livestock marketing industry.  I look forward to hearing about his continued accomplishments.  Hats off to you Blaine!

 Finally, the story of my trip would not be complete without mentioning Jay Romine and his pink moped.  I thought my rental car was small until I saw him on Pink Lightning!

Jay Romine on Pink Lightning

Just a reminder that next Saturday, October 23 is the second of the 2011 WLAC Quarterfinal events.  It will be in Ponoka, Alberta Canada and will start at 10:00 AM GMT.  As always, the contest will be broadcast live on LMAAuctions.  You will not want to miss this event as it will be a true World showcase of Livestock Auctioneers.  There will be contestants from the US, Canada and Australia competing!

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The Mini Auctioneer’s Convention

Posted on October 12, 2010 | 2 Comments

First, my apologies for not updating you for a while; between finishing up the rodeo season and getting ready for fall runs, I have not had time to breathe!  Not to mention I needed to spend some time catching up with the family.

 I did hit the airport/road again this last week and headed down to Oklahoma and Kansas.

 I arrived in Tulsa Wednesday afternoon and drove up to Lenapah, OK to stay with my friends Justin and Jeannie McKee.  I had the privilege of eating at Russell McKee’s “cook shack” on Wednesday evening.  (Russell, Justin’s father, is a former LMA President) His REAL home cookin’ was awesome!  I am pretty sure it topped my experience at Waffle House. 

 Thursday was a big day at Coffeyville Livestock Market with their Anniversary Sale.  Over 2,300 head of bred cows, yearling cattle and calves crossed the auction ring and there was a house full of buyers and spectators for the entire day!  The sale got underway at around 11:30 after their appreciation lunch of burgers, beans and Coffeyville Livestock caps.  –Collecting market caps is one of my favorite perks of this job.

 Brian Little and Jimmy Ted King have owned and operated the market there in Coffeyville for 6 years and have built quite an impressive business.  Southeast Kansas has a lot of competition when it comes to livestock markets and Brian and Jimmy Ted have work hard to earn and keep their clients.

 It’s tradition that Brian invites a few other WLAC competitors and friends to make an appearance at the Anniversary Sale, and in attendance this year was Jay Romine from Kentucky, Charly Cummings from Yates Center, KS, Andrew McDowell from Illinois and his father Alva.  As you can tell, the trip kind of turned into a mini auctioneer’s convention.

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 Friday we all headed to SEK Stockyards, LLC in Gas, KS.  Charly Cummings is a partner in the market.  I was very excited and pleasantly surprised to see Lanny Ireland, the 1996 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion at the sale.  I had a nice visit with Lanny.  He has certainly been an influence in my bid calling and it was great to finally have a few minutes to sit down with him and talk about the business. 

 All in all, it was a very memorable weekend with some excellent auctioneers and friends.  Thanks to Brian and Charly for inviting me to be a part of their sales…it’s a trip I’ll remember for a long time! 

 To all of you who have submitted questions about how to become a livestock auctioneer and requesting tips and tricks of the trade: I have not forgotten about you and am working to answer your questions.  I will premiere that section of the blog site on October 20 and should have video uploaded by the second week in November.  I appreciate your patience!

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A Taste of the South

Posted on September 17, 2010 | Comments Off

I want to start out by saying thank you to Montgomery Stock Yards for all of their hard work and hospitality!  The Etheredge, Jordan and Taylor families along with all the staff put in a tremendous amount of work to prepare for this event and it went off without a hitch.  The LMA staff, as always, did a great job in running and planning the contest and online broadcast.  All of the contestants gave it their all and the buyers put them to the test.  I must thank their auctioneer Mr. John Williams for his patience during the contest and for allowing me to sell during a break.  I know it cannot be easy to hand over the reins to 30 unfamiliar auctioneers and his help was much appreciated.

I can say, 100% the first of the 2011 WLAC Quarterfinal competitions was a success!   It sure was nice being up on the block announcing instead of competing.  However, I did miss having the chance to hang out with all of contestants in the holding room.  That is where I have heard some great stories and had the opportunity to get to know my colleagues!  Not to mention the food that is back there at most of these events.  In Montgomery they had everything from Rocky Road brownies to BBQ sandwiches.  Everything was provided by ladies at the market, so it was all homemade…mmmm. 

Speaking of food, eating sure was an adventure during my trip, especially on my way home.  I rode with LMA Rep John Kissee to and from the Atlanta airport and on our trip back on Monday we decided to stop and eat dinner.  John took me to a place I had never been before, Waffle House.  I know it may seem odd that I have never eaten at a Waffle House, but the opportunity had never presented itself until Monday.  It most definitely lived up to its reputation and it was an experience.  (Jeff Foxworthy came to mind..)  I, of course had to try the waffles and some smothered and covered hash browns.  Though not as good as home cooking, it was delicious.  The best part of the Waffle House experience was the atmosphere.  There were people from all walks of life in that tiny diner.  The funny thing was that it took us longer to pay for our food than it did to eat it.

 Well, I am off to take a break from the auction ring and prepare for a gig this weekend.  The Walk ‘em Boys and I are playing at a wedding dance here in Lewistown this Saturday.  It is always fun to play good music for friends with friends and I do enjoy a good wedding dance….I wonder what kind of cake they will have!?

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Congratulations to the winners of the contest!  The following auctioneers will all be competing in South Carolina June 25 and 26, 2010:

Justin Dodson– Champion

Dustin Focht–Reserve Champion

Billy Younkin– Runner Up Champion

Philip Gilstrap, Jacob Massey, Brandon Neely, Jay Romine, Jeff Showalter

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The Beef Wagon

Posted on September 13, 2010 | Comments Off

My first day in the South was a huge success.  I have been nothing but impressed with everything from the scenery to the hospitality and I cannot wait to see the cattle today!

I landed in Atlanta, Georgia and joined LMA Rep John Kissee for the journey to Montgomery.  Once in Montgomery I settled in and caught my breath before heading off t0 the dinner reception.  The reception was hosted by the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association (ACA) and was in the Cattlemen’s Building in downtown Montgomery.  The building’s first floor is appropriately called the Mooseum, and is full of educational facts ranging from the history of cattle in Alabama to the different uses of cattle in everyday products.  It is a place where anyone can go and find out something interesting and new about cattle production.

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Alabama Cattlemen’s Association also has the Beef Wagon that they use at offsite events to promote the consumption of beef at offsite events.  As you can see in the pictures it is a very eye-catching  van that gets the point across.  It is one of the ways they reach out to consumers and the public to educate them about what their food. If you are ever close to Montgomery, I encourage you to stop by and see the Mooseum for yourself and expand your knowledge of the cattle industry.

As you have already gathered, I am a firm believer that education of the public and our youth is the key to effective policy and the survival of the Agriculture industry.  Many people have no idea where their food comes from and it is our job as agriculturalists to start the conversation about production agriculture and educate the public about what we do.  Once agian, I encourage you to talk to people about agriculture and all of the positive things that we do for the world.  All it takes is one person and one conversation to make a difference.  Stepping off of my soap box now…

Along with the opportunity to look around the Mooseum, we also enjoyed a delicious NY Strip dinner prepared by Mr. Ed P Whatley and his catering crew. Dinner was of course enjoyed with good company and humor.  I had the opportunity to sit with the host of today’s contest Mr. Jerry Etheredge.  Jerry is a very prominent member of Livestock Marketing Association and is the chairman of the WLAC Committee.  He has helped in making the contest a continued success and his efforts as a host and committeeman have not gone unrecognized.  His wife Tay and daughter Sterling were also at dinner.  The two of them, along with all of the staff at the stockyards, have gone above and beyond in showing me what Southern hospitality is all about and I truly appreciate it!  Thank you ladies!

Last night was a wonderful way to kick off the first Quarterfinal event and to honor Jerry Etheredge and Montgomery Stockyards for all of the hard work they have put in to make this contest a success.   With that, I am going to get to work.  The contest is about to start and I am the lucky emcee!  I cannot wait to see all of my colleagues sell and check out the new talent.  I will let you know on Wednesday what it feels like being on the block and not competing.  I have plenty of practice behind the microphone, so I am not nervous but more excited to get the show started!

Good Luck to all 29 contestants! Check back on Wednesday for pictures, video and details about the last leg of my Southern adventure!

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