Iowa barn to host world auctioneer contest
Knoxville Regional Livestock Market, Knoxville, Iowa, will host the 2014 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC) June 19-21 in conjunction with the Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) Annual Convention at the Des Moines Marriott Hotel.
In addition, the reigning World Livestock Auctioneer Champion, Dustin Focht, along with many past world champion auctioneers, will be attending this year’s contest.
For the world champion auctioneer title, 31 semi-finalist auctioneers will compete in live interview and auctioneering contests. Because of this important, high-profile role, each WLAC semi-finalist must establish their knowledge of the livestock marketing business, and demonstrate their ability to express that knowledge with clarity, in a live interview competition. The interviews will be on Friday, June 20, at the Des Moines Marriott Hotel. The interview competition can be viewed live on http://www.LMAauctions.com starting at 2 p.m. (CST).
The Saturday, June 21, auctioneering competition at Knoxville Regional Livestock Market begins at 8 a.m. (CST) and is a live sale where the contestants auction cattle to actual bidders in the seats. The auctioneering competition will be streamed live beginning at 8:00 a.m. (CST) on http://www.LMAauctions.com and broadcast as a special, one-hour show on RFD-TV June 30, starting at 8 p.m. (ET).
Contestants from the following states are competing: Alabama (3), Arizona (1), Arkansas (1), California (5), Colorado (1), Iowa (5), Illinois (1), Kansas (2), Kentucky (1), Minnesota (1), Ohio (2), Oklahoma (2), South Carolina (2), Tennessee (1). There are three contestants from Canada.
Media are welcome to attend the live auctioneering competition at Knoxville Regional Livestock Market on Saturday. The barn is located at 1583 Iowa 5 in Knoxville, Iowa. To arrange interviews the week of the contest, during the contest or for on-site information, contact Lindsay Graber at 816-301-2426, or email lgraber@lmaweb.com
Contestants are:
Alabama: Blake McDaniel, Tallassee; Brandon Neely, Southside; Billy Younkin, Cecil
Arizona: Paul Ramirez, Tuscon
Arkansas: A.J. Austin, Marmaduke
California: Chuck Cozzitoro, Hilmar; Mike Imbrogno, Fresno; Garret Jones, Los Banos; John McGill, LeGrand; Justin Mebane, Bakersfield
Colorado: Jason Santomaso, Sterling
Iowa: Justin Abell, Sigourney; Will Epperly, Dunlap; Duane Rus, Rock Valley; Russele Sleep, Bedford; David Whitaker, Ames
Illinois: Brian Curless, Pittsfield
Kansas: Blaine Lotz, Edna; Preston Smith, Dodge City
Kentucky: Jay Romine, Mt. Washington
Minnesota: Mitch Barthel, Perham
Ohio: Daniel Mitchell, Cumberland; Vernon Yoder, Wilmot
Oklahoma: Mike Godberson, Pawnee; Brian Little, Wann
South Carolina: Darren Carter, Ninety Six; Philip Gilstrap, Pendelton
Tennessee: Jacob Massey, Petersburg
–Livestock Marketing Association
