Ryan Livermont of Pipestone wins Farmfest's Auctioneer Championship

GILFILLAN, Minn. - The four young contestants participating in Farmfest's Auctioneer Contest last week sold a variety of items including a camera system, metal tractor art and organic coffee.

Each one - Ryan Livermont of Pipestone; Andrew Swanson of Ivanhoe; Mike Branderhorst of West Concord; and Zach Caskey of Raymond - wowed the crowd with their auctioneer's cadence.

At the end of the contest, sponsored by Steffes Auctioneers, Livermont was named the winner.

Each contestant would like to become an auctioneer.

Livermont listened to auctioneers as a youngster and started practicing. He just about drove his parents nuts with his constant practice, he said. His parents realized their son had talent and the desire to be an auctioneer. They sent him to Mankato's Continental Auction School.

Second-place winner Swanson is no stranger to the auction business. His father started auctioneering in 1998. Swanson has been a runner, but hasn't called an auction. It was an easy cadence to pick up.

"When you are around it, you just pick it up," he said. "I've been doing this for two years."

Branderhorst picked it up on YouTube. He says it only took a day to get the call down.

"My dad said I could get hurt on horses and that I should try auctioneering," he said. "My mouth can't get hurt."

Branderhorst has plans to attend Central Iowa Auction school in Mason City, Iowa and auction school in Mankato.

"I am the first one of my family to do this," he said. "My dad and grandpa and I would go to auctions. I always thought it was really neat."

Caskey's part in the contest came as a surprise - especially to him.

Before the contest began, his father gave him a nudge to go on stage.

"I think he might've had extra motive for having me give it a try," Caskey said. "When I got up to take the stage, he took the watermelon I got from the Farmers Union watermelon feed. Yep. It was gone."

Caskey would like to attend auctioneer's school. He fell in love with it while attending auctions with his father.

Items sold at the event were donated by Farmfest exhibitors, said Scott Steffes, sponsor of the event. The money raised will go to the 4-H Federation.