Inside the life of legendary auctioneer Glenn Dunn

As part of the entertainment at the reunion of past employees of both Primaries and Mactaggarts, the Gurus held a friendly auctioneer's competition to raise money for charity.

In the final round, Mr Dunn had to sell off against TopX's Cyril Close. The pair left the judges declaring a tie in the competition.

Mr Dunn's career as an auctioneer spanned 61 years including 33 years with the agency network Primaries and then Primac.

Described by many as a true agent with heaps of personality, he was always going to succeed and be a peer among his colleagues and clients alike.

Like all livestock agents of that era when Mr Dunn joined Primaries in 1955, he was made experience each of the various departments before settling with stock.

"Joining the fat stock department meant many hours spent at the Cannon Hill Saleyards," he said.

It was after he married wife Jocelyn in 1960 that he was transferred to Townsville as an auctioneer/stock salesman.

Next it was a move to Charters Towers.

And while Charters Towers firmly remains in Mr Dunn's heart as his favourite branch, it was not without its challenges.

"It was in 1964 and I was appointed manager of the new branch to be opened in Gill Street which was the main street, and our home was right behind the office," he said.

"The other agents wouldn't allow us to sell with them in their yards at the Charters Towers showgrounds.

"We were able to obtain a miners homestead 99-year lease of the old rodeo yards, which were very small and only able to hold up to 100 cattle.

"With the help of the Townsville manager Peter Lloyd, we were able to organise the demolition of the rodeo yards, and built the new Primaries Charters Towers selling complex.

"They could hold up to 2000 cattle and we had very successful fortnightly sales there."

During their time at Charters Towers the Dunns found the people and the clients in Charters Towers were very friendly and loyal, becoming their personal friends.

"It was early in 1967 that I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, and it was decided that we needed to be nearer to family and specialists in Brisbane, so I was transferred to Goondiwindi as the manager," he said.

"Coming from mostly cattle country I found sheep and cropping country a big learning curve, particularly when someone from the opposition obtained all our stock and property records before I arrived, so we were well behind right from the start.

In 1975 Mr Dunn returned to Brisbane to the fat stock department and then into the studstock department working with Peter Lloyd who was the studstock manager, Dick Blanchard, Hugh Johnson and Nora Goggins.

In 1976, Mr Lloyd left Primac and Mr Dunn was appointed studstock manager.

"We did just so many studstock sales of all breeds throughout Queensland and NSW," he said.

"It would be just so difficult to choose a highlight amongst all these sales, but the AACo's Brunette Downs Santa Gertrudis and Quarter Horse Sale in the Northern Territory stands out.

"We sold 4000 bullocks offered in runs of 1000, so the sale was completed very quickly, all selling to the one buyer, a Mr Keong of Oakey.

"Next 150 Santa Gertrudis bulls were offered in K-wagon lots, approximately 22 head in each lot.

"In the late afternoon the Quarter Horses were offered for sale, where a third cross colt made $3200, which at that time was an Australian record."

As a precursor to what is now known as AuctionsPlus today, Primac held the very first Brahman herd bull teleauction in the television studios in Toowoomba, in September 1985.

"It was an honour to be asked to be the auctioneer, as it was stated to be the first in the world," Mr Dunn said.

"We offered 25 lots totaling 174 bulls, and it was a fairly hard sale," he said.

"This was the first time I had sold without live animals in front of me, and I didn't know what to expect.

"I really didn't like the cameras focusing on me, and there was no sale atmosphere and no rapport with the buyers."

In 1988 Mr Dunn left Primac.

"It was not my intention to leave however, I felt at the time that I had no choice," he said.

The decision then gave Mr Dunn a new start in the dairy industry.

"As I had not had a lot of dealings with dairy cattle in my career, I was approached by Steve McGuinness to take over their Queensland operations for Hedley Johnson, based in Kiama, NSW," he said.

"It became highly successful and we were able to conduct 50 production and clearing sales per year.

"We also became very involved in Illawarra heifer exports to Indonesia and China which was a very profitable part of our business."

After the Queensland operations were sold Mr Dunn continued to be the auctioneer for new company.

Next he got involved with Doug Haig's business D & G Livestock being their auctioneer at their Nanango and Coolabunia Droughtmaster Sales.

Mr Dunn said when he was getting towards 80 years of age, he was slowing up and his eyesight wasn't the best.

"I decided to call time while I was considered a reasonable auctioneer and not 'a has been'," he said.

His advice to any budding auctioneer is to "have full confidence in yourself when you stand up, and know your market value and start your beast accordingly".

"Sometimes vendors will give you a false value, so you need to know and start somewhere near the market," he said.

And what about those nerves?

"Yes, I still get nervous before I sell, and I did at Roma just recently too, but the moment I start talking I am right and the butterflies settle right down," he said.