Q How long have you been chairperson of the saleyards?
You can say chairman, none of this politically correct bull... I’ve been chairman since 2020.
Q What does the role call for?
Looking after the saleyards, general maintenance and making sure everything is happening.
Q What will you do today?
I’ll set up the computer systems and make sure the catalogue is correct and then I check the pens of cattle will fit on the scales and if they won’t, we will weigh them before the sale starts so it doesn’t hold things up. My job is to keep things flowing. During the sale I’ll be on the gate in the sale ring and from there I can see everything that is happening and make sure the drovers and the computer operators are OK.
Q How many drovers are there?
Nine or 10. The cattle yards have a good design, so it’s quite easy to get the cattle around. There was a change when we put the scales in four or five years ago but it hasn’t affected the flow of the yards.
Q How many sales do you have a year?
Usually four cattle sales — two in the spring and two in the autumn. Sometimes we have five cattle sales and there is one sheep sale around February or March.
Q How many cattle are on sale today and is it on par with past years?
About 800 cattle — numbers are back on previous years but it’s not an indication on the quality of the cattle and there’s no reason for it, it’s just the way it is.
