Business Rural Summer 2021

78 | Building relationships and trust Otago Group Rob Fowler, Don Roney and Dennis Mullally. Richon, Beechwood and Woodburn Hereford Bull Sale: Bob Davidson (in auctioneers booth), Glen Armstrong, Robbie Reid and Donald Cooke. Richard Loader O ne hundred percent New Zealand owned and operated, South Island stock specialist Rural Livestock is frequently entrusted to achieve stock sales representing a significant proportion of a farmer’s total annual income within just a few minutes. Often amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stock sales, it underlines the high regard and trust farmers have for the company that has been part of the rural landscape in the South for over three decades. General Manager Jesse Dargue says the heart of Rural Livestock’s success is building relationships and trust with its clients. “The quality of our auctioneers and the integrity, trust and relationships that our agents build with our clients is the secret to being a successful stock agency. Quite often we will be running an on-farm auction sale and the trust the farmer is putting in us and our team to do their homework, to deliver the preparation of that stock and have the buyers there to support the sale is essential. We really appreciate the confidence farmers have in us on sale day.” Based in Christchurch, and a 50% shareholder in the Canterbury Park Saleyards, Rural Livestock also operates weekly sales in Temuka, Waireka in Oamaru, Balclutha, Charlton just south of Gore and Lorneville in Invercargill. Forty livestock agents operate throughout the South Island, with ten of those also being senior auctioneers. “Auction sales are a large part of our business and always have been. Throughout our history we’ve always had very good auctioneers and that’s the same today. We’re very proud of our auctioneer- ing team and see sales by auction as a key part of the business. Despite whatever else is happening in the industry the auction saleyards always set the market for everyone. RURAL SERVICES » Rural Livestock - Christchurch “Auction sales are a large part of our business and always have been. Throughout our history we’ve always had very good auctioneers and that’s the same today. We’re very proud of our auctioneering team and see sales by auction as a key part of the business.”