Record of 37 young auctioneers attend school at Tamworth

ALPA chief executive officer Peter Baldwin said the enthusiasm and focus of the young men and women attending the course were about developing and honing their skills.

"This is the first school since the COVID-19 lockdown, and there is a record number of attendees since we held the first school in 2004," Mr Baldwin said.

He said the attendees were from centres like Dubbo, Goulburn, Dunedoo, Armidale, Cowra, Tenterfield, Kempsey, Casino and Yass.

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Mr Baldwin, son of Inverell stock and station identity, Brian Baldwin, said the number of generational agents in training was well represented with names like Purtle, Pittman, Lawson and Joe Sullivan, grandson of the renowned JJ Dresser, among the attendees.

Lyndsey Mitchell has just moved to Armidale to work with PR Watts and Co after working in Wagga Wagga for the last 15 months.

Ms Mitchell said the choice of stock agent was a simple one to make.

"I was just super interested and very, very passionate, and I think it was something that challenged me. I was just excited to give it a go," she said.

Bernadette Binney works at McCulloch Agencies, Tamworth and said she had five colleagues from the Tamworth and Wauchope offices join her on the course.

She said her principal Daniel McCulloch has urged all his staff to try their hand at auctioneering

"The first time I tried, it was absolutely terrifying. I had no idea the second time; now I'm hoping to go to Sydney," she said.

This year at the Brisbane Ekka, Ms Binney was on the rostrum in front of 400 bidders for a charity auction, which raised $12,400.

"I thought it was going to be absolutely terrifying, and it was until I got on stage, and then I probably had more fun than I ever thought I would," she said.

"I just love the excitement of it. I like the theatre of it. I like the whole job of being up there doing the best job you possibly can for a vendor. It's very enjoyable.," she said.

Retired and renowned Inverell stock agent Brian Baldwin was at the school lending a hand.

"I was very, very pleasantly surprised when I came down here to this conference," he said.

"Every one of them seems to be happy to be here and want to be and that and that's the main thing, and they want to learn, they want to learn, and they're asking very sensible questions.

"I think the future of the industry is there with these young people, I hope they keep it up and grow," Mr Baldwin said.