AHA Launches Online Auction Site: BuyHereford.com

^{Source: American Hereford Association}

The American Hereford Association (AHA) has launched a new online auction Web site — BuyHereford.com — which will feature regular online consignment auctions.

This new marketing site will give Hereford breeders the power to reach potential customers worldwide. Designed to help producers with any herd size, this service provides a marketing option for those producers who do not host annual production sales and can be a complementary outlet for those who do host a production sale.

AHA members can consign females, bulls, steers, cow-calf pairs, donor dams, embryos, semen, picks of the herd or flush rights. Commercial female lots and groups of feeder calves can also be listed. Offerings are not just limited to Hereford genetics; consignments can also include equipment such as chutes, trailers, show tack and equipment or feed supplies.

The first BuyHereford.com online auction will be Nov. 3 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST. Other 2009 scheduled sale dates are Dec. 1 and Dec. 29.

The AHA Board and staff are very excited about this new business venture designed to provide members and possibly commercial customers a wonderful opportunity to conduct business. What AHA offers consignors is exposure: both national exposure and possibly global exposure when considering the new Pan-American Genetic Evaluation relationship with Hereford associations in Argentina, Uruguay and Canada.

Kevin Wendt, the bonded professional auctioneer and owner of The Wendt Group, has contracted his services to the AHA. Wendt will have a team of customer service people led by representative Tyler Humphrey, who will work with breeders to post their listing on the site.

An initial nonrefundable, up-front fee of $50 per pictured animal or product or $75 for a videoed animal or product will be charged to consign to an auction. Once the animal or product is sold, a 12% commission will be deducted from the sale price.

Every buyer must sign up on the site and be prequalified to be an approved buyer at the auction. The Wendt Group is responsible for collection of the proceeds for each purchase before delivery and will guarantee consignor payment within 30 days of the auction.

Consignors can post photos and video clips. See BuyHereford.com for format guidelines. Two weeks before each auction, an online catalog of consignments will be available.  

To consign to the online auction or for more information, contact Joe Rickabaugh, AHA director of field management and seedstock marketing, at (816) 842-3757 or any of the regional Hereford field staff for detailed information. You can also visit the Web site for more information about the service.