PHOTO/ANNE DAVISON
At Virden’s Heartland Livestock Services the chant was always changing as auctioneer after auctioneer, 17 competitors in total, took the microphone to sell. It was a show in itself, the high prices a reward to producers for their investment, know-how and hard work.
Top Rookie (under 5 years selling cattle) was Ty Cutler of Moosomin, Sask., son of Virden based auctioneer Ward Cutler, who is himself a Man/Sask and Canadian Livestock Auctioneering Champion.
Each competing auctioneer was vying for top spot in the Man/Sask Livestock Auctioneers event to represent the area at the Canadian Livestock Auctioneering Championship in Waterloo, Ont. on May 24.
John Baier of Swift Current won that privilege and the $1000 prize, plus a Boehringer-Ingelheim (veterinary pharmaceutical company) custom made buckle. Ty Cutler will compete in the rookie category in Waterloo.
Second place was Paul Moore of Yorkton, third was Brady Olson of Moose Jaw, fourth was Brock Taylor of Melita and Allan Munroe of Killarney was fifth.
These winners were awarded at the Saturday evening banquet in the Virden Legion Club Room where the top five auctioneers received travel bags courtesy of J. Quintaine & Son of Brandon and JGL Livestock of Virden.
About 3,200 cattle of all classes including replacement heifers, feeders, fat cattle and cows were sold on Saturday. The buyer chairs were full and the stands were packed as farmers and farm families, probably about 200 spectators at any given time, watched top auctioneers introduce each lot, pick up the bids and drop the gavel on the top bid, announcing the price and the buyer.
The Pipestone Beef Club were thanked for their services as the runners.
Along with a predetermined number of drafts of cattle that each auctioneer sold, a Black Box item such as hockey tickets, a barbecue, cooler, or other livestock related merch was also auctioned to the highest bidder in the full house.
Brennin Jack, Branch manager at Heartland Livestock Services, Virden, said of this busy event, “It was a very, very strong sale. We had extra good buyer support and it was extremely good for producers.”
