A 25-year-old woman from the NSW New England region is calling the shots in a role traditionally undertaken by men.
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Cassie Baile has been appointed as an auctioneer for the Australian Wool Network at the Yennora Wool Selling Centre.
In her role as Northern Wool Technical Officer, Cassie will divide her time between client work at AWN’s Goulburn branch and the showroom floor in Sydney.
Cassie said the key skills for auctioneering were communication, elocution, presentation and a good rapport with clients and buyers.
“In what has been traditionally perceived as a male influenced sector, I could not have asked for more support from all involved,” she said.
Cassie will move to the Goulburn branch in October to work with AWN branch manager Mark Hedley and his staff.
“I will be based in Goulburn and then travel inbetween to Sydney to type and prepare the next week’s sale, and make sure all the samples on the show floor are complete for the catalogue,’’ she said.
“In Goulburn, I will be managing my own client base with all aspects of their wool production.
This includes sheep and ram selection, flock management, wool marketing and ensuring a high quality of service.”
She said as part of the Australian Wool Network team, she would be working with her colleagues to proactively gain the best results for her clients throughout all stages of their wool production, from the shearing shed to the production of high quality woollen garments.
Young auctioneer takes them on
Cassie hails from a superfine wool property at Bendemeer in the NSW New England region.
Her childhood memories of helping with sheep work and in the shearing shed fuelled her passion for agriculture and the wool industry.
Cassie gained her professional Woolclassers’ Certificate in 2009 through Tamworth TAFE before completing two years of an Agribusiness degree at the University of New England, Armidale.
In 2012, she obtained a traineeship with a pastoral house, working as a Wool Technical Support Officer at Yennora.
Cassie is pleased to be moving back into a regional area with a strong history of wool production.
“I never saw myself living in Sydney but it was a good base to start,” she said.
“When I was approached by the Australian Wool Network, I was able to make possible those goals I had always wanted to achieve.
Everybody in the company has been so supportive, making my transition to the new role very smooth.”
Cassie encourages all young people with an interest in agriculture to pursue their goals.
“I believe your personal drive and passion will create the best possible future for you,” she said.
“Find a way and make it work, and you will get there.”
When it comes to women in agriculture, Cassie said there were no limits.
“There are equal opportunities for everyone – all young people who are interested in the industry should embrace their passion and make the most of it,” she said.
“Set a goal, go for it and make it happen. It is great to see women moving into traditional male roles in agriculture, such as wool classing.
We need to encourage young people to come into the industry to ensure its survival.”