9,200 miles a month: Champion auctioneer’s road to success

Jun 26, 2026
Jun 26, 2026

Auctioneering Championship 1.jpg — Jace Thompson sells cattle during the 2026 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship in St. Onge, S.D.
Submitted photo by Grant Company LLC

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

ST. ONGE, S.D.—When Jace Thompson first began his auctioneering career, he quietly set a lofty goal.

kAmw6 5:5?’E AF3=:4:K6 :E[ 3FE 96 H2?E65 E@ AC@G6 E@ 9:>D6=7 E92E 96 4@F=5 DE:4< E@ D@>6E9:?8[ C67:?6 9:D 4C27E 2?5 F=E:>2E6=J 364@>6 E96 36DE :? E96 H@C=5]k^Am

kAmqJ yF?6 a_[ E92E D:=6?E 2>3:E:@? 3642>6 2 9:DE@C:4 C62=:EJ 2D E96 ab\J62C\@=5 7C@> q:==:?8D[ |@?E2?2[ H2D ?2>65 E96 a_ae (@C=5 {:G6DE@4< pF4E:@?66C r92>A:@?] (:E9 9:D G:4E@CJ[ y246 2?5 9:D 72E96C[ %J %9@>AD@? – E96 a__h 492>A:@? – 3642>6 E96 7:CDE 72E96C\D@? 5F@ E@ 6G6C H:? E96 AC6DE:8:@FD E:E=6]k^Am

kAmp E9:C5\86?6C2E:@? 42EE=6>2? 2?5 2F4E:@?66C[ y246 8C6H FA 4@>A=6E6=J :>>6CD65 :? E96 :?5FDECJ] w:D 8C2?572E96C 3F:=E 2 =:G6DE@4< >2C<6E:?8 3FD:?6DD 7C@> D4C2E49 :? (J@>:?8[ 2?5 9:D 72E96C =2E6C >@G65 E@ |@?E2?2 E@ 5@ E96 D2>6[ 255:?8 2 4@FA=6 @7 7665J2C5D E@ E96 >:I]k^Am

kAm%9@F89 y246 6IA=@C65 @E96C :?E6C6DED 27E6C 9:89 D49@@=[ :?4=F5:?8 C62= 6DE2E6[ E96 AF== @7 E96 72>:=J 3FD:?6DD H2D :?6G:E23=6] u:G6 J62CD 28@[ 96 564:565 E@ E2<6 2F4E:@?66C:?8 D6C:@FD=J[ D6==:?8 D:I 52JD 2 H66< 24C@DD E9C66 DE2E6D[ 255:?8 h[a__ >:=6D E@ E96 @5@>6E6C 6249 >@?E9 2D 96 9@?65 9:D D<:==D]k^Am

Auctioneering Championship 2.jpg — Sale day during the 2026 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship was hosted by St. Onge Livestock in St. Onge, S.D.
Submitted photo

kAm}@H[ 4@>:?8 @FE @7 E96 4@>A6E:E:@? :? $E] ~?86[ $@FE9 s2<@E2 2D E96 C6:8?:?8 (@C=5 {:G6DE@4< pF4E:@?66C r92>A:@?[ y246 :D AC6A2C65 E@ AFE E92E 565:42E:@? E@ H@C< @? 2? :?E6C?2E:@?2= D42=6] w6 H:== DA6?5 E96 ?6IE J62C 5C:G:?8 E96 4FDE@>\HC2AA65 (@C=5 {:G6DE@4< pF4E:@?66C r92>A:@?D9:A A:4<FA ECF4< 24C@DD E96 &]$] 2?5 r2?252[ D6CG:?8 2D 2? 25G@42E6 7@C E96 {:G6DE@4< |2C<6E:?8 pDD@4:2E:@? 2?5 E96 :?5FDECJ 2D 2 H9@=6]k^Am

kAm“x H2?E E@ 5@ >J }@] ` ;@3[ H9:49 :D 36 2 DA@<6DA6CD@? 2?5 36 2? 2>32DD25@C 7@C E96 2F4E:@? >6E9@5 @7 D6==:?8 =:G6DE@4<[” %9@>AD@? D2:5[ ?@E:?8 9:D 6I4:E6>6?E E@ 2=D@ D92C6 E96 {:G6DE@4< |2C<6E:?8 pDD@4:2E:@?’D C6D@FC46D 2?5 C68F=2E@CJ FA52E6D H:E9 >2C<6E @H?6CD]k^Am

People are also reading…

Monitor water sources to protect herd health
Wheat crop off to a rough start to the 2026 growing season
Iowa Barn Foundation showcases ag heritage
After 19 years, a new life for 751
World durum production expected to increase
Father-daughter duo turns milkweed into multi-faceted enterprise
2026 Wisconsin Dairy Breakfasts
Love Letters from a Farmer
Experts discuss options on drought panel
For better or worse, for planting or harvest: Marriage and the farm
Nebraska brand fees change Aug. 1

kAmu@C 2DA:C:?8 2F4E:@?66CD =@@<:?8 E@ 249:6G6 E96 D2>6 DF446DD[ %9@>AD@? DEC6DD6D E96 G2=F6 @7 8C:E 2?5 D@>6@?6 E@ =@@< FA E@]k^Am

kAm“u:?5 2 AC@G6? >6?E@C[” 96 D2:5] “~?6 H9@ :D DF446DD7F= 2?5 :D H:==:?8 E@ 96=A[ 3642FD6 :E’D G6CJ 92C5 E@ 86E 8@@5 2E E9:D H:E9@FE 2 >6?E@C]”k^Am

kAm%9@>AD@? 2=D@ ?@E65 E96 :>A@CE2?46 @7 EC62E:?8 6G6CJ @AA@CEF?:EJ H:E9 6BF2= C6DA64E[ H96E96C :E :D 2 >2;@C >2C<6E @C 2 =@42= G@=F?E66C 7:C6 56A2CE>6?E A:6 2F4E:@?]k^Am

kAm“pD =@?8 2D J@F’C6 9F>3=6 6?@F89 2?5 H:==:?8 6?@F89 E@ =62C?[ J@F 42? 8C@H >@C6 E92? J@F 4@F=5 6G6C :>28:?6 7C@> 6G6CJ D2=6[” 96 25565]k^Am

kAmx? 255:E:@? E@ E96 @?6\J62C FD6 @7 E96 H@C=5 492>A:@? ECF4<[ %9@>AD@? E@@< 9@>6 S`_[___ :? 42D9[ 2 v:DE 36=E 3F4<=6[ 2 92?5\E@@=65 =62E96C 3C:6742D6[ 2 3C@?K6 D4F=AEFC6[ 2 H@C=5 492>A:@? C:?8[ 2 4FDE@>\6?8C2G65 w6?CJ ~C:8:?2= C:7=6[ 2 8@=56? 82G6= 2?5 2 DE6C=:?8 D:=G6C >@?6J 4=:A]k^Am

Auctioneering Championship 3.jpg — 2026 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship top placings went to Troy Robinett, left, Jace Thompson, Austin Schaben and Barrett Simon.
Submitted photo

kAmy@:?:?8 9:> :? E96 H:??6C’D 4:C4=6 H2D #6D6CG6 r92>A:@? %C@J #@3:?6EE @7 s642EFC[ %6I2D 2?5 #F??6C &A q2CC6EE $:>@? @7 #@D2=:2[ z2?D2D[ H9@ H2D 2=D@ C64@8?:K65 7@C 249:6G:?8 E96 9:896DE D4@C6 :? E96 :?E6CG:6H A@CE:@? @7 E96 4@?E6DE] pFDE:? $49236? @7 sF?=2A[ x@H2[ H2D ?2>65 E96 pF5C6J z] q2?<D #@@<:6 @7 E96 *62C]k^Am

kAm#@F?5:?8 @FE E96 E@A `_[ :? 4@?E6DE @C56C[ H6C6i #J2? z@?J?6?36=E[ u@CE |24{6@5[ p=36CE2j y@D9 y2DA6C[ }:49@=2DG:==6[ zJ]j y6CC2? |:==6C[ r9@FE62F[ ~<=2]j {6@? r2D6=>2?[ {@?8 {2?6[ |@]j p?5C6H $J=G6DE6C[ (6DE>@C6=2?5[ z2?]j 2?5 v2CC6EE }F??[ {2C2>:6[ (J@]k^Am

kAmt?ECJ 7@C E96 a_af (@C=5 {:G6DE@4< pF4E:@?66C r92>A:@?D9:A BF2=:7J:?8 6G6?ED :D ?@H @A6? H:E9 6G6?ED 3F:=5:?8 FA E@ E96 a_af r92>A:@?D9:A E@ 36 96=5 ?6IE yF?6 :? $@FE9 {2<6 %29@6[ }6G][ 2?5 v2=E[ r2=:7]k^Am