New Sale Protocol

For many years, our clients have appreciated the calm, personal nature of private treaty sales. That atmosphere—unhurried, respectful, and relationship-driven—has always been important to us, and it still is.

At the same time, our industry has experienced change.  To say that these last few years have been crazy, would be an understatement. 

Several respected colleagues and competitors—people I admired and learned from—have passed away. Their absence leaves a hole in our hearts, and has changed how many are looking toward the future.  We at SBRC encourage our community to support these families as they honor the legacies built and continue forward with their cattle sales. 

 

These things, along with record-high market values have reshaped conditions in ways very different from the past.  In a private treaty setting, pricing is traditionally set in advance. In today’s market, doing that responsibly has become increasingly difficult.  I cannot, in good conscience, set the value of these bulls where my marketing program is telling me that they should be. There is an unwanted burden here - the guesswork that hurts existing and new clients, as well as us here at Stone's Blackrock Cattle - and it doesn’t belong at the Gathering of the Bull.

Out of respect for our past, present, and future clients, we believe there is a better approach.

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By transitioning to a silent auction model, we are allowing the market itself to determine value—openly, fairly, and without pressure. This method preserves the thoughtful and relaxed pace our clients value, while ensuring that prices reflect real demand rather than a single estimate.

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This change is not about creating urgency or competition for its own sake. It is about transparency, fairness, and acting in all of our clients’ best interest in this current market.

We make this change with gratitude for each person who helped us get where we are today, and we continue our commitment to serve each one of you with integrity.