NSW agents have finished first and second at the 2024 ALPA National Young Auctioneers Competition while also taking out the NAB Team Shield.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Elders Rural Services' Justin Oakenfull, Inverell, was named the winner on Friday, March 22, while Michael Purtle, Purtle Plevey Agencies, Manilla, finished second.
The pair finished in the top two places in the NSW competition last year and continued their upward trajectory in 2024 to beat out seven other top young auctioneers to the top spots.
ALPA CEO Peter Baldwin described the competition as "extraordinarily tight" before announcing the winner.
Mr Oakenfull thanked Elders Rural Services, friends, family, colleagues and mentors in the industry when accepting his award but saved special praise for one person.
"Most importantly, Dicky Gleeson, I wouldn't be with Elders today if it wasn't for you," Mr Oakenfull said.
"He's not a boss, he's a best mate."
Mr Oakenfull first joined the Elders team in 2016 as a trainee based in Gundagai.
He worked in both NSW and Victoria before he made the move back to his hometown of Inverell.
The auctioneer will now go on to represent Australia at the International Livestock Auctioneer Championship at the Calgary Stampede in Canada.
As the win started to sink in, it was clear celebrations were on Mr Oakenfull's mind.
"Let's head to the Cattlemans and have a beer," he said to the crowd.
The winner of the NSW Young Auctioneers Competition was also crowned on Friday.
Darcy Howard, MCC Chudleigh Dobell, Forbes, was named the winner ahead of Jaiden Burke, Nutrien Ag Solutions, Wagga Wagga, in second.
A surprised Mr Howard let everyone know he "definitely didn't prepare anything" before he thanked ALPA, sponsors, the buying fraternity and the presenters.
"This competition doesn't happen without you guys," he said.
Mr Howard, who also competed in the finals in 2022, went on to thank everyone who had supported him along the way.
"I want to thank Adam Chudleigh and Hugh Dobell from MCC Forbes - you guys have supported me unbelievably over the past 12 months. I can't thank you enough," he said.
"To my family and all my friends ... thank sou so much, I really wouldn't be in this position without your support.
"Congratulations to all the other competitors, I thought you all sold really well, and I'm as surprised as anything to be here."
Ben Jaffrey
Ben is a content curator and journalist for The Land. He has been with ACM since 2015 and first worked at The Area News and then at the Northern Daily Leader. Ben first joined ACM Agri as a digital journalist for all seven agricultural mastheads in 2022 before shifting to The Land full-time in 2023.
Ben is a content curator and journalist for The Land. He has been with ACM since 2015 and first worked at The Area News and then at the Northern Daily Leader. Ben first joined ACM Agri as a digital journalist for all seven agricultural mastheads in 2022 before shifting to The Land full-time in 2023.
