VJV Auction Co. Ltd., has been recognized as the Canadian Angus Association’s 2011 Auction Market of the Year for its work in Angus and Angus-cross cattle promotion.
“It’s a good feather to have in your hat,” said Blair Vold, one of the operators of VJV Auction Co. “They (the Canadian Angus Association) must like what we’re doing.”
“We encourage everyone to bring their Angus cattle to the market on a specific date,” said Craig Jacklin, a field rep at VJV Auction Co. With the concentration and exposure of the cattle the auction market is able to expand their promotion of the Angus breed.
The award was presented by Brian Good, director of field services for the Canadian Angus Association, at the recent Livestock Markets Association of Canada convention.
This is the first time the award, which was created in 2006, has been given to VJV Auction and their associated operating markets.
VJV Auction Co., run by Ralph and Blair Vold and Blair’s son Nansen, operate the market in Ponoka as well as Foothills Livestock Auction in Stavely and the Dawson Creek Auction of Dawson Creek, B.C.
On average, the market sells 150,000 head of cattle a year said Ralph Vold.
The market, along with its standard live sales, also hosts a Canadian Gold Show Alley Internet auction every Wednesday. The online auctions started a year and a half ago and are connected with the Ponoka market as well as Stavely’s and Dawson Creek’s markets.
“They’re our new innovative idea,” said Dianna Allan, office manager at VJV Auction Co. Allan said with the online auctions the markets are able to widen their customer base.
With the online auctions Jacklin says they’re able to catalogue and sell large amounts of inventory in a short period of time. “It’s the way of the future.” The auctions have one registrant from South Korea who logs on to watch.
However, Jacklin says this business route probably won’t take over the industry.
Other current awards have been associated with the auction market.
Two years ago Ralph Vold was the first inductee into the Livestock Markets Association of Canada Hall of Fame.
Justin Gattey, an auctioneer at the market, has also been named 2012 Canadian Auctioneer of the Year, awarded by the Livestock Markets Association of Canada.
Gattey was up against 25 other competitors for the award. “There are a lot of pretty tough guys out there that have been doing it a long time,” Gattey said. “It’s pretty neat to be able to learn from these guys.”
The auctioneers were judged on voice, clarity, rhythm, knowledge of the livestock, and efficiency.
Gattey grew up on a ranch near Consort and his grandfather was an auctioneer. However, he never thought that was where he would end up. “It’s kind of surprising I became an auctioneer, I was a pretty soft-spoken person.”
Last year Gattey was in Ontario for the award competition and he’s tried for it two or three other times. This is the first time he’s received the award.