Brandon Mendoza Valles’s attraction to auctions started at a very young age when he would attend a cattle auction every Saturday with his dad. Brandon said, “It was the biggest highlight of my week.”
At the age of 13, Brandon met his mentor, a local auctioneer from Hennessey, Justin Choate. “He took me to the company he was employed for and I got to sell a couple of items,” Brandon said.
Selling in Spanish
One evening while feeding horses, Brandon thought if anyone had ever been able to sell in Spanish. Brandon said, “Just thinking of how unique that was blew my mind and filled me with excitement. It was not easy at all, auctioneering itself is difficult and requires practice, but now attempting to do it in a completely different language was very stressful.”
The Competitions
In 2018, Brandon just missed winning the National Auctioneers Association’s International Junior Auctioneer Championship by one-half a point in Jacksonville, Florida. After missing opportunities at several other major events in New Orleans and San Diego Brandon said, “I told myself on the flight home I would never show up unprepared for something that takes such dedication to win. A couple of months later I started selling more than I ever had.”
A week after graduating from high school in 2023, Brandon got an offer from his uncle to work in the oil field. Brandon said, “I found myself on a 14-hour night shift 4 hours away from home, and still constantly practicing and developing my entirely new auction chant.”
Being prepared, having practiced, and smoothly being able to sell and transition from English to Spanish so quickly gave Brandon the confidence needed to stand on the stage.
This year, the National Auctioneers Association convention and competition was held in Oklahoma City at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. On Friday, July 21st, Brandon was awarded the 2023 National Auctioneers Association International Auctioneers Association Champion. Brandon said, “I am extremely happy to be able to serve and represent my great National Auction Association as the Junior Ambassador for the 2023-2024 year! I’m excited to grow the youth participation and invite new members to join the association. To be able to share my passion with others I know that would love this great industry as well.My bilingual trade is something I plan on using to bring more diversity to my dear association. I’m truly thrilled and can’t wait to get to work!”
Brandon Said, “First and foremost I want to take this time and thank God. This has truly been such a ride these past 5 years. I want to thank my wonderful parents and family, my great mentor Justin Choate and the entire Choate Family for their continuous support from the very start.
Standing with Brandon, on the left Elli Ratliff, 1st runner-up, and Lydia Lamp 2nd runner-up.
