The best up and coming livestock auctioneers in the state had the chance to hone their skills at the Mount Gambier and District Saleyards last week through the Australian Livestock and Property Agents Association (ALPA) Auctioneers School.
There were 13 young auctioneers in attendance from five livestock agencies from Mount Gambier, Naracoorte, Kingston, Strathalbyn, Jamestown and Port Augusta.
The participants took turns with theory and practical learning where they had to mock auction four pens of cattle in front of industry experts who provided feedback.
Some of the students will go on to Selection School for the ALPA Southern Young Auctioneers Competition at Mortlake in July with the winner and runner up representing South Australia at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
ALPA chief executive officer Peter Baldwin said the workshop was the best way to learn the skills required to be a successful livestock auctioneer.
“These skills bring together every facet of auctioneering from the diction, the clarity, the presentation, the confidence and the delivery but also brings the knowledge together,” he said.
“It is an amazing day as far as it allows someone to start at a level and then grow to a higher level so our objective is to make every single attendee a more competent and more polished auctioneer.
“Our Mount Gambier agents have been wonderful contributors to the association but it is always good to have a new venue and a new spot. We have been able to grab some great trainers; the calibre of the people we had were just industry best.
“It is a gift from god really that we have got these great auctioneers and agents prepared to give back to the industry and take their own company shirt off and impart that knowledge.
“It is a rare thing to see in such a competitive industry where people are prepared to take someone on who is possibly going to be an opposition to them and actually help them develop and nurture their careers.”
Nutrien Ag Services livestock agent Cody Benson was one of three agents from Mount Gambier who took part in the ALPA Auctioneers School last week.
The 22-year-old said auctioneering was “its own little beast in itself” and he loved the challenge and following his client’s livestock the whole way through the process.
“It is a constant challenge and you are always thinking about things and buyers and prices and you have got the nerves of putting someone’s livelihood in your hands for 15 seconds,” he said.
“I have got my mentor Sam O’Connor who points me in the right direction, he is a very good auctioneer and a very good mentor.
“You do sometimes lean on those outside agents such as Chris Manser and Andrew Whan. They are always happy to answer a question for you and they are always happy to give a little bit of advice when asked.
“You take parts here, there and everywhere and you mould it into who you want to be and how you want to operate and how you want to auctioneer and you create your own style.
“Everyone has to start somewhere, I have started somewhere and am still going in my journey and I do look up to a lot of different mentors.”
