LMA Convention and WLAC Head to South Dakota’s Black Hills
June 2, 2026
The Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) is preparing to welcome cattle producers, auction market owners, and livestock industry leaders to the Black Hills of South Dakota for its 2026 Annual Convention and World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC), scheduled for June 17-20.
The convention will be headquartered in Deadwood, while the prestigious World Livestock Auctioneer Championship will take place at St. Onge Livestock in St. Onge, South Dakota.
LMA Region Executive Officer Bryce Dibbern says excitement continues to build as the event draws near.
“I’ve been so excited for this convention,” Dibbern said. “This has been a long time coming. The World Livestock Auctioneer Championship is going to be held at St. Onge Livestock, and Brooke and Justin Tupper are hosting it. They’ve wanted to do this for a long time, and they’re going to have an excellent show with a great lineup of cattle.”
Dibbern said consignors are already showing strong interest in participating in the championship sale, a sign of the event’s growing reputation and significance within the livestock industry.
In addition to the auctioneer competition, attendees will have access to educational sessions, industry speakers, panel discussions, and networking opportunities focused on the issues facing livestock markets and producers today.
Among the topics on the agenda are supporting young and beginning producers, navigating Packers and Stockyards regulations, tax and legislative issues, marketing strategies, and leveraging social media to better promote livestock sales.
“We’re trying to protect young and emerging producers and make sure they have the ability to get started and stay in business,” Dibbern explained. “We’re also helping market owners navigate regulations and share ideas that can help them better serve their customers and communities.”
The convention will also feature panels of market managers and office staff sharing best practices and innovative approaches that have worked in their operations.
For Dibbern, one of the most rewarding aspects of working with LMA is the role livestock auction markets play in supporting rural America.
“This is a great organization full of great people,” he said. “Not only do they want to sell cattle for the highest possible price, but these folks are supporters of their communities. They’re kind of the lifeblood of their communities.”
Since its founding in 1947, LMA has remained committed to preserving competitive auction markets and defending true price discovery.
“That’s where true price discovery happens,” Dibbern said. “When buyers are sitting in the seats competing for cattle, that’s the market working exactly as it should.”
The World Livestock Auctioneer Championship remains the premier competition for livestock auctioneers in North America and is expected to draw top competitors, cattle producers, market owners, and industry leaders from across the United States and Canada.
Registration and event information are available at LMAweb.com.
Source: Western Ag Network
