06/11/2026
A huge Day in Virden as we celebrated Mr. Ken Day.
We marketed 513 Cows, 90 Bulls, 145 Feeders, 100 Pairs and 65 Bred Cows
Total Sales - 1,013
Celebrating Ken Day – 60 Years of Livestock Marketing
Written By: Brennin Jack
Good afternoon everyone,
Today we gather to celebrate something truly remarkable, 60 years of livestock marketing by a man who has become synonymous with the Virden Auction Mart and the Manitoba livestock industry itself, Mr. Ken Day.
When you stop and think about it, sixty years is hard to comprehend. For six decades, Ken has witnessed the livestock business evolve through changing markets, changing technology, changing cattle cycles, and changing generations of producers. From selling cows for 10 cents a pound to $3 a pound to 6 weight steers for 25 cents to $7 a pound. Through it all, one thing has remained constant — his commitment to the people he serves.
Ken started in the old auction market part time when he was 15 years old at about the same time Ross Taylor started. In the past 60 years; Ken has seen over 3 Million cattle pass in front of him and approx $4 Billion dollars change hands. Countless producers have trusted this marketing and order buying.
What makes a career like Ken’s special isn’t simply the years. It’s the impact.
It’s the early mornings and the late nights, it’s the smell of his cigar smoke in the air.
It’s the relationships built one handshake at a time.
It’s the advice given, the problems solved, and the customers helped.
It’s showing up day after day, year after year, and earning the trust and respect of everyone around you.
The livestock business has always been about people, and Ken understood that better than anyone. He knew the cattle mattered, but he also knew the people bringing them to town mattered even more.
Over the years, generations of producers have walked through these doors and the old auction market. Sons and daughters followed fathers and grandfathers into the business, and through it all Ken was a familiar face, a steady presence, and someone people knew they could count on.
His dedication helped build the reputation that Virden Auction Mart enjoys today.
For many of us including myself, Ken isn’t just a coworker. He isn’t just part of the history of this market. He is part of the foundation on which it was built.
His work ethic, integrity, loyalty, and commitment to customer service set a standard that all of us continue to strive toward.
Very few people get the opportunity to spend 60 years helping shape an industry.
Ken Day has done exactly that.
So today, as we celebrate his 75th birthday and recognize six decades of service, we simply want to say thank you.
Thank you for the years.
Thank you for the friendships.
Thank you for the stories.
Thank you for your leadership.
Thank you for helping make Virden Auction Mart what it is today.
Ken, your contributions can never truly be measured in years alone. They are measured in the people you’ve helped, the relationships you’ve built, and the legacy you’ve created.
On behalf of everyone here, congratulations on an incredible milestone.
Please join me in recognizing a true livestock marketing legend, a great friend, and one of the finest ambassadors this industry has ever known.
Congratulations, Ken Day, on 60 years of livestock marketing and many more to come!
Pictured: Standing Ovation for Ken Day
