Glacier FarmMedia – Lars Deleeuw tipped his cowboy hat to the crowd as his rhythmic chant danced from the speakers.
The 19-year-old self-taught auctioneer from Burford, Ont., swept the 25th annual Canadian Livestock Auctioneering Championship, winning Rookie of the Year and Grand Champion at the Livestock Marketing Association of Canada (LMAC) gala on May 24.
“I did not think I would win the whole thing,” said the rookie auctioneer from Ontario Livestock Exchange. “I would have been just happy with the rookie (buckle). It was a lot of fun overall, but this is a very special moment for sure.”
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Within minutes of the win, many auctioneering circuit veterans surrounded him, shaking his hands and clapping his shoulder while his phone alerts pinged with incoming messages of congratulations.
“It’s a very, very exciting moment right now,” Deleeuw said. “I just want to thank everyone, and you know who you are, for all the help. It was much appreciated.”
Rick Wright, LMAC executive administrator and competition organizer, said announcing the youngest champion and the only one to win both categories in the competition’s 25-year history was incredibly exciting.
“He’s a gentleman, and he’s the future of our business. He’s got credentials now,” said Wright. “This is going to help him in his career if he decides to make it a full-time profession.”
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The win is bittersweet because it eliminates Deleeuw from LMAC’s future competitions, though Wright is confident the young auctioneer has a bright future in the business.
In the inaugural 1998 competition, a young Tony Chaffe won Rookie of the Year and took home the championship the following year, Wright recalled. It eliminated him as a future competitor but solidified his connection to the beef industry.
“He’s no longer an auctioneer, but he’s a big player in the beef industry. We make future cattlemen here, and for Lars, this is probably going to be one of the nights he’ll remember for the rest of his life.”
Deleeuw, who immigrated to Ontario from the Netherlands with his family in 2011, was drawn to the melodic rhythm of auctioneering. Three years ago, he began studying techniques online, including messaging a world champion for mentorship.
“I just love the chant, the enthusiasm and the market,” he said. “(It) takes a lot of practice, getting the pop of the tongue rolling along with your words and your numbers.”
The competition was held in Ontario, so Deleeuw said he felt confident knowing where the bids would come from. He was second to compete in both rounds and noted the interview process was challenging because the questions and answers were tricky.
“It’s not like I’m not going to show up again if I don’t make the top 10 because it’s just a lot of fun,” Deleeuw said during the competition. “It’s about having fun and learning new things.”
Tough competition
Deleeuw’s top-10 final-round performance, combined with the interview, allowed him to outscore veteran competitors by a few points.
However, with 35 strong entrants, the six judges agreed the competition was tough.
“It was easier for me to score them (finalists) than it was picking the top 10 because you feel there’s other ones that could be with them,” said Calvin Kuepfer, first-time judge and 2015 champion. “There was a lot of rookies this year, and they all did a fantastic job.”
Rookies Gary Albrecht, Ryan Kuepfer and Deleeuw work at the Ontario Livestock Exchange, and Kuepfer mentors them in all aspects of auctioneering.
“I think (mentorship) is very important, and I try to be there for them if they have questions,” he said. “I try to go with them to as many sales as I can, and I get them to help me all the time.”
Albrecht and young Kuepfer missed some of LMAC’s Saturday morning meet-ups because one was selling horses with Calvin Kuepfer, and the other was conducting a farm sale.
The championship saw 11 rookies competing against veterans, and rookies won two of the top five placings — Deleeuw and Ty Cutler, a third-generation auctioneer whose father was a Canadian champion.
“I love seeing them young guys come on board and want to be in the industry and the business,” Kuepfer said, adding rookies Cutler and Deleeuw placed well because of their chant, rhythm and knowledge of the cattle business.
“That’s what it takes to be a good auctioneer, and I think they both fit that category.”
Wright said Cutler has been selling for 18 months, is enthusiastic, has an incredible coach and reflects the new generation of auctioneers.
Surge of interest
Rick Wattie, owner of Auctioneering College of Canada in Edmonton, said there was some concern auctioneering would become a dying art with a transition to online auctions during the pandemic, but with a return to live auctions, there’s been a surge in interest.
Enrolment and inquiries at the school have increased significantly after virtually being shut down during COVID, and classes are split evenly with students under and over 40 years old.
The backgrounds are just as varied. Some are from a long line of auctioneers, others from attending sales, and a smaller portion are like Deleeuw with no connection to the craft but a desire to make it their career.
Wattie said the business welcomes anyone who wants to learn, hustle and create a name for themselves.
“If you’re interested in it and want to work at it, you can do very well for yourself,” he said. “If you’re not prepared to put work into it, maybe you shouldn’t get into it. It’s a competitive sport.”
Although self-taught, Deleeuw agrees with Wattie, saying mentorship from the best in the business is critical to improving technique, networking and building a solid career foundation.
“We need to keep this alive,” Deleeuw says. “In 2011, there were two rookies (at LMAC’s championship); now, there are 11. So, it’s in good shape.”
Unlike other provinces and territories, Alberta and Saskatchewan require certification from qualified schools before an auctioneer can sell. It’s a prerequisite Wattie would like to see adopted Canada-wide to ensure auctioneers are well-versed in their provincial and territorial laws and develop a strong career foundation.
The number of U.S.-qualified schools is significant compared to Canada’s three, and they provide excellent education, conceded Wattie, except they don’t cover Canadian law. He teaches an Alberta-specific curriculum but provides province-specific materials to students from elsewhere when needed.
“We teach them classroom, practical — the whole thing,” he says. “They all get to sell at one or two live sales (at our facility) throughout the course.”
Several years ago, Wattie had a student who spent more time in the washroom during the first week throwing up from nerves than he did in class. With encouragement, the student continued and finished the course, returning to British Columbia.
“He is still auctioning in B.C. (with) one of the bigger auction companies,” he says. “He’s looking after all their farm sales.”
Deleeuw brought his A-game, and the title came down to a few points between him and second-time Reserve Champion and Alberta veteran Tyler Rosehill of Olds Auction Mart.
Albertan Rob Bergevin of Foothills Auctioneers Inc., was runner-up; Dave Jacob, Ontario Stockyards Inc., second; rookie Ty Cutler, Whitewood Livestock, third. William “Billy” Haalstra, Ontario Livestock Exchange, won the Most Congenial Auctioneer, voted upon by his peers.
“They get individual handmade buckles. There’s no two the same. They’re a family heirloom for people in our business,” Wright said.
The Grand Champion also receives a championship ring, a limited-edition Ken Frederickson bronze trophy, use of an EBY trailer for a year and entry into the Calgary Stampede’s International Auctioneering Championship.
In 2023, Deleeuw placed ninth overall in the International Auctioneering Championship in Olds, Alta. He said he’ll concentrate on controlling his nerves and selling through the Ontario Livestock Exchange before the July 13 competition.
“This is something I’ll never forget,” he said, adding the impact of the evening wouldn’t likely sink in for a few days.
– Diana Martin has spent more than two decades in the media sector, first as a photojournalist and then evolving into a multi-media journalist. Five years ago she left mainstream media and brought her skills to the agriculture sector. She owns a small farm in Amaranth, Ont.
