Jared Miller of Leon, Iowa, proved his world-class talent as a livestock auctioneer when he took home the top honor at the 55th annual World Livestock Auctioneer Championship.
“Wow. I said yesterday that this is a moment I’ve dreamt about,” Miller said. “A few words come to my mind: thankful, grateful, blessed.”
Also in his acceptance speech, Miller thanked his family, sponsors, and various members of the livestock marketing industry, saying, “I heard a quote one time that if you see a turtle on top of a fencepost, he didn’t get there by himself. And I’m that turtle; I’ve had a lot of help along the way.”
This year’s champion takes home a customized 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 truck to use during the year of his reign, $6,000 cash, world champion Gist belt buckle, and a hand-tooled leather briefcase from the Livestock Marketing Association; world champion ring sponsored by Bloomington Livestock Exchange; the Golden Gavel Award sponsored by the World Wide College of Auctioneering; and a James Reid, Ltd. money clip sponsored by CattleUSA.com.
Miller was sponsored by Lamoni Livestock Auction, Inc., Lamoni, Iowa.
A special WLAC show will air on RFD-TV June 25 beginning at 8:00 p.m. eastern. The 2010 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion, Kyle Shobe, will host the show.
Other Awards Received:
Cody Lowderman from Macomb, Illinois, earned Reserve Champion honors, and Russele Sleep from Bedford, Iowa, was named Runner-up Champion.
As Reserve Champion, Lowderman received $2,500 cash, a Gist knife and reserve champion Gist belt buckle from LMA. The Reserve Champion also won the award for High Interview score. Doing so, he received $1,000 cash and a hand-tooled leather padfolio from the LMA. Lowderman was sponsored by Carthage Livestock, Inc.
Sleep took home $1,250 cash, a Gist knife and runner-up Gist belt buckle, sponsored by LMA. He was sponsored by Clarinda Livestock Auction, Inc., Clarinda, Iowa; Fort Scott Livestock Market, Inc., Fort Scott, Kansas; Green City Livestock Marketing, LLC, Green City, Missouri.; Knoxville Regional Livestock Market, Knoxville, Iowa; Southeast Kansas Stockyards, LLC, Gas, Kansas; and Russell Livestock.
In addition to Miller, Lowderman and Sleep, the 2018 WLAC finalists were Colton Brantley, Modesto, California; Dean Edge, Rimbey, Alberta; Will Epperly, Dunlap, Iowa; Kyle Layman, North Platte, Nebraska; Jacob Massey, Petersburg, Tennessee; Jay Romine, Mt. Washington, Kentucky; and Tim Yoder, Montezuma, Georgia. All received Gist belt buckles from LMA.
