PGG Wrightson talent looking to show their prowess at national auction competition

Featuring ahead of this year’s NZ Agricultural Show in Christchurch in November is the 11th annual Heartland Bank Young Auctioneers Competition. PGG Wrightson dominated last year to take out the quinella when Manawatu-based Ben Wright finished first ahead of Brook Cushion from Waikato.

As a previous winner Ben is not eligible to compete again, though Brook is back this year, and faces a particular challenge from Temuka’s Cameron Gray, who finished third in 2020, before taking a spell last year.

Brook and Cameron are among six of PGG Wrightson’s most talented young professionals taking on elite young auctioneers from other companies in the 2022 competition. These aspiring auctioneers must be under the age of 30. Each is required to demonstrate their ability, first in an interview to test communication skills and knowledge of the terms and conditions relating to livestock auctioneering, then in a live auction where each is called on to sell three pens of prime cattle and three pens of prime lambs, with the lambs an addition this year to the competition in previous years.

As well as the New Zealand Stock and Station Agent’s Association trophy and the Denis Hazlett Medal, the champion young auctioneer wins a trip to Australia, including an opportunity to sell at the Royal Sydney Show, in front of approximately 2500 people.

Keegan Gray (Mid and South Canterbury), Cameron Smith (Pahiatua), Brad Osborne (South Auckland), and Matthew Holmes (North Canterbury) are the other PGG Wrightson Livestock representatives set to give it their best in the competition.