THE Dubbo Regional Livestock Markets and some of the brightest up-and-coming agents will hit the spotlight next month when Australian Livestock and Property Agents Association holds its annual NSW Young Auctioneers Competition.
Scheduled for April as part of the Sydney Royal Show, the competition was postponed just weeks out from the event due to the calamity caused by COVID-19.
Since then, ALPA management had been working hard in the background to come up with Dubbo as the temporary location and September 3 as the date for this year's NSW competition.
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ALPA chief executive Peter Baldwin said, in part, they selected Dubbo as none of the competitors in this year's final are based in Dubbo.
"That means everybody is on an even playing field as it's an unfamiliar selling centre for all," he said.
NSW finalists had already been selected late last year during an ALPA training school in Sydney.
"We had also hoped when the decision was made [to hold the event at Dubbo] that COVID-19 restrictions would have eased and the Dubbo region could be showcased to all those attending the competition," he said.
Sadly, that's not the case, but anybody wanting to keep pace with the action of the competition can still watch it on The Land's livestream.
Ten auctioneers will be vying for the right to place their name on the prestigious John Weekes Memorial Shield and to claim a spot in the 2021 National Young Auctioneers Competition final.
They will be judged by a panel of three judges who take into account their diction, values of the stock they sell, voice and manner, as well as their presence and unique style.
This year's judges are Scott Cooper, Nutrien Ag Solutions, Gunnedah; Nik Hannaford, Elders Gunnedah and Mark Garland, PT Lord, Dakin and Associates, Dubbo.
A new way to compete
THE COVID-19 pandemic has thrown up plenty of challenges for auctioneers trying to prepare for this year's ALPA NSW Young Auctioneers Competition.
While the judging criteria will remain the same, finalists will sell three steers from the catwalk of the saleyards, rather than a rostrum as occurs when the competition is in Sydney.
ALPA chief executive Peter Baldwin explained the same buyers that operate in the normal prime cattle sale each week will be the buyers for this auction.
"Judges will be in a roped-off area to ensure social distancing protocols are adhered to," he said.
"Dubbo saleyards has a number of COVID-19 directives in place and the competition and all attending the event will follow those directives."
This includes anybody entering the saleyards must have completed the online induction, be signed in at the entry and have a genuine reason to be at the facility.
Visitors who have travelled from Victoria or a hotspot location listed on the NSW Government website in the past 14 days will also be declined entry.
The competition will kick off in the afternoon of September 3, straight after the completion of the normal Dubbo prime cattle sale.
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