Rising star keen to test skills on national stage

There are plenty of farmers who’ll tell you that a good auctioneer makes a big difference in a sale. One of those is the Great Southern’s James Culleton, a star on the rise in a competitive industry. At just 24, he is auctioneer for Nutrien Ag Solutions in Gnowangerup and sells weekly at the Katanning trade sale and occasionally at local stud sales. He was set to represent WA at the Australian Livestock and Property Agents Association National Young Auctioneers Competition at the Sydney Royal Easter Show, which has been postponed because of the COVID-19 crisis. Mr Culleton, who has been training as an auctioneer with Nutrien Ag Solutions for the past four years, said he was honoured to be asked to compete. “The competition is run by ALPA. They do schools and competitions around Australia for young auctioneers coming through the industry,” he said. “They came to WA in May last year and did a school at the Muchea Livestock Centre with roughly 20 other young auctioneers from other companies within WA. “I didn’t think anything of it and three to four months later, I was lucky enough to receive an email to say that I have been selected to go to the national competition, which was a pretty overwhelming feeling. “I can’t wait to get on board with it.” Mr Culleton said he loved the professionalism of the role and he hoped to be able to grow his reputation in the agricultural industry. “In auctioneering, it’s 100 per cent up to you to make your client the most money,” he said. “At the end of the day, you’re working for your client and it’s in our best interest to get them their best price. “Patter, clarity and understanding where the bid is are also very important for the buyer’s perspective.”