Livestock agent Lars Hardy tries auctioneering, claims second place in competition

Heartland Young Auctioneers Competition third placegetter Cameron Gray (left), winner Karl Chitham and Lars Hardy, who came second.

As part of the New Zealand Agricultural Show in Christchurch, this year’s Heartland Bank Young Auctioneers Competition took place at the start of the month.

The Heartland Young Auctioneers Competition runs for two days and is open to anyone under the age of 30.

Each contestant is asked to demonstrate their ability, first on an interview day, which tests communication skills and knowledge of the terms and conditions relating to livestock auctioneering.

On the following day, they’re tested in the live auctioneering segment, where each contestant is required to sell three pens of prime cattle.

With nine competitors, three from the North Island and six from Canterbury, they went head-to-head, gavel to gavel, testing their skills among some of the nation’s most accomplished young rural professionals.

Dannevirke sheep and beef rep for PGG Wrightson Livestock, Lars Hardy, entered last year and decided he would come back to endure another round.

Much to his surprise, he took away the blue ribbon of second place.

Karl Chitham from Carrfields NZ (Waikato) was the winner and Cameron Gray from PGG Wrightson, South Canterbury took third place.

Originally from a farm in Central Hawke’s Bay, Hardy has been a sheep and beef rep for PGG Wrightson for over 13 months and in the livestock industry for over three.

His manager Bjorn Andersen offered Hardy plenty of encouragement and persuaded him to try his hand at auctioneering.

It is on-the-job learning and the more Hardy practised, the more he enjoyed it, even practising in his car between jobs.

There’s an art to auctioneering.

Auctioneers have a thorough knowledge of stock, as well as charisma, body language, an ability to read the crowd and of course, the patter.

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Lars said he had a competitive nature and enjoyed being in a good field of young auctioneers.

Even though these young men are competing against each other, it is also a learning experience for them and having a debrief after the day is over is just part of the job.

“As auctioneers, we have to do the best we can,” Hardy said.

“It’s important to get the best money you can for your clients.”

Hardy will be back next year to compete and if he’s unsuccessful, at 23 years old he still has time to take the title before he reaches 30.

Along with the honour of winning, Hardy said he was keen on the first prize — a trip to the Sydney Royal Show to try his hand at a bit of auctioneering across the Ditch.