A Hometown Favorite

As for those of us sitting in the crowd during the opening ceremony, we could hear the difference as the contestants were introduced. California, Texas, Mississippi, and on down the list went Kyle Shobe as he called out the hometowns of the auctioneers competing in the first qualifying contest for the title of 2011 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion. Each one tipped or waved his hat as he walked the half moon across the auction ring at the Montgomery Stockyards on September 13th.

Then came one auctioneer who drew more applause than any other. His starched red shirt contrasting against a necktie of spurs and lariats, his glossy black boots and his pressed palm leaf hat; this one was a hometown favorite. With a quick paced step and a toothy grin to the grandstand, Billy Younkin tipped his hat before donning his game face.

That was the start of the competition for a man from the town of Cecil who chants, rattles, and eyes bids while selling cattle each week here in Alabama.

Congratulations to Billy on your accomplishment. You worked your way through a talented field of 29 auctioneers to be named runner-up Champion of the day's contest and earned a chance to move on to compete next June in South Carolina at the 48th World Livestock Auctioneer Championship.

To learn more about this event, please visit the Livestock Marketing Association's website by clicking here.

To all the auctioneers who participated in the contest in Montgomery, congratulations and thanks for visiting the Alabama Cattlemen's Association building and The MOOseum while you were in town.

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