Decked out in a jacket, tie, cream Bronco Akubra hat and selling behalf on the KP Lanyon agency, the 17-year-old Hamilton College Year 12 student “looked the part,” Landmark livestock key account manager John Lawson said.

Despite having only limited experienced selling items at charity auctions, Jake won the competition on his first attempt, outselling five other competitors, some of whom were working livestock auctioneers.

The win capped off a big day for Jake – his poll Shorthorn bull Ingleton Well Done D015 – was the supreme champion interbreed exhibit at the expo.

Competition judges said Jake excelled in his presentation, confidence and selling technique in addressing the buyers in the mock auction of two stud cattle.

The young stud breeder and experienced handler said he had no immediate intention of becoming an auctioneer, but Mr Lawson said Jake’s performance was very polished and reflected his experience in the industry. He has been working at cattle shows since he was eight-years-old.

“He probably will become a stud stock auctioneer, because that’s where his love lies,” Mr Lawson said.

Jake said he didn’t think about becoming an auctioneer until he attended a course run by Elders Millicent branch manager Ben Finch at the SA Heifer Expo in 2008.

Since then he has attended auctioneering schools, sold donated goods at charity auctions and on Sunday was an auctioneer at a Cavendish clearance sale.

Jake said he didn’t expect to win the Beef Expo competition but his experience with judging cattle helped him on the microphone.

“I think the auctioneering is a very small part of it (agency work).

“If I was to get into it, it would be much more the agency side of it – getting the clients and getting the livestock to sell.”

Jake said when he finished Year 12 he wanted to travel somewhere “as far as I can go”.

“I think that part of my travel will be as an agent, but a lot of people have told me to get another background in case it all goes wrong or you don’t enjoy it as much as you think.”

Jake said he had already had some offers “in a roundabout way” to work as a stock agent, but was focussing on finishing Year 12.

Runner-up in the competition was Landmark Hamilton’s Miles Pfitzner and third place was taken by Blair O’Toole from the Landmark Warrnambool branch.