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02/07/2024
George McCrohon competing at this year’s Royal Easter Show.
While the unassuming sheep paddocks of Ganmain usually set the stage for young aspiring Riverina auctioneers, school students from across the region were recently thrust into the limelight, showcasing their skills for the heaving crowds of the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
Stephen Hatty of “Yarrawong” Matong is one of the generous volunteers driving a local Ganmain Show Society initiative that, for the past two years, has enabled keen young rural students to participate in a ‘mock auction’ in the sheep pavilion of what is Australia’s largest agricultural showcases.
Seven local students participated in this year’s program, across a novice and an open competition, wowing the crowds with their knowledge, auctioneering skills and confidence.
“These kids don’t usually get an audience to perform in front of, most are only able to practice on their siblings at home, so to have this opportunity to auction live at the Sydney Royal Easter Show is an opportunity they will remember for life,” Stephen says with a smile.
Purpose-made bidder cards encourage crowd participation in the fun and interactive mock auction, where students are judged on their ability to assess and auction an animal, their articulation skills and their success drawing bids from the crowd.
Grace Routley taking mock bids from the audience
Stephen said while the program helped encourage career pathways into auctioneering, its real value lay in the students’ learning opportunity and personal development.
“Some kids don’t learn well in the classroom, and this is an alternative opportunity for students to gain confidence in public speaking, and having to remember all their bids and where they’re at works on maths skills, and the confidence they gain will serve them well in whatever career they choose," Stephen believes.
“It’s an eye-opening experience, there are so many aspects to grasp when it comes to auctioneering, and it’s a fun, interactive and practical way to showcase what they’ve learnt in the classroom.”
The road from Ganmain to Sydney
Stephen said encouraging youth into local agriculture remained a core value of the local show movement, and credit’s Riverina Anglican College agriculture teacher Trevor Dawson for identifying the merit of establishing the school’s auctioneering competition at the Ganmain Show.
“It was early 2019 when Trevor announced ‘I think we can do something more for our kids’, so we set the wheels in motion.”
Mentored by local auctioneers and real estate agents, students from seven schools across the region gain valuable insights into the profession, industry and required skills.
Up to 30 initial participants are then drafted through heats, with the top three from each school competing in a semi-final at the Ganmain Show, held each August.
This is then narrowed down to a live final showdown on the main stage at the show, with the finalists progressing to Sydney.
Riverina students who attended the Royal Easter Show this year.
Whilst she wasn’t in attendance, Rabobank rural manager, Georgie Twomey called on her colleagues and friends to show their support and take part in the mock auction.
“It was great to see so many of the Rabobank team at the show supporting the students,” Stephen said. “The fact that our manager Georgia saw the value in what we’re trying to achieve exemplifies her commitment beyond our business, and to the industry and community.
“The Rabobank team at the show really got involved in the bidding, it was lots of fun.”
A rich rural tradition shaping the future
Stephen has been involved in the local Ganmain Show since returning home to the family farm in 1986.
Stephen Hatty is helping drive the local Ganmain Show Society initiative
Over the years he’s been the Steward of the Prime Lamb section and chief Steward of the Sheep Pavilion, was the president for almost a decade, and is now a vice president.
“Our local show movement is one of rural Australia’s most traditional, it’s been showcasing our agricultural industries and our communities for generations, and for many small towns the local show remains critical to the local social fabric.”
More than ever, he believes local shows are also an important vehicle to help articulate the myriad of career opportunities agriculture affords, and thanks to his association with the Ag Shows NSW committee, Stephen is now looking to expand the school auctioneering program across the State.
“If we can establish a few other competitions across NSW it will make the experience at the Sydney Royal Easter Show even more exciting, the students will get the chance to compete against new competitors from outside their own region, and it will help promote auctioneering to an even wider audience.
Jack Rodham showcasing his auctioneering skills
“Statewide there are youth competitions across the various sectors and regions, offering opportunities to compete at The Sydney Royal Easter Show, all aimed at helping a new generation become excited about agriculture,” he says. “I enjoy being involved in the show movement and seeing the ability of our youth to adapt and embrace the opportunity our local shows afford, and in the case of our local student auctioneers, it’s terrific seeing them shine in front of such a large crowd, it makes our whole community very proud.”
This year’s Ganmain Show will be held on Saturday, August 24, where students from across the region will once again vie for a coveted spot at next year’s Sydney Royal Easter Show.