sS—Lancaster^ 1 ;
Ed Lachman, the only American photographed
the three German film crews, focuses on the
auctioneering competition for a film to be made fbr
German audiences.
The German film crew was interested in filming
the Pa. Dutch ties to the Old Country.
Paul Sanger of Lebanon, Pa., had the honor of
being the oldest auctioneer at the World Cham
pionship. He is 65 years old and has been auc
tioneering for 50 years. Next summer he will attend
the championships in Calgary, Alberta, to celebrate
a half-century of dedication to his work.
,'June26Vl976
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STOCK AUC
By JOANNE SPAHR
NEW HOLLAND - It was a
big event last Saturday at
the New Holland Sales
Stables, Inc., when the World
Livestock Auctioneer
Championships took place. A
motley crew of cosmopolitan
. auctioneers in white cowboy
hats and business suits,
farmers in their work-a-day
jeans, women in high quality
pantsuits and makeup, and
Amish in their traditional
garb all rubbed elbows and
swapped' facts while a
German movie crew looked
on, filming the whole process
for posterity and a TV
audience back home.
Why the excitement?
“It’s the Miss America
pageant of auctioneering,”
drawled Ralph Waite, this
year’s reserve champion
sponsored from Coffeyville,
Kansas, while awaiting his
turn at the block.
Waite was one of 53-con
testants from across the
United States who signed up
to compete in this year’s
annual event which has
taken place for 13 years now.
According to Gerry
Nevins, coordinator of the
contest and Advertising
Business, manager of the
Livestock Market Digest
who conducted the affair,
this year’s turnout was one
of the best ever. Many of the
participating auctioneers,
returning for their, third and
fourth times for a try at the
coveted title, agreed with
Nevins’ observations. Most
said that there seemed to be
more interest in auc
tioneering in this area than
in other parts of the country.
This is part of the reason
New Holland Sales Stables
was chosen to host the event.
Nevins said that when the
Livestock Market Digest,
Inc., was looking for a place
for this year’s contest, the
East Coast was chosen as the
basic region. From there, it
was a process, of
elimination.
“We knew competitive
marketing was strong in the
region, so we chose it, and
there’s been a record
crowd,” explained Nevins.
“Abes” also been a great
man to work with,” he ad
ded.
Abe Diffenbach, president
of the New Holland Sales
Stables, had prepared for
2000 to 3000 people, and his
expectations were easily
met. In fact, after the con
test, he estimated that there
were at least that many
people in the arena alone,
watching the sale.
There’s no doubt that the
arena was packed. Nor
mally, according to Dif
fenbach, it holds anywhere
from 400-500, but during the
auction it was crammed past
its capacity. Not a single
spot was vacant. Crowds
were overflowing and
pushing out onto the cat
walks where the vision was
limited, but word of mouth
was good.
Also, in the horse bam,
Diffenbach had four closed
circuit cameras set up - two
facing each direction.
Although it began at noon,
to get a good seat most
•^raaafc*
-Tl
Super affluence and old world hats 'and Cadillacs swapped ick
traditions met and meshed on and opinions with local Amish f;
Saturday as auctioneers in Stetson mers.
people arrived early in the
morning.
“We got here at 9:30,” said
Krall Hostetter and Ed
Bowers, two interested local
people'who planned to come
to the event for over three
weeks.
“You never know when
you’ll get to see something
like this again,” they con
tinued while snacking on the
free lunch of ring bblogna,
cheese, olives, pickles,
potato chips, and pretzels set
up by the New Holland Sales
Stables.
It will be some time before
the event returns to Pa. Next
year it will be held- in
Calgary, Alberta.
Sponsored every year by
the Livestock Marketing
Association and conducted
by the Livestock Market
Digest, Inc., a subsidiary
company, in conjunction
with the Livestock
Marketing Congress, which
was held at Hershey this
year, the contest stresses
professionalism in auc
tioneering.
(Continued on Page 60]
Ron Bali, last year’s World Champion Auctioneer from Brush, Colo.,
the day’s festivities by auctioning off the first set of cattle at the
Livestock Auctioneer Championships on Saturday. Seated beside him is
Diffenbach, clerk at the stables.
s* " v JP
THE AUCTIONEERS
By Wynn C. Walker, Sr,
Written at New Holland Sales Stables
June 19,1976
Thefans turned slowly in the summer breeze,
Up dose the New Halland Sales Barn’s'.eaves
While far below in the different pens
The steers moved round and round again
Waiting their turn to move through the gates
To get on the scales for their sale weights.
The auctioneers’ voices rose loud and dear
Over the noise of cattle and people here
At the National Livestock Auctioneering Contest
Each giving his call his very best
To the judges and buyers in the arena packed
Who purchased the steers from the auction block
Western hats, western jeans, sport coats, ties
Colored shirts were seen,
As the auctioneers moved down the wooden walk
To reach the arena and have their say,
Trying all his auctioneering tricks
To be named the auctioneering Champion 1976.
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