An auctioneer from Florida was recently awarded top honors at World Livestock Auctioneer Championship Qualifier at the Tri-County Stockyards in Motley, Minnesota.
According to the Livestock Marketing Association (LMA), 35 competitors from all over the U.S. battled it out for an opportunity to call bids at the annual World Livestock Auctioneer Championship next June at the Oklahoma National Stockyards. And at the end of the day, Marcus Kent from Dunnellon, Florida, came out on top.
“My goal has always been to make the finals,” Kent said. “Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would win one.”
The Reserve Champion was Joshua Garcia, Karnes City, Texas, and rounding out the top three was Runner-Up Champion Dakota Davis from Waukomis, Oklahoma. Other competitors moving on to the semifinals are as follows: Lynn Langvardt, Chapman, Kansas; Chris Pinard, Swainsboro, Georgia; Troy Robinett, Decatur, Texas; Barrett Simon, Rosalia, Kansas; Dustin Smith, Jay, Oklahoma; Marshall Tingle, Nicholasville, Kentucky; and Zack Zumstein, Marsing, Idaho.
The World Livestock Auctioneer Championship and its qualifying events don’t just bring bid-callers together. The events draw spectators in the bleachers and from all over the world via livestream.
One more qualifying event, to be held in Paris, Kentucky, Nov. 16, will decide the remainder of the championship semifinal field.
Learn more about the WLA competition on the LMA website.