NUTRIEN Ag Solutions' agent Jack Guy has claimed the state title of the Australian Livestock & Property Agents Young Auctioneer competition with his enthusiasm from the rail and ability to keep the bids flowing.
The 21-year-old outscored three other entrants at the Naracoorte Regional Livestock Exchange, where each sold three steers or heifers individually.
Mr Guy joined Landmark five years ago as a trainee agent and said he was "humbled" to win in his second year competing.
"Once I started talking the nerves didn't disappear but they settled and once I started selling it became like I was selling the cow run," he said.
It was during his 12 months at Wagga Wagga, NSW, in 2019, where he decided to give auctioneering a go.
"Auctioneering is just a general progression as a livestock agent to work your way up through the ranks, if you are any good at talking have a crack at it," he said.
For the past two years he has been based in Bordertown building a client base.
He also sells bulls and cows along with the mutton run at the Tuesday market in Naracoorte where Nutrien Naracoorte senior account manager and seasoned auctioneer Brendan Fitzgerald has been giving him some tips.
Mr Guy also sometimes fills in as the Nutrien auctioneer at the weekly Mount Compass sale.
He is looking forward to representing SA at the national finals at the 2023 Sydney Royal Easter Show.
"I am not sure that I will get much further than this but it will be a hell of an experience," Mr Guy said.
Joining Mr Guy will be Elders Lucindale's Nathan McCarthy who was the runner-up in the state competition for the second year in a row.
He is looking forward to representing SA again.
"I love being able to control a sale and sell my own clients' livestock and get the best price for them," he said.
One of the judges, Elders stud stock marketing manager Tom Penna said it was a very even competition with the other two entrants, Green Triangle Livestock & Real Estate's Angus Widdison and Southern Australian Livestock's Josh Pahl also selling well.
"These lads live with auctions down here and they hear auctioneers every day and that is where they hear the patter and it becomes second nature," he said.
"There was no one really at the bottom, the winner just had that bit extra, extra presence, extra energy and was clear, direct and enthusiastic."
Mr Penna said although there were less opportunities for young agents to practise their auctioneering it was a really important skill, especially for those agents in the larger SE selling centres.
ALPA southern region manager Liz Summerville said they were proud to hold an auctioneers school the previous day and watch the development of 12 young agents from across the state.
"It is the future of our industry, if we don't keep fostering training in our industry we won't have an industry," she said.
"People come along to be trained by experienced auctioneers and one the unique things that we have in our industry is that those who have been before are keen to come along and give back."
