LIVESTOCK AUCTIONS

Livestock auctions were a part of life in the area where I grew up.  They were just called “sale barns” by the locals.  The bidders sat on elevated seats and looked down at an area called “the ring” to view the animal or animals they were bidding on.

Eastland Livestock Exchange Ring

Dairy cows were our livelihood, but my dad usually had beef cattle also.  I was probably a preschooler when I tagged along after him to watch my first livestock auction.  Dad frequently stopped by to “see how they are selling.”  The cattle he sold were taken to Fort Worth in our cattle hauling truck.  The historic Fort Worth Stock Yards has been preserved and is open to the public.  It is one of my favorite places to take visitors.

Most sale barns had a café attached.  It was understood that the traditional fare of chicken fried steak would be on the menu.

My older sister married a city guy from Fort Worth who had no idea what dairying or raising cattle was about.  Dad invited him to go with him to an auction of dairy cattle.  They had inspected the cattle before the sale began.   Dad had explained to him why he preferred the Holsteins over the Jersey and Guernsey cows.  This was a new and exciting experience for my brother-in-law.  He was eager to be the recorder and keep up with Dad’s purchases.  He was prepared with paper and pencil and raring to go.  He was enjoying the education.   He knew that Dad would be buying the black and white cows.  Dad had bought three cows before my brother-in-law realized what had happened.  He later remarked that Dad never stopped conversing with the man seated on the other side of him.  He didn’t even raise his hand to raise a bid.  My poor brother-in-law said he just raised his index finger and the auctioneer knew he was bidding on the animal in the ring.

In 1965 in Abilene, I went to the only horse auction I ever attended.  My father-in-law had a young horse that was a grandson of the famed Appaloosa stallion, Joker B.  Joker B was 25 years old and was to be the last horse sold at the auction.  Joker B sold to a syndicate of four men for $26,500.

I went many years without attending an auction.  When we lived in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, we raised registered Red Brangus cattle.  Our two oldest granddaughters showed them at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show and other shows.  I watched the auctions for those animals.

Due to recent heavy rain, we have an abundance of grass on our acreage.  Ken is considering buying some cows to keep it mowed.  When he decided to go to a sale in nearby Eastland yesterday, I went along just for old times’ sake.  We had a pleasant day and ate lunch in the cafe.