Harrison & Hetherington Celebrates Success as Auctioneer Celebrates Top Industry Livestock Award
Harrison & Hetherington, Farmstock Auctioneers, Brokers and Valuers, is celebrating a double success as one of its auctioneers receives not one but two accolades to support his career development in the industry.
Auctioneer, David Fearon, has been awarded an industry-leading qualification – the Certificate of Higher Education in Professional Studies in Livestock Market Operations and Management, as well as the Certificate of Fellowship of the Livestock Auctioneers Association in England & Wales. The presentation of the awards was held at Harper Adams University in Shropshire, a specialist provider of higher education for the agricultural and rural sector.
The Higher Education Certificate is seen as the professional standard for entry into the livestock auctioneering sector. It is aimed at aspiring auctioneers and animal health officers and provides a route to membership of the Livestock Auctioneers Association (LAA) and the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers of Scotland (IAAS).
As a result of his success David is now automatically enrolled as Fellow of The Livestock Auctioneer’s Association. This accolade forms an essential part of his working life as an auctioneer, as it’s a pre-requisite if valuations are to be made on farms. This was a detailed course which, in addition to valuations, covers everything from taxation and the law to animal health and welfare.
Born and brought up in a farming family on the west coast of Cumbria, David joined the company as soon as he left school as a trainee drover. He then started as an apprentice auctioneer four years later, where he spent a year on the yard and three years in the offices. In his role as an auctioneer David joins a team of twelve other qualified auctioneers within the organisation, working across all of the H&H Auction Marts.
David has studied part-time for the last four years whilst holding down a full-time job with Harrison and Hetherington and he acknowledges the importance of his studies:
“I am delighted that I have successfully achieved this as the academic work was very challenging. The course provided an excellent opportunity to understand the wider management of livestock markets and the impact it has on the industry. This is a really important part of understanding the auctioneer’s role fully at Harrison & Hetherington, which is why the studies with practical workplace experience have been so beneficial.”
Scott Donaldson, Joint Managing Director for Harrison & Hetherington, who, along with others in the team has helped mentor David throughout, endorses the benefits of the qualification for young auctioneers:
“I am delighted with David’s achievements as he has worked extremely hard both in and out of the auction environment to gain this qualification and fellowship status. As a business we are always extremely proud when our staff continue their personal development journey, especially when they can reap the rewards of their efforts for their career as well as benefit our business in terms of the high-quality services we offer.”
Harrison & Hetherington is the appointed auctioneers for all major beef, dairy and sheep breed societies throughout the UK. The farmstock business is well known and respected by pedigree and commercial farmers nationwide and in specialist fields worldwide. Borderway is the UK’s largest and leading livestock sale centre but the business also stretches over 8 further marts.
