Family-owned and committed to local cattle producers, as always.

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Stettler Auction Market was founded in 1953 by Charlie McKay and Thomas (Ace) Pratt and from 1990 to 2016 was operated by Charlie McKay’s sons-in-law Jim Abel and Greg Hayden. In October 2016, ownership of the Stettler Auction Market was transferred from one long-time Stettler family to another, with Gary and Leigh Rairdan along with their daughter Crystal Rairdan, taking the reins. The Rairdan family has generations of history with the Stetter Auction Market, with Gary's father ,Larry, hauling pigs there for weekly sales and mother, Norma, working in the office for two decades.  Gary has fond memories of playing at the auction market as a child, including Charlie McKay always giving them a quarter to spend. “As I got older, Charlie always told me to save quarters and buy cows,” recollects Gary. “Operating the Stettler Auction Market is the realization of my lifelong dream to work with cattle and cattle producers, and we look forward to continuing the Stettler Auction Market legacy as a local, family-run business.” Gary’s decades of experience in the cattle industry includes ten years at Remington Land and Cattle, managing a 1500 cow purebred herd, 1500-cow commercial herd, and 6500 head backgrounding feedlot with operations in Alberta and co-managing Saskatchewan operations. Gary has also specialized in marketing purebred cattle and sales across Canada with Bouchard Livestock International and worked as a sales consultant and herd manager for other large purebred breeders.  Gary, Leigh and Crystal are committed to their long-term friends, neighbours and business associates in the Stettler area and are excited to work with the dedicated staff at Stettler Auction Market to continue to serve local cattle producers. Although there has been consolidation among auction markets in recent years, the Rairdans stand behind Stettler Auction Market’s long-term philosophy that there will always be a need for mid-sized community auction markets to ensure competition and transparency.  As a local, family-run business, Stettler Auction Market will continue to be flexible and progressive in order to meet the needs of its clients into the future.