York Sale

monica waltho · Post by **monica waltho** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 9:48 pm

Hi
Did anyone go to York and if so what were quality and prices like?
Also does anyone know what the 2 Belted Gallaways made?
Thanks
Monica

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 8:01 am

May I make a similar enquiry about the Frome sale please?

Louisa Gidney · Post by **Louisa Gidney** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 8:48 am

The Belted Galloways made 1200gns each. Dexter quality & prices variable. Top price 2300gns for a cow with entire bull calf at foot. Sold by D. Poulter, bought by Lisa Bell but the cow was bred by me! Shame they never make that money when I'm holding the halter.

Peter thornton · Post by **Peter thornton** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 12:00 pm

I've been to the last 4 York Autumn sales. I bought some of my 1st Dexters at the first sale and sold some of the results at this sale. In between I've always enjoyed meeting people and sometimes gone home with a pig I didn't set off to buy!

I have to say that this year was the most muted one I can remember - society wise. The old faces just were not there (with some exceptions) The Steer Inn was completely empty, we were the only people staying there (I don't mean just the only Dexter people - the place was absolutely empty)

We entered the show and just made it in time, arriving as it was starting at 2pm. There were only ourselves and one other person showing, perhaps something to do with a 2pm show, meaning a whole extra day off work.

Sheila (Sykes) and I had a coffee with Mr Stephenson (the auctioneer) who was not aware that the society no longer recognise this sale.

Prices were depressed as they are in the entire beef industry. I sold a cow and calf to a dairy farmer who wanted some cows for his wife. She wanted Dexters. I also sold a cow to a local farmer who had a very mixed farm but had tasted Dexter beef and fancied eating some more. I told both of them of the benefits of society membership and mentioned the need to transfer quickly to avoid the doubled cost. Frankly I don't think either will join. It did occur to me that the society will receive the pedigree form from me and that we should seriously think about free transfers and a years free membership for new owners. I'm sure it would increase income in the medium term.

There has been a lot of talk and some criticism of the society recently. Hopefully the AGM will have put some issues to bed and we can now concentrate on the way forward in what may prove to be a very difficult few years.

Can I plead with council to concentrate very hard on establishing the sales? Whatever caused the York fall out - please fix it quickly. All societies have issues with auctioneers, they can almost always be resolved with a bit of tact and diplomacy. Please try to re-establish the social side of things. Why not an evening sale followed by a buffet? As successfully practised by the Lleyn sheep society.

But most of all we now need to ask the 2 basic questions of any organisation/business/society in the 21st century.

1. Who are our customers?
2. How can we add value to their experience?

If we do this then we can look forward to a bright future.

Louisa Gidney · Post by **Louisa Gidney** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 2:10 pm

I can't say I agree with the comment that York was muted this year. The carparks were full, plenty of people there & people buying, even if some prices were poor. Rather more than 4 years ago, there were years when the event was dead, when there were no bidders, when I took stock home (about 1996/7 when BSE was hot news & OTMS introduced etc.). Even longer ago, there was a time when I was the only person with a Dexter entered and forward. By that standard, this weekend was a big and lively event. The top price was a record for the breed at this venue, which has to be good publicity for the event.

Peter thornton · Post by **Peter thornton** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 7:57 pm

The event itself was certainly lively, as usual. It was the society part of it which I found muted. Well done to those who were there but in the past the Northern Dexters stand has really buzzed - it was usually impossible to pass it without finding oneself buying a Dexter mug or something similar.

As you say, the price for the top Dexter was very good and good publicity

monica waltho · Post by **monica waltho** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 8:13 pm

Thanks for the info, should have been there,but unfortunately had to have a cow put down due to injuring her hip
Went last year and thought it was a good sale - seems a shame the society doesn't feel able to support it.
What were the bull prices like ?
Barrowgreen Sam ?
Monica

SteveM · Post by **SteveM** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 9:32 pm

From memory the bull prices were:

Barrowgreen Sam, I think he was sold at somewhere around 200 guineas, perhaps a little less.
Sollershope Barnaby, sold for 480 guineas
Sollershope Trojan, bid to 300 guineas, unsold

monica waltho · Post by **monica waltho** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 10:57 pm

thanks
Monica

Inger · Post by **Inger** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 10:41 pm

For those of us who are ignorant foreigners, how many Pounds in a Guinea?

Duncan MacIntyre · Post by **Duncan MacIntyre** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 11:07 pm

A guinea was £1 and 1shilling, ie £1.05. I think the only reason it still gets a mention is that it fits well with the auctioneers 5 p in the pound commission so if we sell in guineas the seller get the same number of pounds and the auctioneer collects 5p for each £.
So my most recent sale at Melton at 980 guineas means the buyer paid 980 x 1.05 = £1029.
To be honest I would rather brag that my bull sold for over £1000 than 980 guineas but it is not really worth worrying about is it? Guineas incidentally are sometimes refered to as gentleman's money, no definition of gentleman being forthcoming.

Duncan

SteveM · Post by **SteveM** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 3:03 pm

The results for the show, and top prices for the sale are now on york livestock centres website in the rare breeds section.

http://www.ylc.co.uk/auctions.php?zid=11&sectid=128