Livestock Marketing Association

06/05/2026

There's only one World Livestock Auctioneer Championship. And there can only be one champion!

Who will gain the coveted title that shapes their career and future?

06/04/2026

Neil Bouray doesn’t even want to think about how many hours he’s spent practicing his chant.
“I just takes time,” he warns aspiring competitive auctioneers. “When given the opportunity for mic time, cherish it. The burning in your gut will bring you back for more.”
The fourth-generation bid caller is incredibly excited about competing in the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship — and taking part in the LMA convention, too.
“First the location is in an absolute beautiful part of this country,” Neil says. “And the Common Ground Coalition and other topics discussed are vital to the future of our great industry.”
Watch him and 30 other top bid callers compete in June.

06/04/2026

You’ve seen the New World Screwworm announcement but have you thought of how industry continues work in that zone? This update from LMA member Southwest Livestock Exchange breaks down their next steps, which includes sale day and taking care of their consignors and buyers like every other day.

Thursday June 4th Sale & Screwworm Update-

We unfortunately are the first and closest sale barn to the first confirmed screwworm case.

With that being said, We WILL have a sale and you can bring your cattle in tomorrow as usual. We anticipate 200-250hd tomorrow (a good thing in this learning situation).

Here’s what is anticipated from Texas Animal Health-
At some point in the very near future they will setup a 12 mile radius quarantine from the site of the confirmed case in La Pryor. (That has not been done as of this post-10pm June 3rd). Since this is the first case, they will not allow livestock to move from within that area for 72 hours once activated.

After 72 hours and their assessment of the severity, they will allow cattle to move after inspection and treatment.

Here’s the process as we’ve been told-

They will travel to your location, verify no animals are infected or have open wounds. Anything infected will need to be treated and quarantined per their requirements.
The remaining cattle may be treated with a product like Dectomax injectable or Exholt Pour on.
After 72 hours, those cattle will be able to be re-inspected. The treated livestock will then be released with a permit or CVI to travel anywhere with a clean release. This means they are free to move to property outside of the quarantine zone. (Ranches, Feedlots, Salebarns, etc)

For Slaughter Cows-
They can be released with inspection directly to a safe barn or processor. If they do not continue to slaughter, they must go through an inspection and treatment similar to above at their destination.

Livestock CAN travel through a quarantine zone with no restrictions.

Buyers- we still have one of the few active dipping vats in Texas. We will gladly dip your cattle at NO charge to give you added protection when buying from us. This has been discussed as solution with usda to be permitted out, similar to treatment. It has not been approved yet, but it’s a very active discussion tonight to get an expedited decision.

This a very developing situation. There will be several officials, along with ourselves, on site tomorrow to answer questions. If you don’t get a clear answer or need any additional information, let us know and we can get in contact with the right people.

We have been working hard in the background preparing for this day, just didn’t expect us to be first. We are here to work for our Sellers and Buyers. We will be transparent through this process and want to guarantee healthy cattle leaving.

Bottom line- it’ll be a little more work, but we can still market your livestock for their full value!

God Bless the American Rancher and Eat American Beef!

-Speer Family

06/02/2026

Andrew Sylvester has always cherished working with good people and good cattle. He began his career in purebred sales and, while he still loves them, he discovered equal passion for selling commercial cattle.
When his market signed him up for his first contest, he was instantly hooked.
To aspiring competitors, Andrew advises finding joy beyond the title: “If you want to compete at this level you need to find satisfaction in the relationships you have the opportunity to make, not strictly winning… making friends and business relationships makes everyone a winner.”
Watch him and the other semifinalists compete in the 2026 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship in June.

05/28/2026

Barrett Simon grew up in the cow-calf business, where the auction method shaped markets and communities.
Embracing competition as the path to growth an auctioneer, he pursued the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship to sharpen his skills and forge connections across livestock marketing.
His advice to those with similar goals? Seize every shot.
“There is an abundance of opportunity in this business,” he says, “even if it doesn’t seem like that’s the case all the time. Listen to those who are willing to help. Some of the best advice you receive may come from where you least expect it.”
Watch him and 30 other top bid callers compete in June.

05/28/2026

Happy National Hamburger Day! 🍔 Consider this your official sign to make burgers for dinner tonight!

Today we’re celebrating one of America’s favorites, and we’re proud to support the people behind every great burger.

05/27/2026

Garrett Nunn was just six years old when Lex Madden’s commanding chant and genuine kindness at a bull sale captivated him. Young Garrett knew he wanted to become an auctioneer — and to carry that same courtesy into his own life.
Years later, his dream took root at Torrington Livestock Markets, working under Lex, Chuck Petersen and Lander Nicodemus. There, he absorbed invaluable lessons from industry legends and forged friendships with mentors like John Korrey and Mike Nuss.
Now a World Livestock Auctioneer Championship semifinalist, Garrett is excited to compete, reconnect with old friends, meet new ones and return home with fresh insights to better serve producers.
Watch him and 30 other top bid callers compete in June.

05/26/2026

Chas Ophus first felt the pull of auctioneering as a boy, tagging along with his dad and brothers to horse and cattle sales in Billings, Mont. There, legends like Joe Goggins and Ty Thompson commanded the ring with masterful chants. He soaked it in, mimicking the rhythm without yet knowing it would become his path.
Years later, he enrolled in auction school, determined to sell livestock. Persistence paid off: practice, good mentors, seizing every microphone opportunity and studying the best.
This year marks his World Livestock Auctioneer Championship debut as a semifinalist in St. Onge. Watch him and 30 other top bid callers compete in June.

05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, the Livestock Marketing Association honors and remembers the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country.

Their sacrifice is the foundation of the freedoms we are privileged to live and work under every day. As we gather with family and friends, we pause to reflect, remember, and give thanks.

From all of us at Livestock Marketing Association, we are forever grateful.

05/23/2026

🎙️ From the archives: today we’re sharing an audio recording from the very first World Livestock Auctioneer Championship—held in June 1963 at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Denver.

The WLAC was created to spotlight North America’s top livestock auctioneers and salute their essential role in the competitive livestock marketing process. And over time, the championship moved where it belongs—into the heart of the industry—traveling to its first LMA member market in 1967 and continuing as an annual tradition hosted at member markets across the U.S. and Canada.

That’s what makes this title so meaningful: it’s more than a trophy. It’s a career-defining mark of skill, professionalism, and the ability to represent the livestock industry with pride. And it also honors the weekly, fixed-facility livestock auctions that make this industry work—serving producers and supporting fair, competitive price discovery through the auction method.

Turn the volume up and take a step back in time. 🔊