Queensland's underdog off to Canada

Lincoln took out the 2017 Australian Livestock and Property Agents Association (ALPA) National Young Auctioneers Competition earlier this year in Sydney, after going in as the underdog.

He came in second at last year’s Ekka, and said he never expected the national win – let alone to be heading off to compete against the world. 

Competing at the Calgary Stampede in the International Livestock Auctioneer Championships, Lincoln said the opportunity was “pretty special”. 

“It’s somewhere I’ve always dreamed of going and ending up, it was super special for me to win the Australian competition, let alone to go and compete with the best in the world on such a big stage like the Calgary Stampede,” he said. 

After finishing Year 12 in 2011, the now-22-year-old moved to Roma to work under TopX’s Cyril Close – a relationship which has continued to foster throughout the years. 

“Cyril is one of my biggest mentors not only in my auctioneering career and my career in general, but also in life,” Lincoln said.

Mr Close and his wife Sue will make the trip to Canada to watch Lincoln compete – alongside another very special visitor. 

“My dad is making his way over for the stampede, probably in a bit of a different route to the way we’re going, but I’m lucky enough to have him come over and have him see me sell at the Stampede, which is very special to me,” Lincoln said. 

It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the young auctioneer, who has battled with nerves throughout his four years of selling. 

“I tend to go into these things with an open mind, one of my biggest battles has been dealing with my nerves,” he said. 

“But throughout going in these competitions over the last four years I’ve got myself to a stage where I can channel that energy into a positive thing, and use it to my advantage I hope.”

Lincoln said as part of the trip, the delegates are given an opportunity to see a number of Canadian sale barns and reproduction operations, including one of the largest Simmental purebred herds, which he said would be a trip highlight for him.

At the end of last year Lincoln went to America of his own accord in an attempt to up-skill himself if he ever found himself in the situation of selling at Calgary. 

While he has spent time perfecting the American style of selling, he said he’ll be putting his Aussie roots on show.

“At the end of the day I’m going over to represent Australia and I really think I should do that and sell our style,” he said.

“(Knowing the American style) will give me a bit of a hand that they do sell in the style of asking for the next bid instead of saying the bid that they’ve got, and I will interpret that into my Australian style of selling so there isn’t any confusion over there.

“I’m just going to go and do what I did in Sydney, and hopefully that’s good enough to be there with the best.”

The title will be fought out on July 15 from 11.30am-2pm, Canadian time.