AWN Andrew Holgate fostered a deep connection to the rural industry from an early age while growing up on the family’s merino sheep farm in the southern tablelands of NSW.
Not far from his childhood roots, Andrew is now based in Yass and, as a leading young wool and sheep specialist, has been nominated by AWN for the National Council of Wool Selling Brokers of Australia’s (NCWSBA) Annual Wool Broker Award.
Andrew has reached the final round in this prestigious competition with AWN’s general manager wool, Ben Stace, saying the award promotes excellence in all aspects of wool broking in those who have been in the industry for 10 years or less.
“Andrew would certainly be a worthy winner with his experience and excellent skill set,’’ Mr Stace said.
At the completion of high school Andrew attended shearing school in Wagga Wagga which marked the start of a 12-year career. He gained his wool classing certificate and progressed to be the leader of the contract team, developing relationships with growers which gave him invaluable experience and an insight into the industry.
Andrew said he is very passionate about the industry and enjoys being able to help growers achieve their goals.
“I have been around sheep and wool all my life and have a wide range of skills which enable me to help growers get the best results. I am in regular contact with my growers and attend weekly wool sales working as an auctioneer and preparing bales for auction. This allows me to observe market trends first-hand facilitating informed discussions with growers and wool classers for optimal outcomes,’’ he said.
Andrew has a wide range of skills which include, but are certainly not limited to, holding a stock and station agent licence, selecting rams and sheep classing to improve flock genetics and enhance profitability. He is also part of the AWN Future Leaders group.
“This is a small cohort of younger staff which AWN senior management consider having future leadership potential, enabling members to learn the ins and outs of the company and how it functions. This further develops and skills and understanding of all facets of the business,’’ Andrew explains.
“I have also successfully completed AWN’s Mental Health First Aid course which has equipped me with the skills to identify distress among growers and enabled me to help members of my own client base.’’
Andrew said his love for sheep and wool fuels his dedication to the industry.
“I actively engage in various facets of the sector and enjoy serving as a judge for sheep and fleece competitions,’’ he said.
“I feel very privileged to be able to follow a clip through each step of its journey, from seeing it enter the wool bins at shearing, appraising the wool in sample boxes, assisting with appraisals and finally auctioneering the wool.
“By continually expanding my skill set and embracing versatility, I strive to offer my clients a wide array of options for achieving their objectives. I am very honoured to have been nominated for this award. I find AWN a great company to work for with the senior staff being tremendous mentors, teaching and supporting the younger staff.’’
Andrew has consistently demonstrated his ability to deliver top-tier wool marketing services to his clients, according to Ben Stace.
“With a comprehensive skill set encompassing every facet expected of the modern wool broker, Andrew offers outstanding support to his clients in various areas. These include sheep classing and ram selection, harnessing breeding values (ASBVs) to enhance genetics, overseeing clip preparation, cataloguing and preparing for sales, providing valuations and market appraisals, and auctioneering at the weekly Sydney wool sales,’’ he said.
“Andrew has consistently driven profitable outcomes through strategic decision-making that not only benefits his customers but also enhances the profitability of our own enterprise. I wish him all the best as the competition moves forward.’’
