Owners: Superior Livestock
Location: Based in Fort Worth, Texas, with office in Huntsville, Ark.
Arkansas representative: Nicole Gurley
History: “Less than 10 years ago, Brad Fahrmeier figured out that there was a calling for a live video feed for cattle sales because distance limited buyers’ options. Long distance traveling to purchase purebred cattle is risky because the buyer may or may not find exactly what is needed. A video feed solves that problem because buyers can view the auction live and bid as if they were at the sale on LiveAuctions.tv. I met Brad three years ago at the Gardiner Angus Ranch in Ashland, Kan., after being asked if I was interested in a part-time position. I met him and watched the process. He then asked me if I thought I could handle it and informed me that my first sale was in two weeks. The system, from a representative’s point of view, is user-friendly though demanding. Last October Brad sold his business to Superior Livestock out of Fort Worth, Texas. The buyout brought about few changes because the system was efficient and profitable for everyone. I am one of many representatives who travel the country for this part-time position. The furthest I have been is east of Atlanta, Ga., but I’ve also been to Abilene, Texas, Austin, Texas and Iowa, just to name a few places.”
Future: “The video auction makes sense because we have enough sales online to make the added expense worthwhile. The video feed reaches a much larger and specifically targeted buyer pool because an auction video catalog can be viewed on the Internet one week prior to the auction and the listings can be viewed on the Internet at any time. Being a successful representative for the service most of all requires a love of the cattle business. It’s also important to be early and be able to think on your feet because problems like interrupted connection or equipment malfunction need immediate solutions. Finally, a successful representative must be detail oriented, something my loan background provides in abundance.
