The 49th annual World Livestock Auctioneer Championship is coming to the Turlock Livestock Auction Yard.  For the past year, auctioneers from across the country have competed for a spot in the WLAC, to be held Saturday.

“We are very excited to be hosting this year’s WLAC.  This is a huge deal for us because it will be the first time this event has ever come to Turlock,” said Turlock Livestock Auction Yard owner Chuck Cozzi.

The annual contest showcases the professional auctioneers who compete in the qualifying and championship events.  The event is produced by Livestock Marketing Association, a trade association which serves livestock auction markets. 

“We are expecting about 600 people to attend this event.  People are flying in from all over the nation including Canada,” said Cozzi.

Since last year’s championship, there has been four quarter-finals conducted across the United States.  At each of these events, dozens of auctioneers competed to be one of 33 semi-finalists contending for the title at the WLAC finals.

Martin Machado from Atwater will be among the 33 semi-finalists to be competing for the WLAC title. 

The auctioneer contest is a live sale, where the contestants will sell cattle to bidders in the seats.  Contestants are judged by clarity of their auction chant; vocal quality; their ability to catch bids, and conduct the sale.  Judges are livestock market owners and managers, and may have competed in previous competitions. 

The titles of WLAC, reserve champion, and runner-up will be presented on Saturday night.  That champion will take home $5,000, a trophy, a custom diamond ring, and other prizes, as well as the use of a brand new pickup for the year.  The reserve and runner-up champions will take home $2,000.