Auctions are a cornerstone of agriculture, yet the skill it takes to keep bids rolling smoothly often goes unnoticed. At this year’s Wisconsin FFA Auctioneer Competition, that talent was on full display. Junie Kierce, a junior at Waunakee High School, captured the top honor in the program’s second year, thanks to months of preparation and mentorship from professional auctioneer Jenny Gehl of North Prairie.
Kierce said her journey into auctioneering started with watching the popular TV show Storage Wars. She then took to the internet. After browsing the Wisconsin Auctioneers Association website, she found her mentor in an unexpected way. “I picked Mrs. Gehl because she had curly hair, and I was like, okay, it’s meant to be,” Kierce laughed. “She has curly hair, I have curly hair, and so it was fate from then.”
Unlike many competitors, Kierce had no prior experience attending auctions before entering the contest. She studied national competitions, practiced counting and rhythm exercises, and even auctioned off items at home to build confidence. Despite being active in public speaking and forensics, she admitted auctioneering brought a new challenge. “Auctioneering was the first time that I seriously got stage fright,” she said.
The competition mirrors professional standards. Participants give an introduction, answer an interview question, with this year being define what an auction is, and then sell both a self-provided item and a surprise item live to real bidders. Kierce’s “his and hers” basket featured donations from Waunakee businesses, while her surprise item had a horse theme. Even when bidders didn’t need the items, the supportive auctioneering community stepped up to participate.
For Gehl, mentoring Kierce meant starting with the fundamentals: mastering numbers, practicing tongue twisters, and developing rhythm before refining a chant and salesmanship skills. “When you get approached by someone who’s interested in the industry that I love so much, you bet I’m going to show up and help the best that I can,” Gehl said.
As this year’s champion, Kierce earned the choice between attending auctioneering school or competing at the International Junior Auctioneers Championship. She chose the schooling route, eager to continue learning. Both Kierce and Gehl encourage students curious about auctioneering to reach out to the Wisconsin Auctioneers Association for guidance.
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