Sales Talk is a live-setting mock sales competition in which a contestant uses a live animal, photo, or video to present a sales pitch to potential buyers. The purpose of the contest is to evaluate the effectiveness of the presentation and the contestant’s ability to market cattle.

Items To Bring

1. Required: A registration paper for the animal or genetics being used. An additional copy may be made for the second judge.

2. Required: A live animal entry, photo of a SimGenetics animal, or video of a SimGenetics animal. Only one of the three may be used. If using a photo, it may not be larger than 8” x 10”. If using a video, it may not exceed 60 seconds in length, may not include audio, and may only display footage of the animal being sold.

3. Required for embryo sales: A planned mating printout from Herdbook.

4. Optional: Updated BOLT EPDs from Herdbook Services.

5. Optional: Planning mating printouts for bred females.

Do Not Bring

Bringing additional materials to Sales Talk will reduce your score by 50%.

1. More than one animal per contestant

2. Additional registration papers, such as sire or dam papers

3. Business cards, sale catalogs, supplementary photos

4. Items or clothing displaying a logo that identifies a farm/ranch or university

Time Limit: Sales Talk is a maximum of 7 minutes in length. A two-minute warning will be given in each round. After 7 minutes, contestants will be asked to conclude their presentations and leave the contest area. There is no point deduction for leaving earlier or for talking past the seven-minute mark.

Additional Rules

- Each contestant must use his or her own animal or genetic package. No animal or genetic package may be used in the same age division by multiple contestants.

- If using a cow/calf pair, only the cow or calf may be in the contest area.

- If using a live animal, another contestant from the same AJSA Classic or an AJSA Trustee must handle the animal.

- Sales Talk is a no-fit contest.

- Judges will be rotated at regular intervals within each age division to ensure more uniform scoring.

Scoring

Contestants will be scored on Animal Knowledge (25%), Organization and Style (25%), Poise and Delivery (25%) and Overall Effectiveness (25%). For tiebreaker information, refer to the AJSA Classic rules.

Recommended Dress

There is no dress code, but it is important to know that appearance is important when marketing yourself and your animals.