by Gordon Wolf

2008 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion Matt Lowery, 32, of Burwell, Nebraska, has some advice for young people who would follow in his footsteps.

"You have to be slow to be fast," he stated.

Lowery went on to explain that auctioneers have to be smooth. To become smooth, you have to start out slow, and then get faster and faster.

Lowery was at Dunlap Livestock Auction Friday, August 1, helping the Schaben family celebrate its 58th year in the livestock auction business.

Lowery has known Jon Schaben, one of the partners, since 1999 when they first participated in auctioneering competitions.

"When Jon won the World contest in 2003, I was reserve," Lowery added.

Lowery has auctioned twice before at Dunlap Livestock Auction, both times during contests.

Lowery won the "Triple Crown" of livestock auctioneering - the International Livestock Auctioneer Champion in 2006 in Canada, The Greater Midwest Livestock Auctioneer Champion in 2006, and the World title June 28 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Also helping the Schabens celebrate their anniversary was Brian Little, an auctioneer from Wann, Oklahoma.

Little was the runner-up world champion in 2006 and was one of 10 finalists in this year's contest.
Lowery, whose family has been in the ranching business near Burwell for 121 years, would play at auctioning cattle as a young boy.

"We always had calves around the place I'd just go out and play at selling the cattle," he stated.
"It wasn't until I got into the high school that I really thought about being an auctioneer."

Lowery's career gives him the best of worlds, being able to use his auctioneering talents and being involved the livestock industry he grew up in.

It wasn't until he was out of high school (he's a 1994 graduate of Burwell High School) that it crossed Lowery's mind about becoming the World Champion.

Lowery was in the World Contest nine times before he won it.

"With each contest I learned something new. It made me a better auctioneer," he stated.

Lowery can't return to defend his championship.

He said once an auctioneer is a champion, he or she cannot compete for the title again.

"Once a champion, always a champion," he quipped.

That's not to say that Lowery doesn't continue to improve his skills.

"I practice every day," he stated.

"I drive down the road and practice selling. I'm constantly trying to tweak things, make it better, and improve what I do."

Improving skills is to the benefit of the seller and buyers at the livestock auctions.

"You have to have knowledge of the livestock and also have to have knowledge of the industry and the markets," Lowery stated. "The auction is where the buyers and the sellers meet. I'm the referee and tally up the scores."

Lowery said he was influenced by many auctioneers, too many to tie it down to one name. But Lowery did mention Chuck Mahoney as one person who made him was he is today.

Lowery said each auctioneer's style is a little bit different. His was described by one reporter as the "Sand Hills Chant."

Lowery said there is a great future in being a livestock auctioneer. He added not a lot of young people, at least in his area, are trying to take his job.

"That's sad, because the money is good, and there's lot of opportunity," said Lowery. "If you love this agricultural business, there's lot of opportunities out there."