Long-Time Owner of Clinton Livestock Auction Hosts Last Cattle Sale This July

The livestock industry in Oklahoma is more important than most know, especially when it comes to cattle. In 2024, Oklahoma ranked sixth in the nation for cattle and calves inventory and is continuously known as one of the top states for livestock production. So, it hits home when some folks have to make the hard decision to step away from the industry.

Nearly 16 years ago, Sandi and Blake Berry purchased the Clinton Livestock Auction facility in Clinton, Oklahoma. For years, Blake did his best to run a successful auction for local farmers to bring their cattle through and make a fair profit for their work, while Sandi did her best to help in her own ways.

Unfortunately, Blake Berry passed away last year in October 2024, leaving Sandi to run the auction with their crew. Despite their best efforts, Sandi decided recently to hand the keys over to a new owner of the Clinton Livestock Auction and move on to her own journey.

The start of the Clinton Livestock Auction with the Berrys.

When you're in love, you're willing to do anything to make your partner happy, at least Sandi Berry was. She spoke fondly about the day she and Blake decided to purchase the Clinton Auction on August 4, 2009.

"He came home and said 'hey, I think I wanna buy it' and so we did," she said.

Just days after their wedding anniversary, the Berry's signed the paperwork and got to work. Although Sandi helped with the auction when she could by cooking and preparing meals for a free buffet in the early days, teaching was her true calling.

"When we started our barn our focus was to not allow trading where people buy low at another barn and run them through our barn. We stuck to that and the quality of cattle that came through our barn improved over the years as Blake helped people improve their herds," Sandi said.

Unfortunately, after she lost Blake, she made the decision to keep the auction running as best as she could with the help of the people she keeps close.

"We wouldn't have done it without our crew," she said. "They invested their lives and their time."

"In true Okie fashion"

After the loss, Sandi said that she and her crew "in true Okie fashion" did their best for as long as they could. "We pick up the pieces, pull up our boot straps and carry on."

Sandi recently made the difficult decision to sell the Clinton Livestock Auction to another company and will be hosting the last sale for cattle on July 29, starting at 10 a.m.

"The sale was Blakes dream," she said. "And I know I did what I could to help make that dream come true for him." But now it's time for Sandi to move on to her own dream of teaching, once again.

Sandi invites farmers from all over to bring their cattle through their last sale one more time. "I've met so many good people over the years and that's something that'll never leave."