Fast talkers fill Gladstone Auction Mart
- Details
- Published on Thursday, May 4, 2017
By Penny Rodgers
Submitted
The 2017 Man/Sask Auctioneer Competition brought some of the best auctioneers the two provinces have to offer to the Gladstone Auction Mart on Saturday, April 29.
According to Rick Wright, Chair of Man/Sask Auction Competition and Administrator for Manitoba Livestock Marketing Association, “It’s an event we put together to recognize the auctioneers and how important they are to the auction industry and to the cattle business and how hard they work for their producers each and every day.”
The competition has been shared between provinces for over 25 years, this being the first year Gladstone has hosted the event.
Twelve well-dressed, fast talkers started out the day, each given 10 drafts of cattle to sell, as well as ‘black box items’ graciously donated by local businesses. They were judged by six professional auctioneers, cattle buyers and auction mart operators on rhythm, clarity, voice control and professionalism.
Five finalists were chosen to compete again in a second round, with winners being announced at the awards banquet at the Gladstone District Community Centre later that evening.
• Rookie Award: Brad Kehler, Grunthal, Manitoba (sponsored by the Wright Family in memory of Bob Wright, a well-known and respected auctioneer from Boissevain, Manitoba).
• 55 Plus: Ken McDonald - Indian Head, Saskatchewan/Supreme Auctions
• Fifth place: Brad Kehler - Grunthal, Manitoba/Grunthal Auction Mart
• Fourth place: Rick Wright - Virden, Manitoba/Heartland Order Buying Co
• Third place: Kim Crandall - Winnipegosis, Manitoba/Ste Rose Auction Mart
• Second place: Brock Taylor - Melita, Manitoba/ Taylor Auctions, Assembly & Exports
• First place: Tyler Cronkhite - Maple Creek, Saskatchewan/Cowtown Livestock Exchange
This was Tyler Cronkhite’s first win at an auctioneering competition, and he chalks it all up to practice.
“I had a lot of people tell me that to be a successful cattle auctioneer it takes 10 years and it’s banging on the door, this year being 10 years, and finally feeling comfortable getting up there and rattling on.”
Cronkhite received a $500 hand-crafted belt buckle sponsored by Merial Canada and their Longshot Program, plus $1,000 cash, sponsored by the Livestock Markets of Saskatchewan, towards his transportation to the Livestock Markets Association Auctioneering Championships in Lethbridge, AB May 11-14.
