Kyle Shobe - 2010 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion
World Champion Auctioneer
Kyle Shobe wins LMA’s 2010 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC)
By Alaina Mousel, Tri-State Livestock News, Editor
Ask an auctioneer for a sample of his craft and what you hear will be as distinctive as the person who utters it. Each auctioneer has their own cadence, pitch and vocabulary. But what makes an auctioneer good is more than just their cry – it’s also their ability to catch bids, execute a sale and be a spokesperson for the industry – at least according to the Livestock Marketing Association’s (LMA’s) World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC) competition.
This year Kyle Shobe, a Lewistown, MT native was named World Champion at LMA’s 47th WLAC competition June 19 at the Oklahoma National Stockyards in Oklahoma City, OK. Last year, Shobe’s first year in the contest, he was named both runner-up world champion (third-place) and “Rookie of the Year.” The “Rookie” award goes to the highest scoring first-time entrant in that year’s semi-finals.
This year’s reserve world champion is Darren T. Carter of Ninety Six, SC, and Charly Cummings of Yates Center, KS, was named runner-up world champion. The remaining seven finalists, from a field of 33 entrants, were, in alphabetical order: Bailey Ballou, Elgin, OK; Tom Frey, Creston, IA; Brian Little, Wann, OK.; Mike Nuss, Minatare, NE; Ted Odle, Butte, MT; Jason Santomaso, Sterling, CO and Kevin Schow, Paxton, NE.
None of them left for home empty handed. According to LMA, the world champion receives a championship ring, valued at nearly $1,000, a cash prize of $5,000, the world champion’s sculpture, a world champion belt buckle and the use of the champion’s truck for his year as reigning champion. The reserve champion and runner-up champion also received a cash prize, crystal and belt buckle. Each of the ten finalists received a trophy belt buckle.
Unexpected
On Monday following the competition, Shobe was still in awe. “It’s an incredible feeling and pretty surprising,” he said of the victory. “I didn’t have any expectations heading into the competition and I brought my family with. I had a whole lot of fun throughout the weekend.”
The weekend consisted of the WLAC competition and LMA’s annual meeting where speakers address industry issues. Dr. Dan Thomson of the Beef Cattle Institute at Kansas State University was just one of the speakers who Shobe appreciated for his discussion on animal welfare practices and educating livestock market employees.
Shobe was born and raised in Lewistown, MT and grew up in the auction business. “I learned the business from my dad, and I learned the chant from my dad and lot of other auctioneers over the years, including several past WLAC Champions” Shobe said.
“There’s a lot of agriculture in Montana and a lot of cattle which provided a great opportunity to learn the livestock business at a young age,” Shobe said. “It’s certainly something I have a passion for.”
Three years ago he and his wife, Jodie, had the opportunity to move back home where Shobe auctioneers with United Country – Shobe Auction & Realty; as well as selling livestock weekly at Lewistown Livestock, owned by Lyle and Jan Allen of Lewistown, MT. When he’s not auctioneering, he is an instructor at Western College of Auctioneering in Billings, MT, a rodeo announcer and a musician.
He said his extracurricular activities have helped his auctioneering. “I learned how to work with people, how to talk with people and now to serve an industry that is so dear to me, (it’s) no less than a dream come true,” Shobe said.
 Deserving of the award
Scott Vance, owner of Faith Livestock in Faith, SD, and a distant cousin of Shobe, followed the WLAC competition closely. “It’s no different than winning at the NFR or the NBA championship – you’re kind of king of the hill for a year,” Vance said regarding the importance of this title.
Vance and his father, Gary, met Shobe at a family reunion five or six years ago where they learned he was getting started selling livestock.
“We told him, ‘Anytime you want to come down (to auction) he could,’” Vance said. Shobe took them up on the offer last October when he worked Faith Livestock’s “Livestock Week.” “He was very well received,” Vance said.
LMA will have Shobe busy working different auction markets throughout the year, including next year’s WLAC regional competitions and the finals. Despite the schedule, Vance has already talked with Shobe about getting him to attend Faith Livestock’s 50th anniversary sale, Monday, Aug. 23.
The competition heats up
“The reason I got involved with WLAC was the opportunity to learn from industry leaders and from some tremendous auctioneers,” Shobe said.
WLAC contestants partake in a public interview where they are asked the same three questions on events and industry issues. The interview portion makes up 25 percent of the participant’s score.
“It’s an attempt to find out who’s not only a good auctioneer, but who can be a spokesperson for the industry,” said John McBride, LMA’s director of information. Contestants are then judged on their ability to sell sets of live cattle where they are evaluated on voice clarity and quality, bid catching ability and execution of the sale. Judges ultimately answer the question, “Would I hire this auctioneer?”
Vance, who judged the WLAC finals in 2005, explained that judges are livestock market owners from each region.  He also said the interview portion of the contest is extremely important. “I know Kyle scored very highly in the interview round,” Vance said. Each contestant answers the same three questions, which consist of industry issues such as animal welfare, age and source verification and animal identification.
“It’s still fairly subjective as to what judges like and look for. Past champions will tell you that there’s a lot of luck involved. I had a couple of good runs on Saturday and a good interview that helped me,” Shobe said.
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