Auctioneers chase a state prize at Sydney Royal Show

Most get their selling practice in during a normal day's work at the saleyards, while others use time in the car driving between jobs to sell up a storm when nobody is listening.

The Land was on a mission to find out who they are and where they've come from.

Many of the agents have even been willing to share a little-known fact or talent as part of the interviews.

AT 21 years of age, Ryan has been selling livestock for about four years, but like many youngsters wanting a career as an auctioneer, he started practicing selling before he was a teenager.

He now owns a small part in the KMWL business at Young and hopes to grow that share and his involvement with the company over time.

Ryan has competed at Sydney Royal before, so he knows what to expect.

"This year in preparation I've been taking a bit more time by myself working with the speaker and headset," he said.

"I've also been slowing my selling down a bit and working on articulating my words better."

Away from work, Ryan enjoys waterskiiing, motorbikes and supporting his local sporting teams at the weekend.

Something most people don't know about Ryan is that he has a notable singing voice and it's not uncommon for him to be belting out a few tunes while in the car on the way to his next job.

WINNING a ribbon or not, Jaiden said the opportunity to compete in the finals brings with it many rewards.

He's competed in the competition before and said this time around he will be sure to take in the moment and take his time when selling.

"It just goes so quickly when you are up there," he said.

Jaiden said as well as the fantastic chance to sell in front of a huge crowd and demonstrate to the city folk what the industry is all about, on a personal level it's an invaluable opportunity to catch up with agents outside his district and build new business relationships.

"It's a chance to make industry friends that will last well after the competition is done," he said.

Jaiden enjoys playing golf and Aussie rules, although finding the right shoes sometimes proves problematic - Jaiden's second toe is longer than his big toe, making correct footwear selection essential!

THIS is Hamish's first year in the NSW competition, but he's been an agent for about five years.

Cutting his teeth first at the Davidson Cameron Gunnedah branch and now in the company's Coonabarabran office will stand him in good stead for the experience at Sydney Royal.

"I've always had a love for the saleyards atmosphere and taking in the action of the day," he said.

"I'm keen to see the cattle or lambs being yarded and interacting with the people at the yards."

He said being involved in the agricultural industry was also what drew him to a career as an agent.

"Being part of that and helping my clients achieve their goals and the best outcome is a wonderful privilege in this job."

Hamish has been selling at the Gunnedah saleyards, plus the Tamworth store cattle sales. He has a passion for experimenting with cattle breeding, so runs a few cows, plus he enjoys cricket, rugby union and training working dogs when not at work.

JESSE has been an agent for six years and has competed in the NSW competition two times before.

The 24-year-old has learnt from his past experiences in the finals and, in a bid to improve his personal selling style, has been watching and listening back to himself auctioneering in preparation for this year's competition.

Having been an agent in the Central Tablelands for some time, Jesse said he

enjoyed being out of the office working with his clients in a range of different situations.

"I enjoy taking into consideration the range of different circumstances my clients have and coming up with better ideas and solutions for the marketing of their livestock," he said.

Jesse said one quirky thing most people won't know about him is that he can eat really fast. "I'm always first finished my meal!" he admitted.

When not sporting the red work shirt, Jesse enjoys camping, playing sport and spending time with his partner and their two dogs.

A FIRST-TIMER to the NSW finals, 24-year-old Jack has been an agent for seven years and is a passionate advocate for the industry.

He's born and bred in Casino and even in his school holidays was keen to help out at the local saleyards drafting stock and picking up any other work the agents would throw his way.

"Even before I left school I wanted to be an agent and work with cattle," he said.

"The part I enjoy most about the job is working with livestock and meeting new people.

"Being able to stand up on the catwalk and get the best value possible for the clients' cattle is one of the best parts of the job."

Jack sells weekly at the Casino saleyards and said he had been working on improving his selling style to be clear but fast paced.

He is committed to working in the Casino district and in the next decade intends to maintain and build the current loyal client base.

Campdrafting and spending time with his working dogs are a priority for Jack when he is not at work.

JACK'S been an agent for about 18 months, so he's seizing every opportunity to practice his auctioneering at both Wagga Wagga and Yass saleyards.

The 25-year-old has a degree in agriculture and he said the ability to work with farmers to help them get the best results for their livestock was what drew him to becoming an agent.

"I enjoy dealing with the great selection of clients we have in the area and since starting with Delta Ag I've been able to learn a lot from the team I work with," he said.

Jack described the pace of his auctioneering patter as medium and he said clarity was more important for him than being fast.

Jack hopes to one day own a share in a business.

When he's not at work he enjoys a range of sports including rugby, cycling and waterskiing.

A little-known fact about Jack is he used to play the drums in primary school but was demoted to the tambourine when another girl in his class played the drums better.

JUSTIN is fronting up for his third tilt in the state final and he's keen to make the most of the opportunity while proudly representing his company.

He said the variety of things to do each day while working as an agent is what keeps him enthusiastic about the job.

"Working as an agent is a great career as you are doing different things all the time and meeting so many people and clients from a range of backgrounds," he said.

Justin has been an agent for about five years and said he also really enjoyed working in the Inverell district.

"This where I'd like to make my base in the future," he said.

The 24-year-old has been getting in plenty of auctioneering practice in the lead-up to the Sydney finals and he's been seeking out advice from more experienced agents, too.

Justin enjoys playing rugby union in his spare time and attending the horse races.

In fact, it's not well known that Justin used to do trackwork with racehorses when he was younger.

AT 20-years-old, Henry is one of the younger competitors in this year's line-up.

That's not to say he lacks experience as an agent.

"My father is an agent, so for as far back as I can remember, I've been going with him to work," he said.

Henry said that's what drew him to becoming an agent, but it's the ability to connect clients to a range of different markets and marketing options that keeps him in the industry.

"I really enjoy seeing our clients achieve their markeing goals," he said.

Henry said having the opportunity to sell at the busy Carcoar saleyards each week was a great way to prepare for the competition in Sydney.

He said in the next 10 years he'd like to not only sell in the saleyards, but also move into studstock auctioneering.

When not at work, Henry enjoys cricket and rugby. But, unknown to many of his Central Tablelands friends and colleagues, he is also a champion whipcracker. In fact, all his family are ribbon winners in the sport.

MICHAEL has agency in his blood, having grown up around the family business and with an agent father.

"I have a passion for livestock and dealing with rural people, so it made sense for me to become an agent," he said.

He said being an auctioneer is one of the things he enjoys about the job.

"I also like the challenge of building client relationships and becoming educated in the best way for me to help their business," he said.

In preparation for Sydney, Michael has been watching and learning from the recordings of past competitions. He's also been recording his auctioneering on sale days and sending a copy to knowledgeable auctioneers for their feedback.

"It's a different dynamic selling in the ring, so I've also been practicing that when I can," he said.

This will be Michael's second year in the competition, so he has a much better idea of what to expect.

Playing golf, football and socialising with friends at the races are just some of the things Michael does in his spare time.

MATTHEW has spent the past 18 months with Elders and said working with livestock has always been his passion.

"My parents had cattle and I guess that's where it started," he said.

The 24-year-old always wanted to be an agent and he said the auction part of the job was rewarding and enjoyable.

"I also enjoy drafting livestock, whether that be cattle or lambs, into saleable lines," he said.

Matthew said there was a sense of satisfaction seeing a good line of livestock being put together in preparation for sale day.

"I'd say my selling style is on the quicker side and I've been working on having some variation in my tone and patter," he said.

This will be Matthew's first year in the competition and he hopes his maturity will work to his advantage.

When not at work, he enjoys working on his farm near Merriwa and playing golf and cricket.

He's also had an interest in showing chooks with Leghorns his speciality.

Subscribers have access to download our free app today from the App Store or Google Play