Elders stud stock agent Brian Kennedy based in Armidale, grew up on the coast but has spent much of his life inland as one of the livestock industry's best-known cattle stud stock auctioneers.
He's learnt from the best - and part of the selling key was "putting a bit of a snarl" in his auctioneer's voice. It's 42 years of experience he has thoroughly enjoyed from northern NSW into several areas of Queensland.
He grew up on the Northern Rivers and first became involved with stock and station agents in 1979, working for Walker Gordon. It was just at the end of the cattle downturn. He'd go to the cattle sales with his grandfather and loved being on his grandfather's farm. Livestock would become a lifetime obsession and spent 22 years working on the coast.
"To be successful as an auctioneer you have to develop your own style, have that individuality. Ian Alexander who worked for New Zealand Loan and reputed to be the youngest auctioneer to sell at Sydney Royal said to me 'always put a bit of snarl in your voice'."
His early career was at Lismore and Grafton. In January 2000 he moved up for Elders at Ipswich.
"In our first year we sold 80,000 head. Many will say 'how did you find so many cattle at Ipswich?' - well we sourced cattle from all of the Brisbane, Fassifern and Lockyer Valleys and out to Beaudesert, that's how. We were often unloading trains and Wacol rail yards with cattle from as far north as Mareeba."
He also worked at Roma and managed the Silverdale stockyards at Nebo as well.
In October 2008, Elders asked him to be livestock manager at Grafton and he spent four and a half years there. "To be a seedstock specialist is the pinnacle of the industry." Some of the highlights is selling for Ironbark Herefords, Barraba, Alumy Creek Angus and at several national cattle sales and at Sydney Royal. He's never sold the wrong beast, but says his most embarrassing moment was due to eating a hot savoury mince for breakfast. "I got to lot 3 or 4 and my voice just gave up."
His three maxims were: you can't be a cattle dealer and an agent, if you tell lies, have a good memory (he has a bad memory), and always be a bit humble.
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John Ellicott
journalist and author
journalist and author
