Market Report for 7-28-14 Giddings Livestock Sale EVERY Monday.

Here is the market report from the sale yesterday! If you guys have any questions please give Melvin, Rick, or Larry a call. Their numbers are on the VERY BOTTOM of this picture. Also...feel free to email me at: hdskaspar.buckup@gmail.com, if you have any questions about how to read this form. I'll be happy to help you!

God Bless!
Heather Schoenst Kaspar
TXL 17037

Giddings Livestock Market Report For 6/23/14

The cattle prices stayed the same to higher. If you have more questions about these numbers, have cattle you want to sell, or if you are lookin' to buy...Be sure to call one of the fellas below.

Melvin Schoenst 979.540.8800
Rick Sodek 979.966.7342
Larry Schatte 979.540.8139

If you'd prefer to email me your questions you can at hdskaspar.buckup@gmail.com

There WILL be a sale this coming MONDAY, before the 4th @ 12 NOON! God bless!

Melvin & I will be out at the Plum Church Feast THIS Sunday. Sale starts at 1ish. Hope to see you there!!

Market Report Giddings Livestock for 6/9/14

Had some Internet issues AGAIN this week & a shortage on time ;). Here is the info.

If you have any interest in adding to your herd or raising cattle to claim ag exemption - give Melvin, Rick, or Larry a call!! Their numbers are on the bottom of the picture.. If you're lookin' to sell...the prices are good.  God bless & Hope to see you Monday!!

Also someone asked me last week about the prices. No. 1 livestock is a little better quality livestock, so a No. 1 steer calf weighing 520 lbs, on the low end brought $2.01 per lb... $1045.20 & on the high end $2.23 per lb... $1159.60. Same weight calf, but a #2 steer calf would bring $1.70 per lb on the low end...$884 & on high end $2.01 per lb....$1045.20.

All the information below the steer & heifer section (except slaughter cows & bulls) is by whole dollars. So cheaper stocker cows brought anywhere from $750 to $1050 & better quality brought $1250-$1575. Slaughter bulls & cows are sold by the pound also.

Melvin Schoenst 979.540.8800
Rick Sodek 979.966.7342
Larry Schatte 979.540.8139

Giddings Livestock Commission Market Report: 5/19/14

REMEMBER: NO SALE NEXT MONDAY IN OBSERVANCE OF MEMORIAL DAY.

NEXT SALE WILL BE JUNE 2ND, 2014.

Sale Monday 12 NOON

Sale Date: 5/19/14

Buyers on Hand: 39

Sellers: 136

Trend: ALL CATTLE STEADY TO STRONGER

THANKS to ALL the Buyers & Sellers we had on hand!

Melvin Schoenst
Rick Sodek
Larry Schatte

Giddings Livestock Market Report 5/12/14

Sale Date: 5/12/14
Volume: 467 Head
Buyers on Hand: 40
# of Sellers: 123
Trend: All steady to strong.

Giddings Livestock wants to thank everyone who sold the nice cattle and also thank all the nice buyers we had on hand.

Thanks!
Melvin Schoenst 979.540.8800
Rick Sodek 979.966.7342
Larry Schatte 979.540.8139

Confusion & Trust

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!!

So....I felt the need to post :). Not a whole lot of interesting stuff has been going on lately. Well....it may be interesting to you, but it's somewhat FRUSTRATING for me. I thought I'd enlighten you (a little) on just a little bit of what I'm dealing with.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the AUCTION industry, world, realm....whatever you wanna call it. I'm intrigued & really ready to PLUNGE myself into it, more than I already have, BUT....it's not like I can just quit working. While A LOT of auctioneers make a GREAT living....it didn't happen over night. I know a lot of you readers don't know me personally, but I'm the kinda gal that WANT'S IT & I WANT IT NOW :). I'm also the kind of gal that's willin' to work. I'm not sayin' that I'm the most FANTABULOUS, EXPERIENCED, FAST-TALKIN' AUCTIONEER.....b/c I'm not; but I know that I put ALL I've GOT to GIVE into whatever I need to LEARN about. So I want to DO MORE than what I'm doin', but I've gotta make it make sense.

I've had a bit of a hard time just tryin' to understand what is the "RIGHT" thing to do. I've been VERY BLESSED to have met some just AWESOME auctioneers that have AMAZING credentials & experience & ARE WILLING TO HELP ME. Sometimes.....they all want you to go in a different direction than the other, BUT you RESPECT ALL of them. Rightfully so....They've all gotten where they've gotten from hard work & payin' their dues. There are LOTS of avenues an AUCTIONEER can take. More than I EVER had thought about before I started this journey. One AUCTIONEER that I am ever so grateful for told me....."Your way too early in the game to know what "direction" you want to go in." It's weird....I knew that, but I had gotten all wound up b/c I didn't want other auctioneers I know to think that I didn't VALUE what they said & listen to them. I have been advised by a couple of people, to focus on a certain type of auction & not others. They aren't trying to slow me down. They just want me to make sure I align myself with the "right" people in the "right" fields & help me as much as possible. Here's the thing. I AM A PEOPLE PLEASER. I don't want to disappoint anyone. Some of these fellas don't KNOW me. They KNOW they see DRIVE & SMARTS & GRIT & all that jazz in me, but they've JUST recently met me. SO....with that in mind. If I just use my HEAD & ask their advice if I don't know if something is good or bad for me, make MY OWN decision, based on what is BEST for me - then I've shown that I VALUE their opinion & have made the BEST decision for me. I'm not sayin' get involved with an auctioneer that has a crummy reputation or anything. I still need to use my BEST JUDGEMENT & prioritize things the way they ought to be prioritized.

I've been a PROFESSIONAL for quite a while now, maybe not an AUCTION professional, but a professional. It's time I BUCK UP &  start actin' like one. It is no different. You take what you can from EVERYONE. Boy....I learned that lesson years ago when I was learnin' to ride cutting horses. I will digress....briefly.... We were at our cutting horse trainers & another Novice rider was trying to tell me how to "tune" my horse. Well....I thought I only needed to listen to the trainer. BOY....Did I get a butt-chewin' from my DADDY. I mean...I was respectful & listened to the novice rider, but was a cocky little SCHEISTER later on the way home. I'll just say.... NEVER AGAIN... will I discredit ANYTHING from ANYONE.

Anyways....I grew up thinkin' that the MORE EXPERIENCE you get...the BETTER you'll be & that you can LEARN a little somethin' from EVERYONE. RIGHT NOW... I want to be a GREAT Auctioneer & OPERATE with the VALUES & MORALS that I have. It'll take some time to be a GREAT one. But let me tell you....when you get that HONOR.... you'll have helped businesses, organizations, individuals, and numerous up & coming auctioneers and will have well-earned the MASSIVE amounts of RESPECT you'll have from other people & auctioneers. I can tell you one thing....I sure wish MR. WALTER BRITTEN was still alive. That fella has been dead & gone, quite some time (God rest his soul), but he's such a BIG DEAL people are STILL talkin' about him!

Here's the cover of Mr. Britten's Book.
I've heard Auctioneers from all over Texas talk, good talk, about Mr. Britten: from Abilene to Corpus Christi ,  Houston to El Paso. ALL I have to say is WHAT A LEGACY!!

Back to me figurin' out what's the "right" thing to do...To me, it seems that if somethin' seems "fishy"...it probably is. Stay away from it, ask advice, & use your head. If I want to learn more about cattle auctions & car auctions & antique auctions & energy auctions  & real estate auctions & equipment auctions & you get the point...then I'll take the steps I need to, to do that. Learnin' never hurt anybody. I just have to be sure that whateverI decide to do makes sense. If I'm NOT gonna make any $$ doing it - is the experience worth it? The answer will vary. I know how to make those kind of decisions. Momma & Daddy didn't raise no dummy :).

Like I said....I ENJOY it! I'm NO SUPERSTAR,  but I have talent & ENOUGH SENSE to know that I don't need to WORRY about doin' the right thing. I just need to DO it. I need to be cautious & do what makes sense & I feel comfortable doing. MAN! I can be pretty darn good at OVERthinking things.

Anyways....I'm not sure that this post has helped anybody, but ME. I hope I at least ENTERTAINED you with my CrAzY, OVER-thinkin' self. Go be with your SWEETIE, or your BABIES, or your AMAZING FRIENDS! SHARE the LOVE today!!! BUCK on UP & Keep on readin'! More tales to come. Believe me....DULL moments don't tend to travel with me.

Dirty Old Sale Barns

I think this blog has let all of you (that want to) learn a little more about me. It´s helped to bring ME back to myself also, which needs to happen to all of us sometimes.

The first weekend of October I was able to stay a little longer and stop by Giddings Livestock for a little while. For those of you that don´t know...that´s the cattle auction that my Uncle is part-owner of. Let me give you all a little background.

Here´s a pic of Giddings Livestock - Sale every Monday.

My Uncle Mele used to haul cattle to several different sale barns in the area and we (me, my sister, and brother) would ride with him every so often.

I´m not exactly sure when, but I would say around the late ´90s, my Uncle started auctioning for Lee County Stockyards in Giddings. There was a girl there that worked in the back...BJ Els. That girl may be pint-sized, but she is tough as nails....Seriously...you kinda have to be to work back there. I mean...that girl stays dirty. She´s a barrel racer, her Daddy´s a welder, well....she just works harder than most men, has done things most men haven´t done and I just took a likin´ to her. So....I started working in the back...when I was in like 6th or 7th grade. I was a HUGE tomboy back then...HUGE! I was literally her shadow back there. I learned a lot....especially how to work...not sit still. So for several summers and any Monday that I didn´t have school...I went and worked at the sale barn.

My first job was working one of the shoot gates (there were 3) that got the cattle into the ring. Then...I eventually worked up to the tub (after BJ left). This is a big chute. It is a round pen-type thing that has different petition gates that moves different pens of cattle into the shoot. This is where you moved cattle into the chutes...right before they went into the ring. I´m not exactly sure when, but I started bringing the cattle up from the alley to put into the pens, that go into the tub, that then go into the shoot. I also helped get bulls and cows and goats and all kinds of livestock into the ring (some were put into the ring separately). I also helped get the baby calves paired up with their mommas before they went into the ring. The momma cows are penned separate from the babies, so they don´t get hurt (moving between the other big cows) and then they are later paired up when they go into the ring. I would literally come home covered in cow crap from head to toe...and then be ready to go back to work the next week.



Here´s a shot of the holding pens at Giddings Livestock from the catwalk.



More Pics and Cows...



Yet another....

Somewhere....probably around my Sophomore year of high school I started worrying about boys a little bit and what people thought of a girl working in the back...punching cattle. Most people think that´s men´s work and honestly...how attractive can a dirty stinky girl be? So I started helping in the office. Mainly entering information into the computer like tag number, buyer, seller, etc. I did that for awhile. Then I got a job working for Citizens National Bank and quit working at the barn for awhile.
Then the two local sale barns Lee County Stockyards and Giddings Livestock merged. They moved the sale to the new facilities at Giddings Livestock. The place I worked at the time La Finca (cool little home interior store with a Mexican type theme - owned my a SUPER COOL lady that inspired me to be a DREAMER) was not open on Mondays, so I started working in the kitchen and waiting tables. Then our family worked the restaurant for awhile (5S Cafe) - until my Daddy had to have a liver transplant and I went off to college.

I found some old pictures (and really wish I could of found some of me at my dirtiest) that I thought I´d share. It was a big, influential part of my life. I NEED to get better at taking pictures of all of this stuff for my blog! Granted...it´s kinda hard thinking about pictures when you have a 2-year old trying to stick her hand in the ring to "pet" the cows, but I need to get on top of this :).

Chance, Mom, Me, and Mandy at the Cafe.

Me and Mayra

Pops, Uncle Fritzie, Craig, and Leonard (my Father-in-Law)

Me and my Mother-In-Law, Lois working at the Cafe.

Mayra (long-time friend) and Mandy (little sister)...A couple of the cooks.

I guess that was a kinda long way to get to my main point, but I have been involved in sale barns FOREVER...and all different areas. I´ve met some really AWESOME, HARD-WORKING, REAL people along the way. Cattle Buyers, Sellers, Work hands of all sorts (young high school kids, older fellas that have been cowboy´n all their lives, alley hands that could care less about those damn cows and are just tryin´ to make some $$, etc.), got-it-together women workin´ in the office and callin´ pens, older fellas just stoppin´ in for coffee and watchin´ their cattle sell... Really....all kinds.

Some of thoe "Got-It-Together" Women and Marty (past part-owner).

More "Got It Together Women" :).

So I got to stop by and see some of my old friends. You don´t realize it, but these people are like family. Here are some examples: Mr. Bill Jones (from Lott, Texas) and Craig Archer (from the San Marcos area) are 2 cattle buyers that I recall knowin´ me when I was punching cattle in the back. Glenn (Cuero area) has managed the alley hands for as long as I can remember...Mr. Albrecht (Giddings-area native) - that has been drinkin´ coffee and watchin´ cows sell since I can remember, of course Uncle Mele and Mr. Rick Sodek. I mean...there were so many. In that same breath...there are so many that have passed on - that I wish I could´ve seen. They were characters that you just can´t forget and God Bless their souls.
I don´t know what it is about those Dirty Old Salebarns.... It just felt right for me to walk in there and be there. It´s kinda funny b/c...even though I grew up around them, it is always a little intimidating to walk into a room (predominantly full of men). Not only that, but it had been YEARS since some of these people have seen me. I walked in with Pops and we went and sat in the bleachers with little Kylee. It didn´t do much good trying to sneak in,considering that Uncle Mele called us out on the mike as soon as we sat down and everyone turned to look at us :). Before you knew it I was sittin´ down with the cattle buyers right in front of the ring and they were even playing with Kylee (who was tryin´ her derndest to get right up to the sale ring). It was kinda like we picked up right where we left off.

Look at all those people!

Anyways...I think the sale barn is where I learned to LOVE PEOPLE...all kinds of people and appreciate them.

As far as auctioning at one goes...it will take me a little while to get familiar with the market and maybe get enough speed to keep those cattle buyers happy.

It is memories like this that make me realize how truly blessed I have been in my life. There aren´t too many people that have the opportunities that I´ve had. I guess I´ve come a long way from punchin´ cows and cow crap. So...a marriage, a sweet little baby girl, an Associate and Bachelors Degree, an(almost) 5-year TV Ad Sales Career, and several years later, I have decided to get my Auctioneer License. Is it a bad thing that I kinda wouldn´t mind bein´ covered in cow crap again?

I SPOT You!

Hey everyone!! Thanks for reading!

Well...this past Saturday I had the opportunity to help out at a new business in ARANSAS PASS called THE AUCTION HOUSE! Before Saturday...I had NEVER been at an auction like this. The Auction House takes CONSIGNMENT PIECES and auctions it off for people.

The back of our shirts :)

There were ALL KINDS of things there: Refrigerators, dishwashers, trailer hitches, saws, couches, dishes, art, home decor, cowboy hats, dressers, dining room sets, tools, boats, Wizard of OZ collectibles, children´s toys, coin collections, estate jewelry....I could go on for DAYS! They really had a little bit of everything. I´ll be honest...the buyers/bidders got some PRETTY SWEET DEALS! Anyone that is in the area...needs to check this place out!

Good shot of some of the items that were auctioned off.

Like you all know (at least my followers)....I DO NOT have my license yet.What that means is that I can´t help AUCTIONEER yet. I wanted to get some EXPERIENCE though in some different types of auctions. All I´ve really seen are CATTLE AUCTIONS, FUNDRAISING AUCTIONS, and very few CAR AUCTIONS. I really want to learn what works for consignment auctions and auction houses. So....I emailed the two contacts on their website a few weeks ago and I get a phone call and email back. They wanted to meet me!!

They asked me to show up to their next auction (which was this past Saturday). My main job was WORKING THE FLOOR - SPOTTING THE BIDDERS, TRYING TO LIVEN´ UP THE CROWD A LITTLE, MARK THE BOUGHT ITEMS WITH THE BIDDER NUMBER, SHOW THE NEXT ITEM UP FOR AUCTION, ETC. It was kind of a slow start, but then people started THROWIN´ THEIR HANDS UP :).

I got a chance to talk to some of the bidders after the auction and EVERYONE I talked to was really nice. Two ladies that were sitting outside (that bought A LOT of items) stopped me and told me I did an AWESOME job SPOTTING the bidders and asked if I´d be back for the next one - which I will :). They said everything ran smoothly and they´ll be back for the next one. I´m really not trying to TOOT MY OWN HORN (toot...toot :)). I just REALLY like it when I get positive feedback. Remember....this whole idea was A SHOT IN THE DARK...seriously. I LOVE IT!!

The auctioneer is in the big podium and there are all kinds of collectibles on those shelves (Coca-Cola, Dr. Pepper, etc).

The other cool thing about this entire JOURNEY I´m taking is that I am getting to meet A LOT OF REALLY COOL PEOPLE that I may not have, if it wasn´t for this. WHEW! I feel BLESSED!

So...what did I learn? Well...I´ll say that - IT´S A LOT DIFFERENT THAN A FUNDRAISING AUCTION. Getting bids can be like PULLING TEETH on some items. You´ve really gotta do your ABSOLUTE BEST to sell that item. Talk it up! Get the audience engaged. Explain to them WHY they need it OR the SWEET DEAL they´re getting. At benefit auctions people plan on spending some $$. At The Auction House...they are trying to spend as little as possible. The Coca-Cola products and money and coins seemed to be pretty popular, BUT...it all depends on the crowd. Next time...there may be a couple of people looking for nice tools and they could be the most popular items.

There were copy machines, washing machines, dishwashers...all kinds of stuff back there.

It´s a whole ´nother realm of the AUCTION INDUSTRY and I LOVE it too!! (I realize that what I just typed is so grammatically incorrect - but I typed it anyway.)

Let´s just say that I really enjoyed myself and I´m INTRIGUED :). A BIG THANK YOU goes out to everyone over at The Auction House in Aransas Pass - John King (the auctioneer) and his wife Jeanne and their two girls, Mr. and Mrs. Davis, Tim and Miranda Wooten, and all the other staff there. They have WELCOMED me with OPEN ARMS. I´ll do all I can to HELP them anyway I know how.

All you LOCALS reading this...go check them out in Aransas Pass and bring an item or two and see if they can make ya´ll a little money. WHO KNOWS? You might walk away with a SWEET DEAL too!

AUCTION SCHOOL is right around the corner and it´s fixin´ to be time for me to BUCK UP BABY!! I can´t wait!! The next auction I´m helping with is at THE AUCTION HOUSE - in Aransas Pass again, then the Ledbetter Fireman´s Feast, and then AUCTION SCHOOL and my licensing exam :/. Time is FLYING!

Some of my Inspiration :)

THANKS again to everyone that keeps reading and to all you new-comers!!

I have a little lag time between my last auction and the next one in Burton, but I wanted to let everyone know about my inspiration :)...an UNCLE I have so much RESPECT for and that I will never be able to repay...My Uncle Melvin!


Here he is with my baby doll Kylee Jo and his long time Gal Pal Lillie. Folks...Ms. Lillie could sure use some prayers. She´s been diagnosed with the "ugly word." If you´ve got some time and would fold your hands and bow your heads I´d really appreciate it.

I look up to him very much. Not just for his auctioneering skills, but just him as a person. He gives, and gives, and gives, AND GIVES! I told him one day that he didn´t have to do all he did and he said "Heather, the good Lord put me here for a reason and this is one of them." Not only has he been VERY giving to my family all my life, but to his customers.

Uncle Melvin used to mainly haul cattle, and he´d go to a different sale almost every day of the week. We went with him EVERYWHERE as kids: Flatonia, Schulenburg, Columbus, Caldwell, Giddings, LaGrange...who knows where else...

We not only went with him to sales/auctions, but also to help him pick up cattle from ranchers around our home town and surrounding areas, doctored all sorts of livestock, AND helped him up at the holding pens (where they hold the livestock before they go to auction). We´d tag them in, write them up, all that kind of stuff.

Well...what has ALWAYS struck me is that everyone that Uncle Melvin helps with their cattle or their place or an auction is SO very LOYAL to him. He has hauled and at times doctored their cows for so long and never asks for much. GUYS...he´s been doing stuff like this since he was 15 or 16. That´s a long time!! If you´ve ever met him you know that he doesn´t talk a whole lot, but LET ME TELL YOU...actions speak WAY louder than words.

I used to work in the back at Lee County Stockyards and Giddings Livestock in Giddings (click here for their website) and it was a pretty regular thing to hear some of the cattle buyers complain a little bit, about Uncle Melvin working and working and working a bid to get the highest price yet. I can understand some of the frustration from a buyers stand point. Some of these guys drive a pretty long ways, just to have to get back home that night and get up and go to another sale the next day.  I can also understand it from a workhand´s perspetive too...especially when it´s HOT! Guys...I´ve seen auctions last INTO THE NEXT DAY! So...I get it.

Giddings Livestock Commission - Sale every Monday


HOWEVER, being in sales I know that Uncle Melvin´s number one priority as a business owner and as an auctioneer is to make that animal bring the absolute most for the seller. You have to respect him for that. His customers sure do.

YOU KNOW... it really is funny how the older you get, the clearer you see things and understand them, and appreciate them. Being in sales I know that you have to stand by your word, be honest, ´fess up when you make a mistake and do your ABSOLUTE BEST to fix it. Not all sales people are like that. What my goal is, as a salesperson (TV ad sales), is to become my clients´ friend, to really help them grow their business, and be successful. I am honest and I give them the most fair rates I can. I´m not just blowin´ smoke either. I do.  I HAVE  to give Uncle Melvin credit for that.

I have LOTS of FANTASTIC people in my life that inspire me or motivate me in SO many different ways, but I really have to give KUDDOS to UNCLE MELE. I wouldn´t have even thought about auctioneering if he didn´t do it. And now....I REALLY enjoy it.

Well guys...STAY TUNED! Show me some LOVE and LEAVE A COMMENT.  It gets kind of complicated to leave a comment sometimes...even for me, but I do like reading them. I´m not sure if my next blog will be about my next AUCTION, OUR ANNUAL FRIO TRIP, or just some RANDOMNESS. Whatever it is...I´ll try to make it entertaining. Remember to THROW THOSE HANDS UP and BUCK UP BABY!!

FRIO RIVER BABY!!

If you need to sell some "Moo Cows" as Kylee calls them :)...check out Giddings Livestock Commission....Sale every MONDAY!!!