Centennial Livestock Auction: A Benchmark in the Fort Collins Community
Dan Kruse, Owner and General Manager of Centennial Livestock Auction (CLA) has been with the sale barn for the past 41 years. CLA has a long living history in the Fort Collins area, first going into business in the mid-1960’s. Kruse and his brother purchased the business from the family that previously owned it just last year, although Kruse has been working at CLA for 41 years. CLA is much more than just an auction center, they are their own boasting community within Fort Collins.
What does CLA do?
The sale barn does business locally within Fort Collins, however, many people come from other states to sell their livestock or various items at CLA. “Whoever wants to bid is welcome to, we offer that live here in the house, we also offer an online bidding through Cattle USA… We sell machinery, we sell hay, but livestock is our main thing. That’s what we do in an auction, we offer it to a lot of different people at the same time and they competitively bid against each other to find the true price of that day.”
What else do you do outside of the agriculture auction?
“We also do a consignment auction… we get everything. We do from household to sporting goods, up to vehicles. We do a lot of pickups, cars, trucks, and tractors. A lot of agriculture items in that same auction.”
The sale barn started out as a consignment auction and has grown and changed through the years just like Fort Collins. Kruse recalls an older picture he has from the 1990s, there were 30 tractors being sold at auction that day. He says that now they consider it a big deal if they get five tractors in to sell in one day.
What is your favorite part of working at CLA?
“I think the variety. There is such a variety of things that we do… You meet a lot of good people; I just love agriculture people. You meet a lot of good people and interesting people, and people that are in a hurry and people that are laid back, and just all types. And then you’re jumpin’ in a situation where you’re moving a little goat that’s 30lbs. and then you’re in a situation where there’s a 1700lb bull chasing you over a fence. And then you’re doing some welding and then some feeding and then you’re doing some bobcat work and on the skid steer, you’re cleaning and moving hay. Just the variety, I love that.”
Centennial Livestock Auction has grown up in many ways with Fort Collins. The sale barn located off the Mulberry exit directly west of Interstate 25 serves many needs of the community Kruse expresses that, “everyone is always welcome… we are friendly and glad to have everybody here.” Whether you are in need of selling a horse, purchasing a goat, or just hungry and need some lunch. Centennial Livestock Auction is a spot to experience.
