bidr Upper South Island territory manager combines skills honed in the outback, and on the laptop.

Growing up on a 200 hectare family sheep, beef and mixed cropping farm outside Buchan, Victoria, in 2022 at age 22 Elle Woodgate (pronouced Ell-e) became a livestock representative in east Gippsland, 350 kilometres east of Melbourne.

“Once my clients got used to me being their rep, it went well. Despite being younger than most in the role, they respected me, and I was able to get on with the job. I ended up doing more of the computer side of things, helping out some of the old school members of the team,” she says.

That comfort and familiarity with technology in agriculture has helped Elle with her current position, as Upper South Island territory manager for bidr, operating from her home base in Hawarden, North Canterbury, ranging as far south as Geraldine, through to the top of the South Island.

“In Victoria we had a platform called Auctions Plus, which had some similarities to bidr, buying and selling livestock online. It had a helmsman auction set up. One of my responsibilities was to upload the assessments of the stock we were selling. Being familiar with Auctions Plus has made it easier for me to pick up on the opportunities bidr has to offer.”

Since Elle started in her current role in February, she has enjoyed the adrenaline rush bidr can bring.

“At a hybrid sale, everything is happening in the ring and in the gallery in front of you, meanwhile I’m taking bids online, which can be a real buzz.

“With so many record prices and everyone on a high, this year’s bull sales have been incredible. At the Hemingford sale in North Canterbury in June we sold a Charolais bull online for $50,000. In the room the bidding stopped at around $15,000. However, we still had two parties going at it online, taking the price up so much further. That was cool. I’m sitting there with a big grin. That was a highlight for me. I was really proud.”

In the fifth farming generation of her family in Buchan, Elle’s career includes working on some massive farms.

“Dad grows seed corn, which goes to the United States, as well as potatoes and pumpkins for local markets, plus prime lamb. My brother and I always had a few steers, and the wider family all breed Herefords, so farming has always been a big part of my background.

“After leaving school, I had a few years on cattle stations, including Gallipoli, an outstation of 16,000 square kilometre Alexandria Station, Australia’s third biggest property, which runs around 55,000 cattle in the Northern Territory. Those properties are on a different scale, three hours on a dirt road to get to town, and you can’t drive around the whole station in a day. I worked as a general station hand, mustering, drafting and branding,” she says.

However, last year New Zealand called, and when her partner Jake, a fencing contractor, moved back to North Canterbury, Elle came too. After landing the bidr position, she’s settling in, and planning to resume her favourite recreation activities soon.

“I enjoy netball, though didn’t find a team ready for this season. I’ve also had plenty of experience with horses. Mainly I’ve done stockman’s challenge events, which cover multiple riding and cattle handling activities to test the skills of horse and rider. I don’t have a horse yet in New Zealand, though that is part of the plan, and once I do, I’m sure I’ll find a way to get back into some sort of competition with it,” says Elle.