SOME may say it's "a man's world", but Stephanie Grentell broke new ground at the Inglis Scone Yearling Sale last Sunday, becoming the first female to auctioneer at a public Thoroughbred yearling sale in Australia, and quite likely the world.
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According to Ms Grentell she always wanted to work as a bloodstock agent.
"I knew I wanted to work for Inglis, and as one of its bloodstock agents, but never contemplated being one of their auctioneers," the 30-year-old said.
The Melbourne-based Ms Grentell publically took the gavel for the second time last Sunday following her inaugural run of 26 lots at the Inglis Scone Mixed Sale the previous Thursday.
She said it took her a couple of hours after the first sale to relax and realise what she'd achieved.
"The auctioneering part (of the Thoroughbred industry) was just a natural progression, but I did not think about it early on (at Inglis) until clients and friends suggested why not have a shot at auctioneering," she said.
With Inglis for almost seven years, Ms Grentell was originally employed as a "temporary fill-in" for six months as a receptionist at the Inglis Melbourne office, said managing director Mark Webster.
"There was no position at the time (for Ms Grentell), so we (Inglis) created a vacancy for her in the bloodstock department as we could see her potential," Mr Webster said.
"She has gone from a receptionist to become Inglis's first female bloodstock consultant to now being Australia's or the world's first female Thoroughbred auctioneer in the space of seven years."
Ms Grentell said her parents had interests in the Thoroughbred industry and she had always been involved.
She gained previous grounding work at (owner) Lloyd Williams' Flemington stables in Melbourne, worked at Baramul stud, Widden Valley, and had stints working at Phoenix Park, Euroa, and Little Plains at Wangaratta before joining Inglis.
Ms Grentell had some media training with Caroline Searcy (of pay Thoroughbred television station TVN) and participated at the two-day Australian Livestock and Property Agents Sydney Auctioneers School held at Inglis' headquarters at Randwick last November.
"I guess that it (first female Thoroughbred auctioneer) has not sunk in yet, but I suppose it will in the coming weeks," Ms Grentell said.
