We Live It | LiveAg's Livestock Marketing Podcast

In this special We Live It episode, host Ty deCordova goes live ahead of the June 26 LiveAg video auction featuring 15,000+ head of quality feeder cattle. He’s joined by 2024 World Champion Auctioneer Wade Liest and LiveAg rep Jimmy Lambert — two Michigan natives with deep roots in the livestock world. From family connections that span decades to hilarious stories from the road, Wade and Jimmy talk camaraderie, cattle marketing, and the friendships that fuel the auction business. Don’t miss our cattle market outlook, plenty of customer shout-outs, and behind-the-scenes banter from two of the best in the business.

Interested in marketing your cattle on a video auction this summer? Fill out this form to be put in touch with your local LiveAg rep: https://heyor.ca/0V46yJ

Creators and Guests

Host
Ty deCordova
Ty DeCordova is a seasoned professional with more than 25 years of experience in cattle marketing. He spent 20 years at Superior Livestock Auction, including his final years managing the Country Page as well as the block during video auctions. This allowed Ty to develop a deep understanding of the cattle industry's operations and build relationships with cattle buyers on a national level. Ty now oversees all operational aspects of the business, ensuring efficiency and excellence across all areas. Ty comes from a family with a long-standing history in the cattle industry. Growing up in Groesbeck, Texas, he and his brother started their own cattle business during their teenage years, purchasing and selling loads of steers. By the age of 17, Ty was actively involved in buying cattle at sale barns for his father, gaining hands-on experience. This early exposure to the sale-barn environment shaped his lifelong passion and expertise in cattle marketing. Ty continues to run cattle today and is committed to serving the agriculture industry.
Host
Wade Leist
Wade Leist is the 2024 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion, earning the top honor from a field of more than 100 auctioneers across the U.S. and Canada. Though he grew up helping at his family’s sale barn in Gaylord, Michigan, Wade never set out to become an auctioneer. What began as selling his own stock turned into a career defined by grit, humility, and a deep respect for livestock producers. Raised on a cow-calf operation, Wade understands firsthand the long nights, harsh weather, and hard work that come with ranch life. He carries that experience into every sale, striving to honor the trust cattlemen place in him and to remind them that their work matters. Known for both his talent behind the mic and his authenticity in the industry, Wade brings passion and gratitude to every auction he calls.
Producer
Katy Holdener
Katy Holdener's journey in agricultural communications began on her family's row crop farm in California's Central Valley, where she developed a deep appreciation for the industry. After earning a degree in Agricultural Communications and Economics from Oklahoma State University, Katy has been fortunate to work with respected organizations such as the American Hereford Association, American Angus Association, Superior Livestock Auction and BioZyme, Inc. These experiences have provided her with valuable insights into seedstock and commercial livestock marketing. Katy strives to create effective marketing strategies that support the company and its consignors.

What is We Live It | LiveAg's Livestock Marketing Podcast?

Welcome to the "We Live It" ranch and livestock marketing podcast, where cattle market intelligence meets ranch-ready wisdom. Join hosts Ty deCordova with LiveAg and Casey Mabry with Blue Reef Agri-marketing as they bring you straight-talk market analysis, proven strategies, and insights from industry leaders who understand ranching isn't just a business - it's a way of life.
From livestock market trends to cattle management practices, each episode delivers actionable knowledge to help take your ranching operation to the next level. Whether you're in the saddle or in the truck, tune in for conversations that matter to modern cattlemen. Because we don't just talk about the cattle business...we live it.

Speaker 1:

That is that's how they're seeing it.

Speaker 2:

The live ag podcast, your source for livestock market insights, management strategies, and real conversations with those who don't just work in the cattle industry, they live it. Here are your hosts, Ty De Cordova and Casey Mabry.

Speaker 1:

Welcome. Welcome once again to the We Live It podcast, part of the Live Ag video auction. I would like to welcome Wade Leish.

Speaker 3:

Nice job. Yeah.

Speaker 1:

You have been working at it. And then we got Jimmy Lambert joining us here today. We're live in Shipshewana, Indiana for our first summer sale. We got a little over 15,000 head of cattle to sell today. We just kind of wanted to get on here a little bit and visit with Jimmy on about kind of what he has listed on here today and kind of how he got started.

Speaker 1:

So, Jimmy, if you kind of tell us a little bit about yourself and but first, we gotta do something. What in the world has he got on his tie?

Speaker 4:

It's Wade. We shouldn't ask questions like that.

Speaker 1:

Reckon he bought that at a bargain shop or something?

Speaker 4:

Definitely at the flea market across

Speaker 1:

the street. At one of them auctions he got.

Speaker 3:

It was a garage sale.

Speaker 1:

He kinda got hung up there. Was a

Speaker 3:

garage sale gift. Okay.

Speaker 1:

I just seen the rifle down there. Thought he's gonna go to shooting folks today or something. Anyway, Jimmy, kinda tell us a little bit about your family, your family history. I know you're you and your dad and your brother is kind of a family business that y'all do there at the barn and the the buying stations and all that stuff. And then you kinda ventured out to the video and

Speaker 3:

You're let him tell the story or you're gonna tell the story?

Speaker 1:

Go ahead, Jimmy. Hold on. Let me sit up so I can see you at a

Speaker 4:

So, Ty, yeah, started out working, pretty much with my family in this business. Got out of Michigan State University Beef Tech program in the, 2010 is when I would be my first fall season working in the cattle business and, worked for my dad with my dad then went to, started doing a little order buying at Wade's family's market and a couple other markets in Michigan, kind of the first thing I did before going to work for the video. You fast forward to now where, I'm a little more solely working in the video market. On Mondays, I still travel to a sale barn that Wade and I both work at as auctioneers, doing a little trucking and buying there. But mostly now we're just on the video platform.

Speaker 1:

Oh, you get to work with the world champion. Oh, wait. You beat him one time. Right? I love

Speaker 4:

to remind you about that twenty thirteen Michigan auctioneer championship. He's a

Speaker 3:

He wasn't the only one to ever beat me. That was he started a string of, like, four years in a row that I kept getting my butt kicked.

Speaker 4:

Yeah. He's always the bridesmaid.

Speaker 1:

We could tell. But, you

Speaker 3:

know Hey. Speaking of which, so he so you get into your order buying part there. Can, I I like the story about your first order? Do you remember your first order? Your first things you started buying?

Speaker 4:

Actually, if you go pre college, I, paid for my first pickup buying and selling goats.

Speaker 1:

I'm not gonna go.

Speaker 3:

You didn't expect that,

Speaker 1:

did you? I didn't expect that. No. You kinda looked like it's yeah. No.

Speaker 1:

Well.

Speaker 3:

I still remember.

Speaker 4:

Nobody else wanted to do it. I was willing to go for it.

Speaker 1:

Pay for your

Speaker 4:

truck, It did. It really did. And I was like, I was 15 years old, and, I had to hire someone to drive me in that truck and trailer around picking up goats off of some goat berries and and, going to weekly sales and taking some into a a larger sheep and goat market in Southern Michigan.

Speaker 1:

That's what's so unique though about this industry though is you can go back and a lot of people have stories like this, well how they got started. It wasn't just that they grew up in it, they had a passion for it, they started small. I know a lot of guys that are huge now that started buying baby calves. Mean just trading baby calves, worked in the back of a sale barn, bought baby calves and now they run 15,000 cattle. I mean it's just that's what's so unique about this industry.

Speaker 1:

If you want to work hard and you want to get involved, put your hand on the plow and you can survive. But you gotta load, you know, get in there and do it. You can't start at the top. You gotta start down there in the dirt. So that's pretty cool.

Speaker 1:

I didn't know that. That's neat.

Speaker 4:

Yeah. I spent a lot of time doing that, working out back at a couple different sale barns. My dad managed a sale barn when I was coming up. I, you know, love love love nothing more than getting back there and running cattle down the Pennant Alley. That was one of my favorite things to do.

Speaker 4:

They had a monthly sheep and goat sale. I'd get get out of school to go help with that, and they'd have me go in the pickup toppers and grab a lamb out and stuff that was a little smaller than, of course.

Speaker 1:

Little small.

Speaker 3:

Not much though.

Speaker 1:

I think he's much smaller because I mean then.

Speaker 3:

I seriously, I remember walking into the so Clare County Stockyards is maybe, I don't know, two and a half hours north here, some probably something like that. I walk in and he's like 16 years old. He's like, hey, Wade. You know, and he's getting like his goats and sheep sorted and and they're getting ready to start the sail and they're in the in in this barn. It's an old barn and you're underneath the the bleachers when you when you start sorting like that, you know, and his head's like scraping against the top of the barn as he's like sorting these goats are cheap down there.

Speaker 3:

He's like 16 years old. I'm like, what is this kid doing? Well, we had I had

Speaker 4:

plenty of naysayers when I was younger. I remember coming to, your dad's market and buying feeder cattle and just feeling like I had laser beams pointed at me the whole time. And, I I think a lot of people expected, some failure, and, which which was probably rightfully so. And, it's just it's a pleasure to look back at that and see that that was overcome and and to fast forward to where sitting right here today. It's incredible to me.

Speaker 3:

Yeah. It it is. It's super it's super cool. From a couple of guys that, you know, if we go to Fort Worth to a to an auction, everybody assumes we're from Texas, you know? And then you get on a plane in Grand Rapids to fly somewhere and they're like, Where are you going?

Speaker 3:

Are you going back home to Texas? Like, No, we live in Michigan. Like, Well, what do you do here? Well, I'm a livestock auctioneer and he reps cattle markets gal. He's also a livestock auctioneer.

Speaker 3:

They have cattle in Michigan? Like, yeah. And you're gonna see some damn good ones today too.

Speaker 1:

Really good.

Speaker 3:

You know, throughout the sale, you're gonna see some of the some of the best that there is to offer. But back when when Jimmy got started, you know, my dad runs a market. It's the northernmost market in the state. And there was some competition there. You know, you got Jimmy going out in the country and putting loads together for video sales.

Speaker 3:

We're thinking, man, those would be pretty good through the ring. But he took it to a whole another level, you know, working with these producers that just appreciated the guide the guidance, you know, that that he could offer and putting them in the right market, doing what was best for them, not necessarily what was best for him, and, always kind of putting them first. And I I think that a lot of the producers in Michigan can credit him for helping get them to a good spot.

Speaker 1:

Yeah. Not only does he get them in a good market, but he also helps them with the bull batteries and stuff too. I mean, you do some of that. You kinda tell us a little bit about there's some of them guys here today that are gonna participate in buying some of this stuff back on on some of the bull markets that you have.

Speaker 4:

Yeah. So that that has been a very incredible part of this process as well. I got involved with the Great Lakes Beef Connection bull sale, several years ago. John hired me to be his auctioneer and also a marketing rep for the bull sale, and I've I've gotten a lot of my video customers to now purchase their bulls from John. And what is really nice about that is not only do I get to work for him as an auctioneer, but he does such a nice job that I can absolutely sell that product with confidence to my people.

Speaker 4:

And I've seen him stand up and and take care of business when it needs to be taken care of. They're gonna be back in here bidding on calves today. And what more could you ask for from where you're purchasing your bulls?

Speaker 1:

I got a one little funny story about Jimmy when he kinda first come on video. Selling cattle on the video was in I don't remember. It was an hour or somewhere selling cattle. First time I ever seen him, think, come walking in there seven foot tall, you know, and I don't know if you ever met my dad, but my dad was probably five nine maybe, five ten. I'm sitting up on the block and Jimmy's real passionate about what he does and what dad was too and there's a little friction that happened.

Speaker 1:

And I looked down there and my dad's looking up and he's poking and Jimmy's looking down. I'm like, I'm on the block. I'm thinking, dad, that's a big, big fella. I don't and they both kind of walked off and the next morning, everything was good.

Speaker 4:

Yeah. I've I've never forgot that day. And I tell you what, I gained so much respect for your father that next morning. He grabbed me right away. He sat down.

Speaker 4:

He said, we're squashing this thing. We're gonna go on today and do a nice job, and that was exactly what happened. And that's that's one of those moments that you learn from and do not forget. Yeah.

Speaker 3:

I I What did you do wrong? Oh,

Speaker 4:

I was really green. That's all I can tell

Speaker 1:

you. No. We don't have a we didn't write the list down. We we don't we don't have the list down.

Speaker 4:

I was, I was still pretty young in this yet and, learning a little bit about how sale day works in a video market. Yeah.

Speaker 1:

It's a pretty quick learner, though. When you got a little bitty firecracker looking up at you pointing your pointing in your chest, you you learn pretty fast. So

Speaker 4:

I would you know, today, I would like to kinda speak on some of the, you know, consignors that we have on the sale today. There's a couple of them in particular that I've had the pleasure of doing business with them for thirteen, fourteen consecutive years. John Handle, the six h ranch, Andy Salinas, Elmwood Farm, Tim Andrews, Spencer Schunk. These these are guys that helped me get started that gave me a chance, when I was very young. And, you know, I look at that and I'm like, what compelled them to put their one paycheck a year in the hands of a 21, 22 year old kid that's just getting started.

Speaker 4:

And I've just always been forever grateful to them guys. And, they have excellent quality cattle. They're gonna be featured on this sale today. And that's they are going to really get paid off for, I think, investing in a program several years ago.

Speaker 3:

Well, I think they saw they saw an opportunity and they saw somebody that was working hard. Yeah. To make something happen. And it was going to bring more than a regional market to their cattle. I mean, I'm sure it was a stretch.

Speaker 3:

I'm sure it wasn't easy to talk to those folks and get them signed up. But I think when they see that passion, they see that opportunity, and it was really the first time they'd had an opportunity like that. Looking back on it, I'm not surprised that they have done work.

Speaker 1:

Yeah. They've seen the vision, and they've seen a young man that wanted to go get it. I mean, the hustle. So and that goes a long ways. So.

Speaker 4:

I do wanna also give some credit where it's due. I've got a a beautiful wife and a young daughter that wait around at home for me an awful lot. Yeah. You know, we're I cover from a wide range. You know, Escanaba, Michigan which is somewhat Western Upper Peninsula all the way down to Fort Wayne, Indiana, is a pretty big spread to run back and forth in in some weeks, and, they're they're keeping the home fire burning, and I can't thank them enough for allowing them for to to let me chase my dreams.

Speaker 4:

This is this is a dream.

Speaker 1:

Yeah. It takes it takes I noticed you didn't put them on. Yeah. I didn't put it on there. You are you did this one guy, though, who your your traveling partner.

Speaker 3:

BR.

Speaker 4:

BR. Yeah. I I also have a great crew that helps me. Obviously, I'm not at I you know, we're selling enough cattle that we're not making every single delivery, you know, by myself. So we do make sure that someone on our team is at every delivery.

Speaker 4:

We don't let cattle ever get loaded without a team member there. And, you know, Brandt Butzer, BR Butzer is a very important part of my program. He's loading cattle down here in Indiana every single week. My younger brother Wyatt covers a lot of deliveries, and and, they both video a lot of cattle. They get along great with the customers.

Speaker 4:

The customers like them coming by just as well as myself, I feel. And, without guys like that working alongside me, I would definitely not be able to build this to where it is today.

Speaker 1:

Well, that's awesome. You you got an awesome story. You've got great customers, great cattle. I mean, we'll see some of the best cattle in this part of the country today that we sell today. So, anything else you want to mention before we get going here?

Speaker 3:

Probably should talk about Justin. He's gonna get his feelings hurt if we don't mention Justin.

Speaker 4:

That is a really good idea, Wade. And that's, you know, one thing about here at Live Ag, their partnership with United Producers. Wade and I both work for Justin on Mondays. He's the manager of their Saint Louis, Michigan branch, and Justin also is a a tremendous team team player. He's he's been to some deliveries.

Speaker 4:

We're him and I are able to rep some of these cattle together here at Live Ag, and that's been a wonderful opportunity. I think it's actually brought more business to the table when him and I can get shoulder to shoulder and go to some clients together and put some deals together. Also, they.

Speaker 3:

He's not going to be shoulder to shoulder. Maybe.

Speaker 1:

Maybe eyebrow cap. Maybe eyebrow to shoulder or something but it ain't going to be shoulder jump. They also do a deal there this fall. I think it's the Foto Rama deal that they do that we're going to brought to you. Is it I can't remember the date.

Speaker 4:

It's the August.

Speaker 1:

It's the August.

Speaker 4:

It's annual sale UPI has done for a long time, so been an incredible market.

Speaker 1:

And they sell short loads and big loads and kind of whatever. It's pretty good deal. And we went to it last year and visited and watched it. I think we're gonna broadcast it live this year from the sale barn there on live ag and, kind of give that opportunity as well. That's something to if you're up in this up this area and and you're looking for a place to sell a short load even, that that would be a good spot to even contact them guys and and get get get signed up for that thing.

Speaker 3:

Yeah. There's a long time reputation for that sale. It's actually one of the things, you know, I give Justin a ton of credit for. He followed kind of one of the one of the legacy guys in this industry. Scott Acker had run the Saint Louis market for a long, long time, or was at least helping run that market for a long, long time.

Speaker 3:

He I think he started the photo Ram with Salem. That's been going on for twenty five, thirty years in in that ballpark. So it's been going on for a long, long time. Well, when Scott passed away, recently, Justin came on board at Saint Louis. And, I mean, he's 25, maybe 26 years old, and had to come in right away and learn not only a system, but learn that video auction or that that photo auction and get started and kinda really earn his keep in a in a Yeah.

Speaker 3:

In a pretty quick manner. So he's done he's done a really good job. He's been a good partner, I know, for Jimmy on these things, and he's been a good guy to work for as well.

Speaker 1:

Yeah. Good deal. Well, Jimmy, we thank you for being on. I know you got a busy day today. We better better let you go to get some of your rat killing done.

Speaker 1:

Wade, thanks for joining us today. As always, the, past is it past or is former? Farmer. Has been. Has been.

Speaker 1:

Well, yeah, has been World Auctioneer. Oh, no. Yeah. World Auctioneer Champ because I can't you and him confuse national world. I don't know what it all means but we thank everybody for joining us today watching.

Speaker 1:

Once again, I want to remind you, deadline, July 15 for Boise sale that's on July 24. So if you if you feel want to consign to that, go to live-ag.com and find your local rep and he can get you consigned to that. We should have a really, really good strong offering to calves and feeder calves on that sale as well. So thanks for joining us today. Tune in at 10:00 eastern time on channel two thirty three or liveag.com.

Speaker 1:

We are on the Cowgirl channel today, so we have made that move. So tune in there to watch it live on TV or liveag.com to watch it on the Internet. So and don't forget, hit subscribe, hit like on our YouTube and our podcast channel. We sure appreciate everybody. Now once again, I wanna thank the ladies behind the scenes.

Speaker 1:

You got Katie and Margo back there. They're always giving us hand gestures. If y'all ever want if y'all ever see us kind of hesitate, look back there because Margot has done something special or Katie is doing a countdown or something like that. Are there mouthing? Yeah, they're doing some like that.

Speaker 1:

So, well, once again, thanks for joining us here at We Live at the Live Ad Podcast. Hit like, hit