Clitheroe Auction (Auctions in general...)

[ABC]

Hi,

Has anyone ever been to Clitheroe Auction? I've been a few times, but never bought a horse from an auction before. I'm supposed to be going with a friend this weekend to try and find her a little shetland and I'm quite excited

What do you do? I assume you have to register for a number?

How do you bid?

Will there likely to be transporters there? Friend is counting that there will be someone there to transport the horse from the auction to her stables, only a 20 minute car journey.

Any tips?

I've never bidded at an auction for a horse.

Help appreciated

 

[iconique]

Yes you have to register and when you do, check what the buyers premium is - this will be added on top of what you bid. Some items have VAT (usually tack) and this is marked in the catalogue and also added at the end. (VAT usually applies to the buyers premium too)

The best thing is to get there early, have a look round, work out what you would want to buy and watch some horses go through. Its really simple, if you want to bid, then raise your catalogue or hand - lots of people do it different ways and some even seem to do YMCA when they get over excited.

Make sure you have a budget, auctions sometimes make people a little over excited and they bid well over where their budget is.

I can't answer about transport.

But I will remind you to be BUYER BEWARE - ponies are sold at auction for a reason, if there is any form of guarantee then its usually very limited. You are buying unknown and your friend needs to account for this when she takes the pony home - worms, infection/coughs, and all things we don't think of.

Some people have done well at auction and got some real bargains, however I've seen some very expensive and costly mistakes too.

Enjoy the people watching and good luck

 

[ABC]

Thank you, will bear all of that in mind

I'm glad I'm not buying, I'd end up bringing 5 or 6 home

 

[jumbyjack]

It's more than a bit rough and ready and as long as you are not expecting too much you should do ok and you could get lucky and get something really nice. You will want to take at least half the horses and ponies there home and you may get quite upset at some of them. If you see anything really awful and you are up for raising hell go into the office and kick off big style.

There won't be a catalogue and it's a bit hard to keep track of the numbers as they run them through fairly fast. I think they still sell in guineas and there is a buyers premium so keep track of the cash. If you ask in the office they will put out a message asking for transport, there is usually someone who will drop your purchase off for a price!

I hope you find a nice pony or 6 and arn't too traumatised!

 

[ABC]

It's more than a bit rough and ready and as long as you are not expecting too much you should do ok and you could get lucky and get something really nice. You will want to take at least half the horses and ponies there home and you may get quite upset at some of them. If you see anything really awful and you are up for raising hell go into the office and kick off big style.

There won't be a catalogue and it's a bit hard to keep track of the numbers as they run them through fairly fast. I think they still sell in guineas and there is a buyers premium so keep track of the cash. If you ask in the office they will put out a message asking for transport, there is usually someone who will drop your purchase off for a price!

I hope you find a nice pony or 6 and arn't too traumatised!

Argh... that doesn't sound too good...is it that bad?

 

[Mari]

Yes especially at this time of the year. Don't be fooled by winter coats!

 

[Cuffey]

Go to office--get buyers number and catalogue if that is system they use--dont lose it
I dont know Clitheroe system.

Walk round the auction--make a note of numbers of ones you are interested in
Go into each pen quietly and try to look at teeth--even if it is just to make sure jaw is neither undershot or overshot and get a rough idea of age.
Try to see them walked only possible if seller present--some of the shetties have faulty stifles
Go to office ask to look at passports for your short list--it may be impt for your friend to have one Shet Pony Soc registered but many for sale are not--just have Pet ID passport

Dont jump into the bidding straight away, but make sure you stand/sit where auctioneer can see you and you can see pony moving in ring--you may change your mind at that.

Watch the seller--they will indicate when pony is ''on the market'' ie close to reserve
If a pony never gets anywhere near the reserve they just take them out--auctioneer will say 'not today'' or similar
Impossible to judge prices--colt foals may be 20-30gns, filly more, something really nice backed and ridden in the ring 200

Do keep in quarantine for at least 2 weeks--you may take a virus/strangles home.

 

[calon]

get there early reg for buyers number in office and ask how much buyers premium is on top of sale price not sure if they add this to horses now or just tack they are sold in gns.ask office to to put call out for transport to your location and sort that before you buy anything or it could end up costing you far more than the pony get a price for the transport ,ask to see pony outside and if rideable to see it ridden if no small rider see if you can long rein the pony that will give you an idea take some tack if you hav esome incase they have none but claim its broken , give it a real good check over for soundness teeth probs and feel all over for hidden things like sacoids ect under winter coat if colt check for two testacles that can prove very expensive if both not present when it comes to gelding ,stock varies at clitheroe but over the years i have had some top class ponies from there for my girls not ready made as i buy unbroken but i have had some cracking animals .i am going on sat so if you want a second opinion pm me for my number and you can contact me on the day i will look for you .i live quite local too and have a shetty needs some exerciseing if your friend dosent find one and needs something for a child to ride or drive good luck

 

[rockysmum]

OK having been next to a huge dealers yard, and giving him a lift to these kind of auctions a few times, here is how it works.

People arrive in car park with horses, dealers like him hang around the car park and watch them being unloaded. Often the deals are done before the horse even enters a pen. The dealer I knew often bought 20 in the car park and then stuck them through the auction anyway to see if he could make an instant few pounds. He would also shift quite a few after the auction where people would approach him and up the price on ones that did not meet the reserve.

So get there early and watch the ponies being unloaded, if there is anything you really like, try and buy it before the auction. Have price in mind and stick to it, if the seller refuses let it go through the ring, you might get it in the auction or after if it doesn't meet the reserve. I liked the idea because it saved the poor ponies the stress of the auction ring.

Good luck, I hate these places, I only go for the tack sale.

I might be there on Saturday, I stopped going because I can never remember which month its on these days.

 

[rubydog]

Check for dopping:
- pinch skin
- does he look alert
Check for dopping:
- pinch skin to check it moves back to normal
- does he look alert, is he eating drinking?
- check pulse
- ears not moving to sounds
- *are his eyes glazed over and hardly blinking*
Good luck*

 

[rubydog]

Bloomin phone, hopefully you get the gist of the above!

 

[ABC]

Thanks

I'm really quite nervous now

I think we'll definitely try and buy before the auction if there is one we like in particular. Other than that its just a matter of registering, organising transport and giving the horse a thorough check.

Can you go inside the pens at Clitheroe? I remember last time I went there were several shetties in one pen together, but no seller so noone could have a proper luck, I dont think any of them sold.

We're going to try and find a nice filly, because colts have the added cost of gelding etc I'm saying this now, but I'll probably come back with a section a colt or something

calon - where abouts do you live?

Thanks everyone

 

[calon]

Hi i am at Earby about 20 mins from clitheroe

 

[Orangehorse]

Are they sold in guines or pounds - can make quite a difference to the final price you pay, on top of buyers premium and VAT.

Also look out for ringworm!

 

[rockysmum]

If you get there really early you can examine them before they go in the pens. You actually ask to see them trotted up the car park etc. Much easier than trying to make a decision once they get into the pens.