Mock Auction Reinforces Classroom Learning

Students lined up in Curtis Mott 103, eager to receive their bidding numbers for the upcoming auction. While it may seem odd to host a horse, beef cattle, sheep and exotics auction inside a classroom, the students saw it as a golden opportunity to show their adjunct professor, Tyler Galloway, what they’ve learned throughout the spring semester in his animal promotion and sales management class at SUNY Cobleskill.

“The auction is part of their final exam,” said Galloway.

The students organized every aspect of the “auction.” From getting consignments, selling food, organizing the sale catalog and clerking the auction, the students got a chance to see what it takes to put an animal auction together.

“It was fun,” said Emily Mombourquette of Harmony, RI. “It was a lot more confusing than I thought it was going to be.” Mombourquette was part of the sheep consignment committee, as well as clerking and advertising for the sale.

“It’s tough to work with everyone who’s putting the sale together and the consignors to make sure everyone knows what is going on,” she said.

The imaginary consignments from the sale ranged from Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes racing champ Funny Cide, to an ostrich breeding pair, to Sparkle a two-time champion ewe at Louisville in 2003 and 2004.

Once students received their numbers, they grabbed a seat and waited to spend their faux money.  One student sat in the back manning the phones for bids, other students were strategically placed to help out the auctioneer and get the bids.

Each consignment was introduced as a PowerPoint slide highlighting the animal’s outstanding qualities, and Galloway began calling the auction. Students were joined by SUNY Cobleskill alumni, faculty and staff in the bidding wars and fun.

The class helped students gain insight about real auctions, which, for some of agricultural clubs on campus, is invaluable. The American Animal Producers Club has its annual Coby Classic sale set for October, and the Dairy Cattle Club recently held its annual Dairy Fashions Sale, giving students a chance to implement skills they learned in the classroom.