Potter – Tristram Holcombe
Head Stockman, Manbulloo Station, NT
“Potter” came to CPC’s Auvergne Station, NT in 2004 when Jak Andrews was Head Stockman. He arrived with a mate, Tristan Shannon, hence the nickname ‘Potter’, which stuck and saved confusion.
Potter comes from Goondiwindi, where the family runs a sheep and cattle property, specialising in cell grazing. Potter attended boarding school in Toowoomba and Sydney, and “always wanted to come up here” (NT). Potter had been worded up a bit before he started the job… To “run to a gate to open it”, and if asked, “Can you ride a horse?, ”to reply, “No, not really.”
One year at Auvergne turned into three, after which his parents ‘bailed’ and insisted that he attend Marcus College, Geelong, to complete a diploma in Agri-Business. “It was handy”, but the time away from Auvergne reaffirmed Potter’s desire to be in the bush, and in 2008 he called Jak, who by now was manager at Manbulloo. He came back on as leading hand, and “at the end of that year, Jak offered me the camp, so I came back, did that, and in 2010 I’m running the camp again”.
His advice and encouragement to young people is that “a year or longer spent in the stock camp is good fun, in a good atmosphere, with other young people. You’ll have unique learning experiences, and acquire skills you won’t learn anywhere else. You’ll work some hard long days; it can get tough, frustrating, and there’s a possibility you’ll get upset, cranky and tired.”
Potter clearly remembers his first day at Auvergne, “I was pretty shiny … been in a good paddock. I had to clean troughs and oil gates. I was in a lather of sweat when I came back, and Jak asked, “What, did you fall in the trough or something?” Potter grins, “I’ve developed a good rapport with Jak.”
Potter has come a long way since that first day and from someone who was “flat out getting on a horse”, he is now involved with campdrafting, has received placing and encouragement awards, and is training his own horses.
As far as being a Head Stockman goes, “It’s sometimes not a very enjoyable job. You’re meant to be friends, and at the same time keep the camp in line; you can often be seen as the bad guy. People skills are a big part of the industry. You might be the handiest bloke in the Territory, but if you’ve got no people skills you’ll find it hard getting people to come back. Working with cattle, mistakes do happen; workers get yelled at and wonder “Why?!” I’ve been there, done that, so if I’ve got time, I try to explain why we’re doing certain things”.
Potter has instant recall to some advice from Jak who’d heard it from his father, Alan Andrews, “What’s happened, has happened. You can’t change it; it’s no use stewing over it, so get over it, and move on.”
In 2011, Potter and a mate, Luke Farr, are planning to start contract mustering, a venture about which they’ve been saying, “we’ll do it, we’ll do it ” since 2005. With the determination, confidence, and experience gained in the last seven years, it’s pretty likely Potter will thrive on the challenge.