Top young auctioneers crowned in joint southern competition

Will Holt from McKean McGregor, Bendigo, has been crowned the top young Victorian auctioneer at the Australian Livestock and Property Agents (ALPA) Victorian Young Auctioneers Competition, while Josh Pahl from Southern Australian Livestock, Naracoorte, secured the South Australian title.

This year marked the first joint southern ALPA young auctioneers competition, which combined entrants from both Victoria and South Australia.

Held at the Western Victoria Livestock Exchange at Mortlake, the event featured 11 participants— seven from Victoria and four from South Australia. Although the competition was a joint event, winners were chosen separately by state.

The Victorian finalists:

• Jasper Bourke, Paull & Scollard Nutrien, Albury

• Alister Bright, HF Richardson Livestock Pty Ltd, Ballarat

• Campbell Czempinski, Elders Delaney Livestock & Property, Warragul

• Declan Haines, Elders Rural Services, Ballarat

• Will Holt, McKean McGregor, Bendigo

• Will Phillips, Elders Rural Services, Yea

• James Robbins, Nutrien SGL, Leongatha

Mr Holt claimed the top spot in his second attempt at the competition, after missing out on one of the coveted positions last year.

"The ALPA committee did a great job organising the event. The cattle were good, and overall, it was a well-run couple of days," Mr Holt said.

The Victorian runner-up was Declan Haines representing Elders Ballarat, who was also competing for the second time having had a year off since he first competed in 2023.

Victorian Winner, Will Holt, and Runner Up, Declan Haines. Pic: ALPA

Representing Paull & Scollard Nutrien, Albury, Jasper Bourke took home the Brian Rodwell Encouragement Award.

ALPA said the new combined format aimed to shine a spotlight on the exceptional talent and skill of the top young auctioneers from the southern states.

Meanwhile, A 24-year-old agent from Naracoorte has taken home the South Australian Young Auctioneer title in a tight contest. Josh Pahl, representing Southern Australian Livestock, Naracoorte, secured the win, narrowly beating two-time former winner Jack Guy from Spence Dix & Co, Keith, who placed runner-up.

South Australian Winner, Josh Pahl, and Runner Up, Jack Guy. Pic: ALPA

The South Australian finalists:

• Cody Benson, Nutrien Ag Solutions, Mount Gambier

• Jack Guy, Spence Dix & Co, Keith

• Jack Meyer, Elders Rural Services, Mount Gambier

• Josh Pahl, Southern Australian Livestock, Naracoorte

The South Australian shield changing hands this year marked the end of Mr Guy's back-to-back reign as state champion. Mr Pahl, who was last year’s runner-up, edged out his rival in a display of friendly competition between the two top auctioneers.

With the recent sale of the competition’s previous venue, the Victorian Livestock Exchange’s Pakenham complex, ALPA’s exploration of options led to the idea of merging the South Australian and Victorian competitions.

The Western Victoria Livestock Exchange at Mortlake offered a fresh setting for the two-state competition in the relatively new sale yard complex this year, where each auctioneer took to the podium to sell three lots of cattle each.

The winner and runner up from Victoria and South Australia will now have the chance to represent their state at the 2025 ALPA National Young Auctioneers Competition at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney next year where they will face the state winners from NSW, Queensland and Western Australia.