Bollinger County: A great place to buy a herd

Wayne Sharrock is a third-generation owner of the Patton Junction Livestock Auction in Patton, Missouri.

The auction has been in business for more than 55 years and draws buyers from as far as 200 miles.

Wayne Sharrock, owner of Patton Junction Livestock Auction, Inc. in Patton, Missouri. (Laura Simon)

Wayne says the auction barn was built by his grandfather, and was the original location of the auction until the family bought a barn in Sedgewickville, Missouri, and spent the next 25 years there hosting the auction. Twenty-four years ago, the Sharrocks moved back to the Patton location and have been running the livestock auction from it ever since.

"I've never had a job; I don't know anything else," Wayne says.

The Patton auction runs every Monday and is followed by different auctions in Fruitland, Farmington and Fredericktown, Missouri, the rest of the week.

Wayne Sharrock, owner of Patton Junction Livestock Auction, Inc. in Patton, Missouri. (Laura Simon)

Wayne Sharrock, owner of Patton Junction Livestock Auction, Inc. in Patton, Missouri. (Laura Simon)

On Sept. 14, the auction began at 10 a.m. for the first time in the barn's history, instead of its regular opening time of 1 p.m. The intent was to accommodate buyers traveling from farther distances.

"It's seven days a week for us. In our business, it's seven days a week," Wayne says.

Even though Wayne says the auction is a never-ending job, he still enjoys his work because of the people he works with on a daily basis.

"We all get along. If one of us has a problem, we call the other one. ... We all talk amongst each other," he says.

Wayne says the auction will most likely be passed on to two of his four sons when he retires, so the business will remain in the family.