The 24th Annual Kansas Auctioneers Association Auctioneer Championship was held on September 10th on the Bretz Law Arena stage at the Kansas State Fair. Preliminaries were held at the KAA Winter Convention in January which resulted in 11 finalist out of the 17 auctioneers competing.
Our eleven finalists were Eric Boone of Yates Center, KS; Josh Bellamy of Cherokee, OK; Nick Holzrichter of Halstead, KS; Lenny Mullin of Shawnee, KS; Lance Fullerton of El Dorado, KS; Justin Banzhaf of Cambridge, NE, Yve Rojas of Kansas City, MO; Donnie Stumpff of Cassville, MO; Troy Wedel of McPherson, KS; Michael Burkhart of Greensburg, KS; and Titus A. Yutzy of Hutchinson, KS.
This year we were honored to have a guest judge – Leroy Van Dyke of “Auctioneer” and “Walk on By” fame; along with Justin Ball of Oklahoma – current Oklahoma State Auctioneer Association Champion Bid Caller; Randy Ruhter of Hastings, NE – Nebraska Auctioneer of the Year in 2989 and National Auctioneers Hall of Fame 2008; and Emily Wears of Buffalo, WY – Iowa State Champion Auctioneer in 2009, Colorado Auctioneer Champion in 2012 and this years Wyoming State Champion Auctioneer. Each contestant answered two questions in an stage interview prior to selling of three items to the State Fair crowd. Judging was based on specified criteria that included presentation, chant and effective auctioneering, as well as an interview component.
We are proud to announce the following results:
2014 Kansas Auctioneer Champion . . . Lance Fullerton of El Dorado, KS
Reserve Champion . . . Lenny Mullin of Shawnee, KS
3rd place . . . Josh Bellamy of Cherokee, OK
4th place . . . Donnie Stumpff of Cassville, MO
5th place . . . Titus Yutzy of Huthinson, KS