October 15th, 2013

Well that broke all records! 
Manic day all round, in the auction and outside it. Shaz had spoken to one of the dealers previously so I had been assigned to collect a crate of baby boars...literally a crate.  There were 18 pigs in total, some beautiful lads and a few battered and sore ones. And one of the nice dealers had also brought 3 in for me. One is a cute himmy marked aby type, very funky!

Anyway, the auction started fast for us. As the first 3 lots were pigs, first went for £3 and I let him go, the next 2 came to us at £1 each. Both boars, both well marked. Then a group of 3 baby boars, not very old and appear to be related. They were £1 each. Then a gap, and three lots of multiples, 2 baby boars in each. They were knocked down to us for £2 & £3. Another lot of 3 babies was £4, again I bought those. These babies are all around 4 weeks old i'd say? Shaz can perhaps correct me as i'm only working on my stock here at home.
I then bought 1 lot for £1, and two for £2.

All semi adults, one pair were well marked but the ginger/white one has an eye issue, again maybe Shaz will add to that. Four lots were unsold as they had reserves on them, and I left the next few pigs as they seemed popular (don't really know why they were mostly boars!!) but I did personally go up to £5 for a boar I took a shine to amongst them, I try not to but he just looked at me. I'm not 'into' long hairs, I've just got a young 'un to show in the future but this hairy chap insisted I bought him  Then 2 more lots at £3 & £4, one of two shaggy boys, and the last lot which was an abby type lad who was hidden under the straw the whole auction so we nearly missed him!

So we then started the process of trying to get them all safely over to Avalon, no mean feat today with the amount we brought back, almost 50 pigs.....!!!
And then I got a nudge from the dealer who's pigs hadn't reached the reserve. One lot was a young mum and her two babies. I ummed and arred as they say, and decided Shaz would strangle me if she knew i'd left them, so I paid a tenner and brought them home too.
So a fair amount of money was handed over today, £35 in the auction and £16 outside, along with the 18 arranged previously. As is usual, some of the pigs need tlc, but most are youngsters that haven't been knocked about and will make fantastic pets once them have recovered from the ordeal of the market. And they are so many colours and types i'm sure anyone would struggle to walk away without an armful.

I'm feeling like a sucker having brought one back to Burtwood myself, but he's darn cute, very calm and well worth his five pound fifty to me  And unlike the last ones I was talked into buying from the sale, he won't put weight on and produce babies...but that's another story!