Andrew ‘Gibbo’ Gibson’s professional skills making a huge difference for the Taranaki community .

Andrew Gibson has been PGG Wrightson Taranaki Area Livestock Manager and Auctioneer since 2020, and in the livestock industry for nearly two decades. Through most of that time he’s put his auctioneering skills to good use for the wider community, serving behind the lectern for an impressive range of causes.

In mid-November Andrew’s community efforts were recognised in the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Award, when he received a Local Hero medal.

Andrew is happy to offer his services for charitable purposes.

“All the different charities mean different things to different people. Any money you raise, you think ‘That could be me, or a family member, or one of my close friends that needs those services.’ It’s nice to help as many people as you can, giving it your best shot for different people.”

Raising money as well as he does comes down to Andrew’s wide local network.

“With doing the job and the sports I’m involved with, I know plenty of people. If I’m auctioneering, with 400 people in a room, I can call many of them by their names. You know who’s who in the zoo, where the bids are coming from, who’s around, and who’s likely to spend, which all helps to get the crowd going.”

One of the causes he found most satisfying was a series of auctions that raised more than $500,000 for Alzheimer’s Taranaki, facilitating the development of a dedicated facility, ensuring people with Alzheimer’s in the region can improve their lives by staying in the community.

“Seeing what they do, and the difference they make is a reward in itself, which is also the case with so many other charity projects,” he says.

Andrew averages one charity auction per month, mostly on Friday or Saturday evenings, making for a good balance with his day job, which of course also includes auctioneering.

“I’d been farming before I came into the livestock game. The first auction I had to conduct, manager John Kelly called me up. It was the middle of winter, but when I got up there, I was sweating with nerves.

“Later on, I had an outstanding day in Te Kuiti learning from some of the best in the business. They were a couple of great auctioneers Carl White and Mike Kneebone. It’s important for young auctioneers to have those days when they feel they are making changes and improvements to their selling structure.”

Andrew reckons everything has its value.

“An auction is a way to work that out.

“For the big art auctions, I generally do a bit of homework on the different artists, and make sure I understand the reserves, but for anything else, so long as you are clear and open with people, know the crowd, and call them by their names, that goes a long way. It’s a bit like a horse race caller, the more you get to know what’s going on, the easier it is.

“At a big dinner, as the auctioneer I generally get to meet the guest speaker, so I’ve been lucky with that, meeting all the stars. I’ve met some really cool people at major events.”

Taking his commitment to charity up another notch, Andrew recently fought in a corporate boxing match, when funds raised from the event went back to New Plymouth Box Office junior boxers heading away to various competitions.

“After making the commitment to go into the ring, fronting up for the fight was probably the biggest challenge of my life. Three months of training was awesome, and the fight was intense, but that was definitely a ‘one and done’ experience, and I’m looking for a new hobby in 2025. I might start playing the bagpipes,” says Andrew.

Alongside Alzheimer’s Taranaki, his efforts have raised significant funds for charities such as Look Good/Feel Better, the Community Rugby Trust, Autism Connex, The Life Education Trust, and St Joseph’s School Art Auction, among many others, raising well over a million dollars in the past ten years. As the New Zealander of the Year Award citation summarises: “Andrew’s unwavering community spirit and tireless efforts have positively impacted countless lives – making him a true local hero.”