Dickson Regional Livestock Center to host World Livestock Auctioneer Championship qualifier October 17
Auctioneer contest will stream live on LMAauctions.com

Contact
Lindsay Graber Runft
lrunft@lmaweb.com

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Dickson Regional Livestock Center, 120 Livestock Road, Dickson, will host the second of three regional qualifying events for the 2017 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC). The eastern regional qualifying event will be October 17, with opening ceremonies beginning at 10:45 a.m. CDST. A total of 33 contestants will compete for a top 10 placing, granting them a spot in the 2017 WLAC at Public Auction Yards in Billings, Montana.

The reigning World Livestock Auctioneer Champion, Andy White, will attend the qualifier as event emcee.

Each qualifying event is a live sale where the contestants auction cattle to actual bidders in the seats. Contestants are judged on the clarity of their auction chant; vocal quality; and their ability to catch bids and conduct the sale. Judges are livestock market owners and managers from across the United States.

Contestants competing are Jake Billington, Twin Falls, Idaho; Chuck Bradley, Rockford, Ala.; Darren Carter, Ninety Six, S.C.; Leon Caselman, Long Lane, Mo.; Dustin Cotter, Caulfield, Mo.; Brent Croom, Dyer, Tenn.; Brian Curless, Pittsfield, Ill.; Shannon Davis, Winnsboro, Texas; Philip Gilstrap, Pendleton, S.C.; David Hawk, Somerset, Ky.; Kirby Hill, Paris, Texas; Travis Holck, Monroe, Wis.; Mark Lane, Russellville, Ala.; Wade Leist, Boyne City, Mich.; Leon Martin, Ionia, Iowa; Jacob Massey, Petersburg, Tenn.; Brandon McLagen, Unionville, Mo.; Jeremiah Melson, Savannah, Tenn.; Daniel Mitchell, Cumberland, Ohio; Ben Morgan, Ronceverte, W.Va.; Jeremy Odum, Lumberton, Miss.; Alex Popplewell, Russell Springs, Ky.; Joshua Puffenbarger, Staunton, Va.; Jay Romine, Mt. Washington, Ky.; Duane Rus, Rock Valley, Iowa; Ethan Schuette, Washington, Kan.; Dustin Smith, Jay, Okla.; Seth Waldroup, Westminster, S.C.; Chad Wilson, Portland, Tenn.; Shane Wolff, Golden Valley, N.D.; Tim Yoder, Montezuma, Ga.; Vernon Yoder, Dundee, Ohio; Billy Younkin, Cecil, Ala.

The public may attend the livestock auction and competition free of charge. It will also be streamed live on www.LMAAuctions.com beginning at 10:45 a.m. CDST.

About the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship
In June 1963, the Livestock Marketing Association held the first annual World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC) at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Denver, Colorado. The purpose: to spotlight North America’s top livestock auctioneers and to salute their traditionally important role in the competitive livestock marketing process. That year, 23 auctioneers from the United States and Canada sold the same 20 head of cattle over and over again.

The contest was held at hotels until 1967, when it traveled to its first LMA member market. Since then the WLAC has been held in conjunction with the LMA Marketing Industry Convention at member markets around the U.S. and Canada. Recent locations include California, Missouri, Montana, Tennessee, Kansas, South Dakota and Alberta, Canada.

Though the rules have changed, the enthusiasm for the competition hasn’t. On average each year, nearly 100 auctioneers enter the qualifying events and only 31 (10 from each qualifying event, one from the auctioneering competition at Calgary Stampede) are selected to compete in the WLAC. The championship consists of three stages: the regional qualifying events held at different markets around the country, followed by the semi-finals and the finals that are held each June in conjunction with the LMA Annual Convention. Contestants competing for the World Champion title must be 18 years old, employed as a livestock auctioneer and sponsored by a local auction market that shares in the favorable publicity generated by the winners.

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.

About the Livestock Marketing Association
The Livestock Marketing Association, headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, is North America’s largest membership organization dedicated to supporting, representing and communicating with and for the entire livestock marketing sector. LMA has more than 800 member businesses across the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.LMAWeb.com.