Inverell's Justin Oakenfull, William Claridge and Guyra's Nick Rogers shaping up for a NSW auctioneers battle | ALPA Young Auctioneers Competition

However, that takes nothing away from the first-timers in the competition who also managed to wow the selectors during the ALPA NSW selection school at Warwick Farm late last year.

The quality of this year's crop of NSW competitors is second to none.

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While many may say their preparation has taken a back seat this year due to being extremely busy after livestock prices took off, all have been getting in as much practice as they can selling at the weekly prime sales.

Others admit to a bit of practice while driving in the car selling imaginary livestock.

Scroll down to discover just where these bright and talented auctioneers have come from and their dreams and goals for the future.

AFTER completing the Elders trainee program, which involved working in a variety of towns across NSW, Justin was keen to return to his roots in Inverell.

Now a territory sales manager, he's also been an auctioneer for 12 to 18 months. This will be Justin's first time in the state final.

"I've had some good advice from people I work with about my preparation for the competition and I've been keen to sell as much as possible at Inverell sales," he said.

When not on the catwalk taking bids, Justin said he enjoyed exploring the best way to help market his clients' livestock. One of the most challenging times in his career so far was dealing with clients during the drought.

"I was a trainee at the time, but I could see the stress on not just the clients but my bosses, too." As a result, he values the good times in the industry when livestock prices are high and people are being rewarded for their hard work

THIS will be William's second time competing in the state final and he's really excited about getting the opportunity again.

"The nerves are a little less and it will be great to be in Sydney at the Royal Show after having the finals in Dubbo last year," he said.

"Even though it's my second year, it will still feel 'new' in light of the different location."

He said since last year's final he had been working on his clarity and voice control during selling.

"I've learnt that being fast-paced is not necessary always best," he reflected.

William said apart from auctioneering, which was great fun, working with clients and helping them achieve their business objectives during the marketing of their livestock was a highlight for him.

In the next 10 years he hoped to build on these client relations to ensure a healthy, productive and profitable business.

A STINT of Year 10 work experience with agent Victor Moar was all it took to convince Nick a career as an agent was the right fit for him. Since then, Nick has spent the past four-and-a-half-years working for Davidson Cameron and Company at a number of offices in north-west NSW.

He's spent the past year at Guyra and although each move was a great experience, Guyra was his preference. Nick grew up on a sheep and cattle property near Walcha.

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No day is ever the same in the life of an agent and auctioneer and that's one of the things that Nick finds most interesting about his job.

"I love the variety and being able to talk to a range of interesting people," he said.

Travel is also a big part of the job as an agent and Nick said when he's not making calls to clients, and the phone reception cuts out, he enjoys listening to music and the occasional podcast

HARRISON has been a livestock agent in the Goulburn district since October 2015 and started auctioneering about four years ago.

He grew up on a sheep and cattle property near Taralga and the idea of being an agent attracted him from a young age.

"I liked working with livestock and doing work experience with Landmark at school helped me decide that it was the path I wanted to follow," he said.

"Organising, problem solving and thinking about ways to help clients is a rewarding part of the job for me. I also enjoy the travel and spending time in the car."

He said listening to podcasts, calling clients and listening to music made the travel time enjoyable.

"I've also been practising my selling in the car in preparation for the finals in Sydney," he said.

"Holman and Tolmie at Yass have allowed me to get in more selling practice at the sheep and cattle sale."

RYAN may be one of the youngest in the competition this year, but he's already got plenty of experience under his belt as an agent.

He started full time with KMWL about three years ago and has been auctioneering with the company for about two years. When the opportunity came up this year to move from the Forbes office across to Young, Ryan jumped at the chance and has been thoroughly enjoying the experience.

"I love the teamwork and the opportunity to meet and develop new client relationships across here at Young," Ryan said.

He grew up on a property near Bogan Gate and said he enjoyed helping out at the saleyards on sale day from a young age. This helped develop his love of livestock marketing and, during Year 10, he opted to do work experience with KMWL. It wasn't long before that developed into a full-time job with the agency. While a big chunk of his auctioneering experience has been selling sheep and lambs, Ryan said his preference at the moment was selling cattle.

"There's more opportunity to express your personality as an auctioneer when selling cattle," he said.

"I also like to weave in a bit of humour or an entertaining comment into my selling to make the cattle auction entertaining for the buyers."

Away from work, Ryan enjoys socialising with friends and one day hopes to travel to the Northern Territory.

"Checking out some of those big stations in the Territory would be great," he said.

TOM said it was the interaction with agents at the saleyards as a child that drew him to the profession.

Now in his fifth year as a territory sales manager, Tom's been an auctioneer for about four years and this will be his third time as a finalist in the state competition.

"A highlight for me in the past year has been the exceptionally good results that have been achieved for clients after so many years of drought," he said.

"It's good to see those clients being rewarded for all their hard work and dedication through some really tough years not only due to the season, but also the toll it takes on people's psychological well-being and mental health."

His preparation for the finals was to keep it simple.

"Having competed at Sydney and then last year at Dubbo, those two venues were like chalk and cheese," he said. "But I'll know what to expect this year and I'm looking forward to it."

WHEN not working, it's likely you'll find Jake riding bulls or team roping at rodeos.

His love of livestock, and particularly cattle, means he's also passionate about being a highly regarded and trusted stock and station agent.

"I enjoy meeting with people and getting to know what I can do to help them with their business," he said.

The past year of higher prices in the saleyards had also added to the rewarding nature of being an agent.

Jake said his father's involvement with working at the Wagga Wagga saleyards was what drew him to a career as an agent.

"I'd always like hanging around the sales when I was younger, so becoming an agent seemed like a good idea," he said.

This will be Jake's second year in the competition.

"I'm excited and nervous all at the same time; there's such a strong line-up of finalists this year," he said.

FROM a young age, Tom enjoyed going to the saleyards with his grandfather.

Since then, he's developed a passion for not only the auction, but also interacting with clients and alongside buyers and vendors to balance the expectations of both sides of the transaction.

Tom's been an agent for about six years and an auctioneer for five years.

"My first stint selling was bobby calves at the end of the Dubbo sale," he said.

"From there I moved onto the sheep at the end of day's sale before they moved me into the general run of the sale. I'll sell anything if given the chance. I love clearing sales, charity auctions are good fun, and stud sales require a different style."

Tom said he was working towards a leading role with Peter Milling and Company. "I've been in Dubbo for my entire career. I know the people, the saleyards and the district, so it's Dubbo where I want to stay," he said.

JAKE said the style of his auctioneering depended on what he was selling.

From selling at the fortnightly cattle sale in Tenterfield through to at a clearing sale, he said the pace and personality has to fit the place.

This will be Jake's first time in the competition after being a livestock sales person for three years and an auctioneer for nearly 18 months.

"I grew up around cattle on my father's property and later looked after a farm that ran sheep, so I knew I wanted to work with livestock from a young age," he said.

He said becoming a livestock agent gave him the opportunity to develop a solid rural career with room to develop and progress.

In the future, he hopes to be a partner in the business and buy his own property near Tenterfield.

When not at work, Jake spends time helping on his father's property and also working dogs and horses when he can.

FROM a young age, Harry remembers the joy of being alongside his father, who's an agent, at the sales.

"I didn't really think about doing anything else, as being an agent like my dad seemed right," he said.

Harry has been a territory sales manager for Elders for two years and about eight or nine months ago he started selling more regularly at the Wagga Wagga saleyards.

"I sell our cattle run, plus the mutton," he said.

Apart from dealing with lots of different people, Harry said he found drafting a line of top quality lambs or well-presented cattle for clients a pleasure.

"I find it exciting to stand over a well-presented pen of my client's livestock and help them be rewarded for all their hard work when I take the bids," he said.

Harry said he was working towards being the head auctioneer for the livestock sold at Wagga sale through Elders, while also increasing the client base around Gundagai.

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