Delivering true motormouth mastery, an Armstrong auctioneer has captured top honours in his field.
Rod Burnett, from Valley Auction, won the Calgary Stampede’s 23rd annual International Livestock Auctioneer Championship from a field of 10 finalists last weekend.
“It’s the top of the top,” said Burnett, who took home a $5,500 cash prize, hand-tooled Stampede championship buckle and automatic berth into the 2012 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship in California next June.
Victory was sweet affirmation for Burnett, who sold cars and heavy equipment for 15 years before being convinced in 2008 by his current employers at Valley Auction Ltd. – brothers Peter and Don Raffan (both former Stampede champs themselves) – that he should turn his attention to bovines.
“They moved me over and gave me a shot. They don’t give many people a shot, and I do appreciate it,” said Burnett, who also advanced to the Stampede final last year.
“You’re 15 years selling equipment, and then you’re selling something with horns. We all think we can do it, but you’ve got to prove it to yourself. Within six months, I picked it up and started rolling with it…and here we are!”
Raised on a podium in a tent in front of a few hundred buyers and spectators, Burnett managed to keep his nerves in check this year.
“You’re the spectacle, which is a little intimidating at times. Most years I’m horribly worked up and even nervous and this year I wasn’t nearly as nervous,” said Burnett, who had the advantage of sizing up his competition as he drew the coveted 10th and final position in the sale order.
Peter Raffan, 2008 champ, applauds Burnett for taking the title under the pressure.
“It’s tough, it’s not a cake walk,” said Raffan. “But he did a good job.”
Burnett is one of only six Canadians to take the championship title (four of which come from Valley Auction – the Raffan brothers, former employee Keith Dinwoodie and now Burnett).
“This little barn, it seems to work for us,” said Burnett.
But even for some of world’s top auctioneers, it’s getting tougher to corral cattle sales.
“It’s good but of course our volume is depleting over the years because not as many people are in the cattle industry,” said Burnett. “There’s boats and RVs sitting where there used to be cows.”
But fewer cows does have its bonus for sellers, who are enjoying prices at all-time highs.
