July 22, 2025 • 8 mins
A storied and well-travelled Gisborne auctioneer, stock agent, and former NZ Rodeo champion, who has just been awarded a life membership of the Poverty Bay A&P Association in its 150th year, reflects on more than 40 years in the industry.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
A great thing about this job is you get to
know people all around the country and my phone has
been running hot in recent times from some of my
contacts in the Poverty Bay area. Because a bit of
a local legend, in fact, he's a national legend. Was
awarded life membership at the Poverty Bay Amp Association one
hundred and fiftieth dinner. His name is Neville Clark. We
(00:22):
go way back to the eighties when he was a
stock agent in Riversdale and we played footy together. Neville, congratulations,
you are widely regarded as so I'm told, in the
top two livestock auctioneers in the country. Well done on
the life membership, mate.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Yeah it was. It was a tremendous thrill. I'm not
often lost for words, but I was that night, and yeah,
they Norm Thomas had sort of did a bit of
a preview and there's a couple of things he's said
now to that I knew a fellow like death and
near that unrolled it had it come. So now, it
really was a great thrill and it was a huge night.
(00:58):
It was a wonderful night for the show, and of
course it's a great show. It's a wonderful show.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Well, I'm lucky enough to be coming up to it
this year. I was meant to be there in twenty seventeen,
on our tripped over on a golf course and broke
my leg, so I couldn't go. And I've always promised
to go back. And the good thing about the Poverty
Bay amp show is literally more than half the population
of the region goes through the gates during the two
days of the show. It has to be the most
highly attended amp show in the country.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Yeah, it is. And I think it's just just a combination.
You know, we're an isolated you know, an isolated place,
and I mean it's a chance to come together, and
we've got a wonderful committee. There's so much goes on
at the show. Two wonderful days. We cater for the town,
we cater for the country, and I mean it's just
a feel good and it launches, it launches our summer,
(01:47):
our spring and summer for us here. And you know,
it's a wonderful place to live. As I say, kad isolated,
but g we're surrounded by great people.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
You are not only one of the top livestock auctioneers
and block agents in the country with PGG rights and
by the way back in the day when you and
I were playing rugby in the nineteen eighties and Riversdale,
you were also the All Round New Zealand rodeo champion.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Yeah, that was a period of my life. Was a
great period really, And I'd been away to Canada and
rodeoed on the circuit over there and come home, move
down to Riversdale and yeah, applied the trade and you know,
we practiced hard and rodeoed hard and it went my way.
So that was good. And had the win the all
around in eighty seven was wonderful. I wanted again in
(02:35):
ninety four that was a great experience as well. But
I mean the sport of rodeo and amp shows, it's
all about bringing people together and one of us one
of the same. Really. It's a little form of entertainment,
but it's just getting great country people together. And yeah,
whether they're a committee or a club, it doesn't matter,
but it has the same effect that brings good people together.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Now, I'm guessing you've been a stock agent slash auctionaire
for more than forty years. You would have had to
have been. What about the changes you've seen in the
industry in your time.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Yeah, there has been a lot of changes, and I
mean at the moment, you know, land use change is
the biggest one, and we're just really starting to see it,
especially up here with a lot of forestry in that.
But I mean it's going to have a lot of
places when you think of you know this, three hundred
thousand hectares have gone since twenty seventeen. I heard Mike
Peterson on the show saying that you know, we've schooled
(03:29):
got the same amount of forestry, and that's technically correct,
but it's like the Labour Party sayn't how well they
did last six years. I mean the land that we've
lost now is land that's got sheep and beef, and
I mean it was it's good country that's moving into forestry.
It's so wrong. It always entertains me that the people
(03:50):
in town can't believe how dear food is. Well. If
you keep taking the good stuff away, of course it's
going to get bloody there, you know. I mean, as
they get on a plane and bugger off overseas, you know,
thinking they're saving the planet, we're at home here trying
to feed the world. I mean, it's not rocket science.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
No, it is not rocket science. And you guys have
suffered more from carbon than most regions. I want to
talk to you about your region and a really positive
livestock story. The ball selling season. You are an expert
in selling deer and you also do the big bull sales,
and I think you were the auctioneer with the hammer
in your hand when that at black Angus ball went
(04:28):
for one hundred and sixty one thousand dollars, a new
record from the Tangy House stud.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Yeah, and it was what a couple of days we had.
We broke the record the day before at crickld Angus
at one hundred. We got Snackaball through there at one
hundred and fifty six, which eclipped the record that stood
since ninety two with Adahuo Legacy at one fifty five.
So we got that one over on Sunday afternoon at Cricklewood.
The next day, you know, the stars aligned again and
(04:55):
what a wonderful salet why there was once again it
was just a wonderful atmosphere. The ball was Lot sixteen
at Tangy how so I got off pretty good and
then gee, wouldn't we got going there? She was Aye
last man standing. It's a great game if you win.
And you know, all credit to Tangy, how they've done
a lot of work on getting getting the rights for
the cattle, the rights for the numbers, and the perfect
(05:18):
storm that arrived and Keith, Keith Higgins from Oregon stud
on his own, you know, fronted up and changed a
record that's been standing since nineteen ninety two. So all powder,
Keith and certainly all power of Tangy.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Here, have you ever known the beef market to be
more Buoyand no.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
No, I haven't. And I mean it's on the back
of a few things. Land Yates changed. The cow heard
in Americas that are seventy three year low. I mean,
there's a lot of things that a light that you know,
where the dots are lining up, and they say, we're
going to see it too. We're gonna have a wonderful
spring here in the north. We're wet, we're wet now,
and a little bit of heat turns up and we'll
(05:55):
have a lot of grass and we'll see just how
how much land you's change and how much stocks you know,
disappeared out of the system. When these boys start to
restock in August apteen rocked over.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
There's a wicked irony, isn't the record prices for beef
lambs very very good? And yet we're growing pine trees
where we should be growing food. You've sold a black
angus ball for one hundred and sixty one grand, but
you also are the master. And I know this because
I've been told from people in high places when it
comes to deer auctions, apparently the top deer farmers won't
(06:27):
go to auction unless you do it. I'm assuming that
you've probably sold a deer or a stag for more
than that.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Yeah. I had the joys selling a stag at Todd
Crowley's in Hamilton for three hundred and ninety thousand, and
he was an amazing animal. It was a sight to behold.
I know a lot of people don't like those big,
multi headed deer, you know, the old traditionalists, but that's fine,
each to his own. But it was a wonderful stag
and it was a wonderful casion we had. We had
(06:56):
a couple of players in the room, we had one
on the phone, and it was pretty exciting and it's
still it's still a record. And the stag went on
to do wonderful things and we've seen his progeny comeing
out now and yeah, it was it.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Was a it was a great day now mile mat
Graham Williams and your neck of the wood's been chewing
my big time. And he says he's not content with
you being a life member of the Poverty by a
m P Association, Nevel Clark. He wants you to get
a night on it. I know what Graham gets carried
away on occasions, but he says, for all the work
you've done over the years for charity, especially when it
(07:28):
comes to auctioning, you never say.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
No, no, I really am now. I just you know,
if we all do a little, then something they have
to do so much. So no, it's and it's still
going on. We've got the Calcutter at Tolliger Bay on
Saturday night for the King of the Coast Golf so
that'll that'll be a bit of fun. And yeah, we've
got the charity the Big West Picchup Charity dinner for
(07:52):
a helicopter here and sit team. That's a great occasion.
And yeah, some of these things, it's it's good. It's
it's just what makes the community work. And I'm happy
to give it be one way I'm going to get
to heaven.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
I guess Neville Clark. I'm honored to know you, and
I'm looking forward to catching up with you again and
renewing our acquaintance at the Poverty by A and P
Show in October. Looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Yeah, it'll be a great occasion. We're going to we're
going to a committee meeting this afternoon with you, with
the entertainment crowd. So we're going to go all out
to make it the best ever. And yeah, so there'll
be some great surprises and we'll probably relive the Shepherd's Challenge,
you know, just for another time. It's been a great
event at the show and we've had a year or
two off from that, but yeah, to real hoot the
(08:37):
Shepherd's Challenge, and yeah, we're just going to do lots
of things and just make it. Yeah, one fiftieth to remember.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Hey Clarky, great to catch up. Congratulations, We'll see you
on October.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Yep. No, looking forward to Jamie and yet we'll have
a beer and talk about old time
A great thing about this job is you get to
know people all around the country and my phone has
been running hot in recent times from some of my
contacts in the Poverty Bay area. Because a bit of
a local legend, in fact, he's a national legend. Was
awarded life membership at the Poverty Bay Amp Association one
hundred and fiftieth dinner. His name is Neville Clark. We
(00:22):
go way back to the eighties when he was a
stock agent in Riversdale and we played footy together. Neville, congratulations,
you are widely regarded as so I'm told, in the
top two livestock auctioneers in the country. Well done on
the life membership, mate.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Yeah it was. It was a tremendous thrill. I'm not
often lost for words, but I was that night, and yeah,
they Norm Thomas had sort of did a bit of
a preview and there's a couple of things he's said
now to that I knew a fellow like death and
near that unrolled it had it come. So now, it
really was a great thrill and it was a huge night.
(00:58):
It was a wonderful night for the show, and of
course it's a great show. It's a wonderful show.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Well, I'm lucky enough to be coming up to it
this year. I was meant to be there in twenty seventeen,
on our tripped over on a golf course and broke
my leg, so I couldn't go. And I've always promised
to go back. And the good thing about the Poverty
Bay amp show is literally more than half the population
of the region goes through the gates during the two
days of the show. It has to be the most
highly attended amp show in the country.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Yeah, it is. And I think it's just just a combination.
You know, we're an isolated you know, an isolated place,
and I mean it's a chance to come together, and
we've got a wonderful committee. There's so much goes on
at the show. Two wonderful days. We cater for the town,
we cater for the country, and I mean it's just
a feel good and it launches, it launches our summer,
(01:47):
our spring and summer for us here. And you know,
it's a wonderful place to live. As I say, kad isolated,
but g we're surrounded by great people.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
You are not only one of the top livestock auctioneers
and block agents in the country with PGG rights and
by the way back in the day when you and
I were playing rugby in the nineteen eighties and Riversdale,
you were also the All Round New Zealand rodeo champion.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Yeah, that was a period of my life. Was a
great period really, And I'd been away to Canada and
rodeoed on the circuit over there and come home, move
down to Riversdale and yeah, applied the trade and you know,
we practiced hard and rodeoed hard and it went my way.
So that was good. And had the win the all
around in eighty seven was wonderful. I wanted again in
(02:35):
ninety four that was a great experience as well. But
I mean the sport of rodeo and amp shows, it's
all about bringing people together and one of us one
of the same. Really. It's a little form of entertainment,
but it's just getting great country people together. And yeah,
whether they're a committee or a club, it doesn't matter,
but it has the same effect that brings good people together.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Now, I'm guessing you've been a stock agent slash auctionaire
for more than forty years. You would have had to
have been. What about the changes you've seen in the
industry in your time.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Yeah, there has been a lot of changes, and I
mean at the moment, you know, land use change is
the biggest one, and we're just really starting to see it,
especially up here with a lot of forestry in that.
But I mean it's going to have a lot of
places when you think of you know this, three hundred
thousand hectares have gone since twenty seventeen. I heard Mike
Peterson on the show saying that you know, we've schooled
(03:29):
got the same amount of forestry, and that's technically correct,
but it's like the Labour Party sayn't how well they
did last six years. I mean the land that we've
lost now is land that's got sheep and beef, and
I mean it was it's good country that's moving into forestry.
It's so wrong. It always entertains me that the people
(03:50):
in town can't believe how dear food is. Well. If
you keep taking the good stuff away, of course it's
going to get bloody there, you know. I mean, as
they get on a plane and bugger off overseas, you know,
thinking they're saving the planet, we're at home here trying
to feed the world. I mean, it's not rocket science.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
No, it is not rocket science. And you guys have
suffered more from carbon than most regions. I want to
talk to you about your region and a really positive
livestock story. The ball selling season. You are an expert
in selling deer and you also do the big bull sales,
and I think you were the auctioneer with the hammer
in your hand when that at black Angus ball went
(04:28):
for one hundred and sixty one thousand dollars, a new
record from the Tangy House stud.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Yeah, and it was what a couple of days we had.
We broke the record the day before at crickld Angus
at one hundred. We got Snackaball through there at one
hundred and fifty six, which eclipped the record that stood
since ninety two with Adahuo Legacy at one fifty five.
So we got that one over on Sunday afternoon at Cricklewood.
The next day, you know, the stars aligned again and
(04:55):
what a wonderful salet why there was once again it
was just a wonderful atmosphere. The ball was Lot sixteen
at Tangy how so I got off pretty good and
then gee, wouldn't we got going there? She was Aye
last man standing. It's a great game if you win.
And you know, all credit to Tangy, how they've done
a lot of work on getting getting the rights for
the cattle, the rights for the numbers, and the perfect
(05:18):
storm that arrived and Keith, Keith Higgins from Oregon stud
on his own, you know, fronted up and changed a
record that's been standing since nineteen ninety two. So all powder,
Keith and certainly all power of Tangy.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Here, have you ever known the beef market to be
more Buoyand no.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
No, I haven't. And I mean it's on the back
of a few things. Land Yates changed. The cow heard
in Americas that are seventy three year low. I mean,
there's a lot of things that a light that you know,
where the dots are lining up, and they say, we're
going to see it too. We're gonna have a wonderful
spring here in the north. We're wet, we're wet now,
and a little bit of heat turns up and we'll
(05:55):
have a lot of grass and we'll see just how
how much land you's change and how much stocks you know,
disappeared out of the system. When these boys start to
restock in August apteen rocked over.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
There's a wicked irony, isn't the record prices for beef
lambs very very good? And yet we're growing pine trees
where we should be growing food. You've sold a black
angus ball for one hundred and sixty one grand, but
you also are the master. And I know this because
I've been told from people in high places when it
comes to deer auctions, apparently the top deer farmers won't
(06:27):
go to auction unless you do it. I'm assuming that
you've probably sold a deer or a stag for more
than that.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Yeah. I had the joys selling a stag at Todd
Crowley's in Hamilton for three hundred and ninety thousand, and
he was an amazing animal. It was a sight to behold.
I know a lot of people don't like those big,
multi headed deer, you know, the old traditionalists, but that's fine,
each to his own. But it was a wonderful stag
and it was a wonderful casion we had. We had
(06:56):
a couple of players in the room, we had one
on the phone, and it was pretty exciting and it's
still it's still a record. And the stag went on
to do wonderful things and we've seen his progeny comeing
out now and yeah, it was it.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Was a it was a great day now mile mat
Graham Williams and your neck of the wood's been chewing
my big time. And he says he's not content with
you being a life member of the Poverty by a
m P Association, Nevel Clark. He wants you to get
a night on it. I know what Graham gets carried
away on occasions, but he says, for all the work
you've done over the years for charity, especially when it
(07:28):
comes to auctioning, you never say.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
No, no, I really am now. I just you know,
if we all do a little, then something they have
to do so much. So no, it's and it's still
going on. We've got the Calcutter at Tolliger Bay on
Saturday night for the King of the Coast Golf so
that'll that'll be a bit of fun. And yeah, we've
got the charity the Big West Picchup Charity dinner for
(07:52):
a helicopter here and sit team. That's a great occasion.
And yeah, some of these things, it's it's good. It's
it's just what makes the community work. And I'm happy
to give it be one way I'm going to get
to heaven.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
I guess Neville Clark. I'm honored to know you, and
I'm looking forward to catching up with you again and
renewing our acquaintance at the Poverty by A and P
Show in October. Looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Yeah, it'll be a great occasion. We're going to we're
going to a committee meeting this afternoon with you, with
the entertainment crowd. So we're going to go all out
to make it the best ever. And yeah, so there'll
be some great surprises and we'll probably relive the Shepherd's Challenge,
you know, just for another time. It's been a great
event at the show and we've had a year or
two off from that, but yeah, to real hoot the
(08:37):
Shepherd's Challenge, and yeah, we're just going to do lots
of things and just make it. Yeah, one fiftieth to remember.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Hey Clarky, great to catch up. Congratulations, We'll see you
on October.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Yep. No, looking forward to Jamie and yet we'll have
a beer and talk about old time
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