After nearly 29 years of helping to steer the ship that is the Torrington Livestock Markets (TLM) in Torrington, WY, Shawn Madden is stepping aside. He recently announced that he divested his interests as of July 1, 2017.
Shawn, with his brother, Lex, started their marketing careers in the early 1980s while working for L.W. Maxfield at Torrington Livestock. They received early experience working for their father in his operations in Lusk and Wheatland, WY.
In 1989 the brothers branched out on their own, leasing and eventually buying Stockman’s Livestock in Torrington. They later merged their operation with Mike Maxfield and Oliver Dicken to create Torrington Livestock Markets.
Talking with WLJ, Shawn said he doesn’t have definite plans but noted, “I will find something productive to do.” Expressing an interest in exploring options, he said, “There’s a lot of different things to do; a lot of different places—you can’t wait forever to go out and see what’s going on.”
He doesn’t plan to leave the Torrington area, explaining that he and his brother are partners in farms and ranches in the area.
Asked about some highlights of his time working in the auction business, Shawn said, “It was a really good business for us for long time, and it was certainly rewarding financially for us, but the main thing is the people that you get to deal with; you get a lot of friendships and relationships built with producers, farmers and ranchers—and buyers as well. That’s the biggest part of it.”
Over the years the auction facility has drawn cattle from a nine-state region: Nebraska; Colorado; Arizona; Nevada; Utah; Idaho; South Dakota; Montana; and the bulk of Wyoming. In addition, it regularly attracts buyers from across the nation.
During the fall, TLM operate two sale barn facilities, offering two and three sales and selling up to 19,000 head per week. In 1999 TLM marketed enough cattle to become the nation’s largest independent livestock market.
Shawn not only served as owner of the market; he is also an auctioneer and was named World Livestock Auctioneering Champion in 2001. Lex won the award in 1998, making them the only brother duo to win the title.
WLJ asked if he would be relieved to get away from the pressure of weekly and sometimes twice-weekly sales. Shawn responded that the pressure didn’t bother him, saying, “It was just enough of doing that. There are a lot of other things going on out there in the world.”
The new ownership of TLM and Cattle Country Video will consist of Lex, Chuck Petersen, and Michael Schmitt. An announcement on the TLM website noted: “Though ownership has changed, our dedication to our customers will not.” — WLJ
