New apprentice livestock auctioneer with Lawrie and Symington it 26-year-old Peter Campbell.

Peter has secured a position as a trainee auctioneer with the Lanark-based firm thanks to a well-rounded knowledge of farming and enthusiasm for livestock and agriculture. 

At present he is a Texel sheep shepherd on a farm near Cumbernauld, having attained a BSC Honours degree in Biomedicine at the University of Glasgow.

In his new role as a trainee auctioneer, Peter’s main responsibilities include; liaising with farmers, valuation and analysis of livestock, building up a client base, attending market days and sorting animals to sell, and encouraging farmers to come down to the mart on sale days.

He said: “Auctioneering is a challenging but also hugely rewarding profession that takes years of practice to become good at. I look after the sale of calves and poultry which take place once every two weeks and assist the other auctioneers during the weekly livestock sales.”

As part of training to become an auctioneer, Peter attends Harper Adams University where he is studying a three-year course in Livestock Market Operations and Management.