Jack Garland: the agent who sings

Working for PT Lord, Dakin, and Associates in Dubbo, Jack has always had a passion for auctioneering and the livestock agent career.

Growing up watching his father Mark Garland sell weekly at the Dubbo Regional Livestock Markets and at various other local store cattle sales including Dunedoo, Jack knew it was for him.

"I have never really been pushed in to it, I have always done the agency side of things, I just grew up around it and it was a lifestyle for me," Jack said.

Jack has also been known to take over auctioneering from his father at some store sales.

He had also furthered his education by completing his Certificate III in Agriculture.

Finishing school in 2021, the self-taught singer picked up a guitar one day and has not looked back.

"I was at home one day and picked up a guitar and began strumming a few little chords, and I started to get the hang of it so I started singing around the fire at home," Jack said.

"From that time on, I just went to muso's and started singing on Tuesday nights at the Old Bank and got offered gigs.

"I started doing those and it all just went up from there," he said.

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Jack is also known on the local rodeo scene where he helps out and protects the competitors as a bull fighter.

The country boy sticks to his roots with his main singing genre of course being country and western with the odd rock or pop song thrown in.

Starting off singing at open mic nights in Dubbo last year, Jack has now begun singing at local pubs and hotels in the central west including The Old Bank in Dubbo, and the Railway Hotel and Courthouse Hotel in Narromine.

He said he had "a heap" coming up soon too.

Jack also commonly sang with Alana Potter, a Dubbo girl with the same passion for singing and music.

Taking every chance to hone in on his auctioneering skills, Jack entered the Junior Screen Spectacular, an online competition that ran during COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.

The competition was open to all under 25s right across Australia. Jack came away with the title and buckle for grand champion auctioneer which boosted his confidence, and proved the decision to be a livestock agent was the right one.

He has also entered competitions at various other junior shows including the National All Breeds Junior Heifer show, and even sold at small charity auctions along side his father.

Improving his singing skills also helped to improve his auctioneering skills.

A good auctioneer should have a strong, clear voice, be able to make quick, sound decisions, have self-confidence, and be able to address large groups of people.

All of these traits have a large crossover between Jack's two passions.

"I guess it has helped me be more fluid with my auctioneering and the breathing side of things, that has really helped as well," he said.

While it is still early in his career for both livestock agency and singing, Jack was unsure of what his future held and which path he would eventually pursue.

"I guess I really just want to see where it takes off from the start and if it really does go somewhere I definitely could see myself writing songs," Jack said.

"I guess it is all just little steps and seeing where it takes you in the first place," he said.

Sticking to the musos nights at the Old Bank in Dubbo, Jack is usually singing most Tuesday nights after 7pm in the front bar along with some more of Dubbo's up and coming musicians.

Jack said he will continue to juggle being a full-time livestock agent and a part-time singer as he is still so young and they are both areas he is passionate about

"I really just want to see where it all goes, that is really all," Jack said.