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Six-time finalist in World Livestock Auctioneer Championship wiTy Thompson, who's been in the finals in Livestock Marketing Association's World Livestock Auctioneer Championship six times, earning the Reserve Champion title twice, won another chance at the top title with a regional victory Oct. 6 in Turlock, Calif. Thompson, of Billings, Mont., bested 23 other contestants in the first of four regional qualifying contests, held at the Turlock Livestock Auction Yard, Inc. He was sponsored by Public Auction Yards, Billings Live Stock Commission and Northern Livestock Video Auction, all in Billings, and Winter Livestock, Inc./Riverton Livestock Auction, Riverton, Wyo. The reserve regional champion was Jason Santomaso, Sterling, Colo., and the runner-up regional champ was Martin Machado, Winton, Calif. Santomaso was sponsored by the Sterling Livestock Commission Co., Sterling, Colo. Machado was sponsored by the Orland Livestock Commission Yard, Orland, Calif. In addition to the three winners, the next five highest scoring contestants qualify for the June, 2008 WLAC, the 45th annual. In Turlock, those five were, in alphabetical order, Eric Duarte, Beatty, Ore.; Mike Imbrogno, Atwater, Calif.; Andrew McDowell, Vandalia, Ill.; Paul Ramirez, Tucson, Ariz., and Lonnie Rudd, Wilder, Idaho. Thompson, 35, has been auctioneering since he was 19. He said he's entered the WLAC "at least 10 times," and was asked what drives him to keep re-entering. "I've set a goal of winning it, but it's easier said than done," he said. But, he added, "I think you improve every time you compete." The next regional qualifying contest will be the southwestern regional, Oct. 25 at the Cattleman's Livestock Commission Company, Dalhart, Texas. The eastern regional qualifier will be Nov. 27 at the Fort Payne Stockyards, Fort Payne, Ala., and the midwestern regional will be Dec. 8, at the Lamoni Livestock Auction, Lamoni, Iowa. There's still time to enter the Eastern and Midwestern regional events but entries must be postmarked by Oct. 26. Entry forms and complete rules can be found at www.lmaweb.com, or call LMA at 800-821-2048 for more information. A total of 32 regional qualifiers, along with the reigning International Auctioneering Champion, will make up the field for the 2008 WLAC, to be held at Sioux Falls Regional Livestock, Worthing, S.D. Three titlists will be picked, and the winners will take home thousands of dollars in cash and prizes. The current world champion is Trent Stewart, Redmond, Ore. He won the title in June in Springfield, Mo. LMA conducts the regional contests, and the WLAC, to put the focus on competitive livestock marketing, and the auctioneer's continuing vital role in that process. Date: 10/29/07
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