Watching Peter Raffan sell at the block, it is hard to believe the veteran auctioneer was so nervous at his first competition that he had to write notes on his fingers so he would not forget what to do.
After going for the silver buckle at the 20th annual Calgary Stampede International Livestock Auctioneer competition off and on since 1995, Raffan won the championship this year against 17 other entrants from Canada and the United States. His brother, Dan, who is also his business partner at Valley Auction in Armstrong, B.C., won this same competition in 1994.
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Peter graduated from the World Wide College of Auctioneering in 1992 and was encouraged by his family to try competitions.
“1995 was my first entry and I just did it for experience. I was so nervous I wrote the names of the sponsors on my fingers,” he said.
His award included $5,500 in cash and prizes. After winning, he told the crowd at the Stampede that $2,000 of his prize money would be donated to the cancer clinic at the Calgary Foothills Hospital in honour of his father, Jim Raffan, who started the auction.
Emulating an auctioneer like Raffan is where Bobbie Miller would like to be someday. The 2008 rookie of the year sells part time for Vold Jones and Vold in Ponoka, Alta., and Dawson Creek, B.C. He graduated from auctioneer school this spring and went straight to work at Vold. He was also named Canadian rookie of the year at the national livestock auctioneers competition in Quebec.
Miller and his family moved to central Alberta from Manitoba eight years ago and he has a purebred Angus herd to work on along with his sales duties. The Ponoka location is an ideal place for a newcomer learning the ropes. As mentors he has world champion auctioneer Dan Skeels, who is head auctioneer, and Chance Martin, the international champion from the 2007 Stampede.
“Having guys like that and working with them so early in my career really helps,” Miller said.
Ultimately he hopes to work in purebred sales and commercial livestock.
Finalists were required to sell brand consignment cattle as well as one surprise item such as golf tickets, a beef strip loin or tools. Contestants are judged on their rhythm, clarity and voice control as well as their livestock knowledge and ability to spot bids and conduct a sale.
Martin sold the champion pens of steers and heifers from the fed beef expo, which is linked to the auctioneer competition.
The grand champion pen of steers was entered by Sandy Hill Stock Farms of Taber, Alta., and sold for $1.29 a pound.
The reserve pen of steers was from Gordon Turner of Blackie, Alta., and sold for $1.10 a lb.
The grand champion pen of market heifers was from Echo Springs Ranches of Granum, Alta., and Andy Rock of Delia, Alta., had the reserve pen of heifers. The champion heifers sold for $1.26 a lb. with half the proceeds a to a Mustard Seed Ministry in Calgary and the STARS air ambulance service. The reserve pen sold for $1.12 a lb. Cargill Foods was the successful bidder on all four pens of five animals.
Besides the sale proceeds, the grand champion winners received $2,500 and the reserves $1,500.
