A novice auctioneer in Tuam Mart is set to learn the ropes in the United States this summer after winning a national competition.
Darren Hession grew up on the family beef farm in Turloughmore in Co. Galway.
The 23-year-old began working in the office at Tuam Mart as a summer job and continued during his college years in Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT).
Last November, Hession graduated with first class honours in his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Environmental Management; he also attained his Green Cert during his degree.
The young Galwegian said that he “always had a flair for auctioneering” and decided to complete the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers (IPAV) top up course in 2020 to get his ‘A licence’.
Since then, Hession has worked as an apprentice auctioneer at Tuam Mart.
The mart ring
So, what was the first lot he sold? “It was a four old ewes. They made €120 or something,” Hession recalled.
Asked if he finds the mart ring daunting, Hession explained to Agriland that his background playing traditional music has helped with his confidence to stand up in front of a crowd.
The apprentice said that he is fortunate to have a “serious team of staff” supporting him in Tuam Mart, including Pat Burke and Peter McDonagh.
When mart sales moved online during the Covid-19 lockdowns, Hession also used the opportunity to learn from auctioneers across the country.
“Everyone has their own rhythm and their own style of communicating. Everyone has their own way of doing it,” he remarked.
“What I find is to be as direct and clear as possible, make sure everybody hears you and add plenty of life to it because it’s easy to lose the crowd if you have the same hum going all the time,” Hession added.
Although the pandemic offered the chance to learn from other auctioneers, Hession said that not having crowds around the ring “took a lot of the excitement away from the job”.
Commenting on the increase in online sales, Hession said: “It’s a fundamental part going forward. It adds a great dimension to all sales and has opened up serious avenues for all marts in terms of trading going forward.
“The mart sector in Galway, in particular, is very competitive; we’ve nine marts. Online is a great addition and marts just have to use it to their advantage,” he observed.
Competition
This year’s IPAV Novice Rostrum Auctioneer Competition held in Tattersalls in Meath on February 4, 2022 saw the entrants, including Hession, demonstrate their skills in selling a piece of fine art, a filly, a property and a tractor.
“It was a serious experience, you’re standing on a national stage. It was daunting but being composed and alert is very important when you’re up selling and maybe that’s what I was on the day. I can’t remember. It’s a blur,” Hession said.
As a result of his win, the Galway man will travel to Dallas, Texas in June to America’s Auction Academy for “the experience of a lifetime”. Although he has ruled out wearing a Stetson when he returns to the ring at Tuam Mart!
In terms of the future, Hession is keeping his options open. He is currently studying for a Masters in Agricultural Extension and Innovation in University College Dublin (UCD) and is working with David Moggon Property Consultants in Claregalway.