7 minute read
People
FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 7, 2022
People Going twice: auctioneer wins on rebound
Brook Cushion was gunning for more than the bid when he took up the gavel in the Heartland Bank Young Auctioneer competition 2022. He spoke to Annette Scott.
ONE year later with more experience and a lot more confi dence, Brook Cushion has hammered down the winning gavel to secure a win in the 11th annual Heartland Bank Young Auctioneer competition.
A second-time contestant after fi nishing runner-up last year, Cushion says there was a bit more pressure this year.
“After coming second last year I had a lot of encouragement to give it another crack so it was a bit nerve-racking and I felt I was under a bit of pressure coming down this year.
“It’s been awesome, though, to come away with the win. I’m pretty happy with that.”
A Waikato boy all his life, Cushion grew up on a lifestyle block.
“I had the chance through family farming to get on farm and I liked the rural and farming life so I think I was always going to do something in the farming industry,” he says.
The 26-year-old, who works for PGG Wrightson, joined the Morrinsville livestock team as a junior in 2016.
He attributes his success to being part of a great team.
“I trained under mentor Regan Craig, and while he is not an auctioneer himself, he is an awesome mentor, and then the senior agents I have worked with have helped me a lot.
“I have been lucky to get some good opportunities, at times pretty much pushed into some of the big jobs, but that has made me. Without the boys behind me and their encouragement I wouldn’t have made this.
“Last year I had been selling for about 18 months before the competition. This year the regional managers pushed me a long to give it another go and I have had some bigger selling events.”
These have included stud bull sales and stud dairy sales.
“I guess winning today is reward for how hard I have worked to get where I am.”
The greatest satisfaction in his work comes from seeing happy vendors.
“For myself I like to walk away from the auction and know I have done the best I could to get the last cent out of pockets and done the best job for the vendors.
“If they are leaving with a smile then I am happy.”
Cushion is now looking forward to the next step up.
“I’ll look now to progress my career and get to all the big ones.
“The dream would be to sell at Karaka or the Magic Millions in Australia.
“Who knows, one day I just might. Certainly, if I get the opportunity, I won’t be turning it down.”
As well as being awarded the New Zealand Stock and Station Agent’s Association trophy and the Denis Hazlett Medal, Cushion as the champion also gets the opportunity to sell at the Royal Sydney Easter Show in 2023, before a crowd of about 2500 people.
PGW dominated the competition for the second successive year with fi rst-time contestant Brad Osborne from South Auckland the runner-up and Matthew Holmes, North Canterbury, taking third in his second attempt in the competition.
The 2021 winner, Ben Wright, also works for PGW.
Young Auctioneer competition founder and co-ordinator Mick Withers says it was one the closest competitions yet.
“There was very little in it.”
He says the competition aims to showcase and develop upand-coming young auctioneers to improve the standard of NZ’s next generation of livestock auctioneers.
“It gives then a reason to work towards getting themselves out there doing it and improving their skills. Everyone likes a bit of competition and that builds confi dence and improvement.
“It’s an opportunity to further their career.
“The standard of auctioneering over the 11 years the competition has been running has seen notable improvement,” Withers says.
The nine-strong line up was also one of the bigger competitions with talented young professionals coming from as far as south Auckland and Southland.
Withers says the aspiring
THOROUGHBRED: Brook Cushion would love to sell at Karaka and the Magic Millions in Australia but meantime he is pretty chuff ed with his win. He’s pictured here with Brad Osborne, left, in second place, and Matthew Holmes, right, who placed third.
Brook Cushion PGG Wrightson
auctioneers must be under the age of 30. They are required to demonstrate ability, fi rst in an interview to test communication skills and knowledge of the terms and conditions relating to livestock auctioneering, then in a practical live auction.
In the live auction the contestants test their skills in the selling of three pens of prime lambs and three pens of prime cattle.
The competition is held in conjunction with the Canterbury A&P and coincides with the prime heifer section of the show.
The lambs were an addition to the competition this year.
Withers has co-ordinated every one of the 11 competitions. Back in the ’90s Withers was nominated as an up-and-coming auctioneer to auction against the New South Wales champion.
“He came here to NZ, he made me look like a bush auctioneer, he was so good. I decided we needed to work on something in NZ for young auctioneers. We needed to improve the standard of our young people in the auctioneering circles.”
It was 15 years later, when Withers joined the cattle committee of the Canterbury A&P Association, that he realised the opportunity.
“This was the time to establish it and give young guys something to train for with exposure as a competition at the show.
“It has lifted the standard and confi dence of young auctioneers right from the competition and onwards.
“The big thing is the quality of selling from these young guys is quite amazing and that is very pleasing.”
Zespri leadership programme starts young
Richard Rennie NEWS
Leadership
ZESPRI has taken a whole-of-life view for fi nding quality people for industry leadership, one that extends back to schoolchildren’s fi rst encounter with the premium fruit.
Michael Fox, Zespri’s head of global Pacifi c affairs, said the marketer’s leadership development plan stems from its broader strategic plan, which has community development as one of its six pillars.
“So the focus of the community strategy has happy, healthy communities in a sustainable environment, leading to a more skilled industry,” Fox said.
The holistic approach kicks off in primary schools with Zespri’s “Young and Healthy” programme aiming to instil healthy living habits in Kiwi kids.
This includes encouraging them to eat more fruit and vegetables, drink more water, lower screen time and halve their junk-food intake.
With one eye on capturing young future leaders for the industry and to help engage with young people, the marketer provides horticultural scholarships open to anyone who has completed at least one year of tertiary study and aspires to a career in the horticultural sector, particularly kiwifruit.
Up to $10,000 over two years is provided towards tuition fees for university students studying a wide range of topics and who may be interested in a career in the sector.
“Through NZ Kiwifruit Growers and a BoP fruit growers programme we also work to identify young leaders in the industry in an across-the-board approach, people who may not only be good growers, but have skills like public speaking and leadership talent.”
Ultimately, those wanting to progress to directorship or leadership roles in the organisation or other industry bodies can also consider Zespri’s governance development programme.
“This is the major marquee programme with a complete immersion into the industry, including a domestic governance tour of New Zealand companies, including Silver Fern Farms, talking to experienced directors like Rob Hewett who freely give up their time.”
Best practice, governance and fi duciary duties are all covered.
“This runs for a year, and it is not viewed as just a Zespri board opportunity, it is about gaining the ability to engage and lead across the industry, and can include a wide range of people from growers, investors and professionals.”
The programme has been running since 2015 and notable alumni in high-level positions include current NZKGI and Apata chair Mark Mayston. NZKGI board member Tammy Hill is included in this year’s cohort of young leaders completing the course.
