Zeb does it again

The 24 year-old from McKean McGregor, Bendigo, will go down in the history books as the fourth competitor to take home the Graeme Lanyon Shield in two consecutive years since the event began in Victoria in 1990.

And, in an interesting twist of fate, the first person to win back-to-back in 1994 and 1995 was Glenn Rae, the director of McKean McGregor, Bendigo, where Mr Broadbent works.

It was the fourth time Mr Broadbent had entered the competition, and said it would be probably be his last.

“I felt like I could to the best of my ability today, and I feel lucky to have come out on top because the competition was fierce,” he said.

He competed against nine finalists, aged 22 to 25, from throughout Victoria.

Mr Broadbent has been in the industry for five years and has worked at McKean McGregor for the past two. He sells prime lambs and cattle weekly at the Bendigo saleyards – and in accepting his trophy he thanked his mentors and team at McKean McGregor, who could not be at Pakenham on Monday because the competition clashed with the Bendigo lamb market.

“The training we’ve had leading up to this competition has helped to refine my skills and that definitely comes out on a Monday when I sell lambs. ALPA’s training is second to none,” Mr Broadbent said.

Although judges Kieran McGrath of McGrath Rodwells Kyneton, Ross Milne of Elders, and Brad Obst of East Gippsland Livestock, did not disclose their scores, those asked among the 130-plus strong audience said the 10 young auctioneers’ performances were very close.

ALPA chief executive Andy Maddigan commended the young men on their performance, and said it was probably the strongest competition at the Victorian state final for many years.

In second place was 22 year-old Jamie Quinlan, Elders Pakenham, who was thrilled to be going along with Mr Broadbent to represent Victoria at ALPA’s national young auctioneers competition held at next year’s Sydney Royal Easter Show.