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Show Auction Provides Outlet for Area's Cattle Industry I Marketing farm and ranch owners' livestock in a way that pleases them is what satisfies Mark and Eugene King, co-owners of Richfield Auction Co. Located at the jucntion of U.S. 89 and Utah-118, Richfield Auction Co., in Austin is a relative newcomer to that location since for many years the company operated out of the Sevier County Fairgrounds. Douglas Scott says his father, Norman Scott, and E. W. Coons started the auction company in 1944. Doug Scott bought out Coons in 1949 and ran it with his father until Norman died in 1967. Doug continued for thee more years, then sold to Eugene King. Two years earlier, in 1967, Cy Manwill and Perry Beutler came into the business. A year later, Dave Urie bought Beutler out. That left Manwill, Urie and Eugene King. Mark King said Urie sold out in 1975, due to county commission responsibilities, but remained on as auction veterinarian until 1980 when Bruce King took his place. While at the fairgrounds, "Scott remembers only six cattle were sold on the second sale after his father opened the auction. But they kept it going and never closed once all the time the Scotts owned it. He said in 1951,- there were so many catlte trucks waiting to be unloaded at the fairgrounds on the Wednesday auction day, that huge lines would form a block west of the fairgrounds. Scott also said the auction usually ran from noon until 10 or 11 p.m. while 1300 to 2,000 head of cattle were run through. That day also used to be one of the busiest for the downtown merchants, he recalled. One of the best loved people at the auction was brand inspector Alfred Marin, recalls Scott, while other employees at the auction included Lester Brown, Clarence Hows, Morris Ogden, . Wayne Sorenson and T. Merlin Ashman. Regular cattle buyers were Abe Cowley, L.W. Gardner, Virgil Gleaves and John Chamberlain. However, cattle prices weren't always good. Scott remembers In 1952-53, livestockmen were getting only $63 total per head for cattle. In 1967, the year Norman died, Douglas and his wife Helen, announced plans to expand the auction facilities. At that time, they signed a 10 year lease with Sevier County and acquired a lease on adjacent property formerly used by the Forest Service. During this time, and when Doug joined his father in the business, Doug did the auc tioneering in Richfield while his brother Neal Scott at Spanish Fork, auctioneered. Helen,his wife has been with the auction business since 1946 keeping the books. She continues to keep books at the present Richfield Auction Co., location in Austin. "It's the most fascinating business you can get into," says Doug, "because every buyer is different and you have to know them and know what they are going to do to you." Scott says in the time he auctioneered in Richfield he had to sell an animal in 15-30 seconds. "We never backed up in price. We, never did. Today, we (auctioneers) do. That was the hardest thing for me to do, was to back off (down in price)," he1 said. Scott, although no longer with Richfield Auction Co., continues to auctioneer at the Delta auction. Mark says the move from the fairgrounds to the present location occurred about seven years ago. Actually, Stan Gleave, representing California lawyers and doctors built new auction facilities at the junction in 1975 and then asked Cy and Eugene to lease it from them. So Eugene and Cy signed a five year lease. During that time, the California people slowly become disinterested, says Mark, and at the end of that period, King and Manwill had an option to buy and did so in 1981. Shortly afterwards, Mark bought out Cy's portion. Mark, of course, didn't just happen on the scene. He had worked for his dad ever since Eugene bought into it. After serving an LDS mission to Missouri, Mark later returned to the Missouri Auction School in Kansas City, Mo. and got his auctioneer license. Today, working with the public you find satisfied and dissatisfied customers, says Mark. However, he says his company tries to do a little more for each customer by offering market support. This means if a particular animal has no buyer that a 'h' The present location of Richfield Auction Co., in Austin is a busy place on Wednesdays, the day of the auction, when livestockmen from far and near come to market their animals and hopefully come away with a good price for their stock. This aerial photo in 1956 taken by Heed Madsen, shows old Richfield Livestock Auction Company at the Sevier County fairgrounds. Note the extensive fences seller is offering, the auction will buy the animal at the going market price. They then sell the animal or animals somewhere down the line. The auction business like other agriculture-related businesses is affected by seasons. In the fall, Mark says there is a big rush to sell cattle, especially in October-November. This is the time cattle are brought off the mountain. It's also property tax time and farmers and ranchers need extra cash to pay those bills offt he said. Prices will usually go lower at this time. Summer months on the other hand, are slow times for the auction company because cattle are being graded, but Mark says sheep sales keep them busy. Nevertheless, the auction company gets the same sales commission, since they charge so much per head of livestock anyway. By September, yearling cattle begin coming in, while weaner calves are common in October and November. Still, it depends on the farmer or rancher's operation when animals are brought in. Some will wait and some will go ahead and sell, says Mark. A lot depends on the price. If prices are high, people will hold their cattle and wait for the price to get higher. When the price starts slipping, livestock men, think, "hey, I better get rid of them" and begin flooding the market trying to cash in while the getting is still good. This however, causes the prices to plummet even further. Many professional people such as doctors, are selling their cattle today as a tax write-off, says Mark. In fact, he believes 60-70 percent of the pepole selling livestock are weekend farmers or part-timers. Much of the livestock business depends on supply and demand which regulates the going price. For instance, the following prices for Aug. 23 may be totally different from those a month or so later. Aug. 23 prices included fat lambs selling at $.46-49 per lb.; fat cattle steers at $.64-66 per lb.; fat heifers at $.62-64 per lb.; while slaughter cows sold for $.40-45 per lb.; steer weaner calves for $.68-72 per lb. ; weaner heifer calves, $.60-65 per lb.; yearling steers at $.61-64 per lb.; heifers at $.56-59 per lb.; fat hogs at $.60-64 per lb. and slaughter horses $.38-45 per lb. Although prices fluctuate, Mark says the auction market still provides them with a good living. The auction company is set up with feed and water facilities so sellers can bring livestock in two or three days in advance of the 12:30 a.m. Wednesday auction. The company also has automatic scales set up so as soon as an animal sets foot on them, an electronic readout is displayed overhead to prospective (Continued on Page 6) Mark King, co-owner of Richfield Auction Co., in Austin, with Eugene King, his father, checks one of animals brought in early for the Auction on Wednesday. Mark has been auctioneering at the facility since he bought into the place in 1981. and the barn to the north of the old auction barn. The bridge in ue lower left Is gone now. Auction Provides Outlet for Area's Cattle Industry (Continued from Page 1) buyers in the pavilion, ine scales are also set up so if several animals are brought In at the same time, auction employees can take the total weight, then divide It out on an average with listing and show that to customers as well. The only other auction company with electronic readout in the state, says Mark, is Salina Auction, owned by Production Livestock Association in Salt Lake City. The Salina Auction is Richfield Auction's main competition in the area. Mark realizes his company is much smaller than the Salina one, but says competition is good just the asme. He said they have nearly the same buyers as Salina does. Difference in prices are minimal at either place. There are traders, however, who go to auctions throughout the state trying to get a better price. But, that is almost a thing of the past, says Mark, as prices are about the same at any auction. The Salina Auction also has five full time people who solicit business to their auction. Possibly due to that fact, Richfield Auction Co., runs about one-third as much as Salina does, but Mark says their sales are increasing never theless. One example, Mark said a Joseph rancher told him, the rancher weighed his cattle early that morning before taking them to Salina to sell. Then went back to Joseph. When he got his returns in, he found his cattle had lost 90 pounds according to their weight scale. Mark says this was due to the lag between when the animals were dropped off and when they were actually sold. In the middle of a day, an animal will lose weight from food and water loss. Consequently, the man tried the same thing before taking his cattle to Richfield Auction and lost only three percent in weight. Mark says they also try to get a good amount of cattle in so buyers can take home a large load to make it worth their while. Summer months make it difficult since fewer cattle are up for sale then. He said the difference here is made with getting out and canvassing the area something Richfield Auction doesn't have the manpower to do. Because, says Mark, besides running the auction, he and his dad run a ranch as well. The cafe part of the Richfield Auction building is also leased out to Fern Bettfreund. Mark said when the state first issued licenses for auctions, auctions were alloted certain ares. Richfield Auction's area was from Richfield and Beaver south to Northern Arizona. But now, everyone is stepping on each other's toes, he said. There are also fewer livestock in the county than in the past, he said, and that has affected the amount seen in the auction. After animals are brought in and tagged, they are moved to the arena. Mark says a clerk then writes down a description of the animal and a weigh-master weighs the animal. The animals are then penned outside. A scale ticket is sent to the office personnel where it is invoiced and put on a check. Deductions are taken out and the check is then ready to be given to the seller at the counter. A pink slip is then given to the yard man who gets the animal for the new owner, says Mark. At the auction, Mark will auctioneer while his brother Bruce, a veterinarian checks the cattle. After the auction, the routine begins all over again by soliciting more business, says Mark. The old Richfeld Auction County ring shows an auction In progress. From left In ring. Max White, Norman Scott, T. M. Ashman, Doug Scott (auctioneering), Tom Layton and nobert Taylor. |
