By Garry Howe
ORGANISERS are hoping for a big turnout to watch local hope Jamie Quinlan from Elders Pakenham vie for the Victorian Young Auctioneer of the Year title at the VLE in Pakenham on Monday 19 September.
Jamie needs to only improve one place, having been beaten to the title last year by Bendigo’s Zeb Broadbent.
“Zeb’s a good mate, he used to sell down this way, so I was happy that he won it last year, but he’s not competing this time, so hopefully it’s my turn,” he said.
Last year’s performance earned Jamie a crack at the national title at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney, where he finished in the top eight.
“That was a great experience,” he said.
Jamie grew up around livestock, with his grandfather Alby Quinlan a regular around the saleyards.
He started going to the sales in his early teens, taken under the wing of a neighbour at Drouin South, local livestock agent Nathan Gibbon.
“I did a bit of work experience there – which basically meant following him around the yards asking stupid questions – and worked for him on and off for five years.”
Jamie moved to Elders in Pakenham in 2011 and found another mentor in Carlo Taranto.
He now does most of the auction work there, with Carlo battling ill-health at present, which takes him to sales as far as Bairnsdale and Yea.
Young Auctioneer of the Year competitors each auction nine head of cattle – three lots of three – under the watchful eye of a panel of expert judges.
A charity steer also goes under the hammer, and the proceeds this year will go to the Black Dog Institute to help in the battle against mental health.
This will be the fourth year the titles have been held at the VLE in Pakenham.
A past winner of the state and national title, Rodwell’s Anthony Delaney, now sits on the organising committee.
“It’s a great showcase of what we do locally,” Anthony said. “There will be a magnificent run of cattle and people should get down to have a look.”
