Champion call

LOYAL, Wis. — Having grown up in the dairy industry and attending auctions as a child, it was appealing for Mark Oberholtzer to pursue a career as an auctioneer. His dedication to refining his craft paid off when he won the title of Wisconsin State Champion Auctioneer, at the Wisconsin Auctioneers Association’s convention in January.

“When I was a kid, we would mess around and practice selling all our calves and heifers,” Oberholtzer said. “I guess it was always in the back of my head to become an auctioneer.”

Oberholtzer operates Oberholtzer Dairy Cattle & Auction Co. alongside his father, John, with locations in Loyal and Thorp. The family launched the business in 2017, after John worked as a sales representative for another company. In addition to the father-son duo, the Oberholtzer team includes more than two dozen employees, who are primarily part time, to assist on sale days. In addition to at least three sales per week at the sales barn, Oberholtzer also works as a contract auctioneer at other venues.

“I’ll sell anything from equipment and farm machinery to benefits to real estate, any line of auction, really,” Oberholtzer said. “But live cattle are what I do, more than any other single item, so I’d say I enjoy that a lot.”

Presiding over benefit auctions is an entertaining outlet that strays from the daily norm of calling sales, Oberholtzer said.

“It’s a lot of fun from an auctioneer’s perspective when people come together with a common goal in mind of raising money,” Oberholtzer said. “They come wanting to spend money, to support a good cause. That makes for a really enjoyable atmosphere.”

Oberholtzer sold his first sale in 2014. He has been attending the Wisconsin Auctioneers Association Convention and participating in the auctioneering contest ever since.

“The convention is a good time to socialize with other auctioneers, while completing our continuing education requirement,” Oberholtzer said. “I’ve always enjoyed participating in (the contest). It’s a good way to compare my skills with other auctioneers around the state, and pick up new things.”

Besides the state championship contest, Oberholtzer said there is a novice division for those selling for fewer than five years, as well as a contest for ringmen. A recent addition to the competition is an FFA contest that welcomes aspiring youth.

A panel of five judges evaluates the contestants, Oberholtzer said. The panel typically consists of past champions and others with industry experience.

“We’re judged on presentation and bid catching,” Oberholtzer said. “Auctioneering is so much more than just being able to talk fast — poise, voice control and clarity are important. No matter how fast you talk, if no one can understand you, they won’t bid to you.”

The contest begins with a preliminary round, open to anyone. This year’s contest started with 15 contestants. The field is narrowed to the top six, who are then sequestered before answering two interview questions, which Oberholtzer said account for 40% of the final score.

“They’re not yes or no questions; there’s no correct or incorrect answer,” Oberholtzer said. “Responses are personal to you, your own thoughts and feelings. It’s about being able to answer in a professional manner, as though speaking to people not familiar with the auction industry.”

Oberholtzer has made it to the top six each of the 11 times he has entered the contest. He placed second last year and third the year before.

“My bid calling ability has always been my strong point and the interview has always been my Achilles’ heel,” Oberholtzer said. “Over time I have become more comfortable being on stage, sharing my opinions with 150 or so of my direct peers. There’s just a little bit of pressure there.”

Besides being a perennial contender in the state contest, Oberholtzer has participated in a number of qualifying contests for the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship. He has placed in the top 10 several times in the Greater Midwest Livestock Auctioneer Championship.

Before starting their own sale barn business, Oberholtzer said his father began by working as a sales representative in another auction company in 2010. The aspiring young auctioneer worked alongside his father, gaining the background that would prompt him to take the next step in 2013.

At the age of 21, Oberholtzer enrolled in the World Wide College of Auctioneering in Mason City, Iowa.

The school was intense, Oberholtzer said, consisting of eight to 10-hour days.

“A lot of it was working on your chant, but also learning the legalities of auctions,” Oberholtzer said. “Another big thing is ethics. Integrity is everything when you’re an auctioneer, and just because something is legal doesn’t mean it’s ethical.”

Oberholtzer said he was exposed to a lot of world-class auctioneers, giving him the opportunity to learn from the best. Throughout the past dozen years, Oberholtzer has gained a number of mentors, from a variety of levels and aspects of the business.

“You pick up a little here and there, rubbing shoulders with other auctioneers,” Oberholtzer said. “Getting to sell 300 sales a year, you get a lot of practice in. Some things you just learn on your own, but you don’t have to learn everything on your own if you can pick some up from other people.”

Representing both buyer and seller in a transaction is a challenging aspect of the job, Oberholtzer said.

“Being fair … is important to me,” Oberholtzer said. “My responsibility as an auctioneer is to work for the seller, but I’m representing the buyer, too. Finding that common middle ground is something I have to work with every day.”

Like dairy farming, no two days as an auctioneer are alike.

“In dairy sales, it’s tough when people are selling for a reason that came up, that they don’t really want to be selling,” Oberholtzer said. “Those can be pretty emotional, especially when the seller is in the crowd. We love when the seller is here to watch their cows sell, but if it’s emotional for them, you notice that as an auctioneer. But you still have to hold it together and get through it. You want the best possible outcome for the seller.”