Livestock auctioneer students celebrate graduation

Posted 7 January 2020

Livestock Market Operations and Management students at Harper Adams University celebrated graduation this week. Five students were awarded Certificates of Higher Education at a ceremony opened by Vice Chancellor, Dr David Llewellyn.

“Livestock Auctioneers can be linchpins of rural communities. They employ people and manage property to play an important role in their local economy while also turning a profit,” said Dr Llewellyn, “Congratulations to everyone graduating today. The skills you’ve acquired on this course will help you steer the industry through a changing time.”

As well as the Certificates of Higher Education and Fellowship of the Livestock Auctioneers Association that were awarded to all graduating students, a number of other prizes were presented.

Harvey Pile, 25, from Devon, received The Livestock Auctioneers Association Gavel for being the top graduating Livestock Auctioneers Association student on the course. Harvey said: “I’m chuffed to bits, it’s been a really enjoyable experience and I’ve learnt a lot from the excellent course and from the people I studied with."

The MJ Thomson Award for top graduating Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland (IAAS) student went to Judith Cowey, 29, from Kirkcudbrightshire. Top first year student James Buckton, 23, from Hull, was awarded the Dick Harrison Plaque. The event saw representatives of the Livestock Auctioneers Association (LAA) and the Institute of Auctioneers & Appraisers in Scotland attend to present prizes and talk to students about life after graduation.

“This course is very important for our business as we invest in youth,” said David Kibble, Chairman of the LAA, “You’re in the right part of the world to study livestock management, so enjoy your graduation and keep working hard because you’ll go far doing that.”