October 25 was no ordinary sale day at the Tri-County Stockyards. While cattle came through the ring and buyers placed their bids like any other Wednesday, the block was manned by 35 different auctioneers vying for top honors. The competitors from all over the U.S. battled it out for buckles, bragging rights. and the opportunity to call bids at the annual World Livestock Auctioneer Championship next June. At the end of the day, Marcus Kent from Dunnellon, Florida, came out on top.

“My goal has always been to make the finals. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that I would win one. Getting to go to Oklahoma City, one of the biggest markets in the world, I’m very excited about it.”

But for Kent, it’s not just about the accolades.

“I would have to say that I enjoy meeting the people the most. I’ve met some of my best friends at these contests and made some great memories at these contests.”

Mitch Barthel, a former contestant who served as host of the qualifying event, agrees.

“Just the friendships you’ve made and the people you met, and the camaraderie makes you come back and it’s fun to see. And it’s especially fun when you don’t compete, and you can really have fun with everybody around.”

But the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship and its qualifying events aren’t just a fun way for peers to connect and compete.

“WLAC really puts a highlight on the auction aspect of selling cattle and the way of doing business for true price discovery. The top way to sell cattle is the auction way, so highlighting that is probably the biggest part.”

For Reserve Champion Joshua Garcia, the long trip from south Texas was well worth it to be a part of the unique event that draws spectators in the bleachers and from all over the world via livestream.

“It’s all about action. It’s all about getting in the groove of things and just trying to figure out what’s what, what calf’s selling for what. And in that way, when they bring their calves in, you know, they get to see, oh, that’s my calf. As an auctioneer, you want to have adrenaline, excitement, keep the sale going, keep it motivated, and it keeps the people interested.”

One more qualifying event to be held in Paris, Kentucky, on November 16th, will decide the remainder of the championship semifinal field. You can find out more at lmaweb.com.