Saturday, March 25, 2006

Cattle auction


Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Ranchers bid on a bull during the Southeast Texas Independent Cattleman's Association 11th annual commercial bull and heifer sale at the Fair Park Coliseum in Beaumont on Saturday, March 18, 2006.


Ring staffer David Neason (right) searches for bids during the Southeast Texas Independent Cattleman's Association 11th annual commercial bull and heifer sale at the Fair Park Coliseum.


Jerry Gilbert of DeQuincy, La. eyes other bidders during the Southeast Texas Independent Cattleman's Association 11th annual commercial bull and heifer sale at the Fair Park Coliseum.


W.E. Sanderson of Honey Island, Texas observes the bidding during the Southeast Texas Independent Cattleman's Association 11th annual commercial bull and heifer sale at the Fair Park Coliseum.


Jack Hemmenway of LaBelle and Thad Sitton of Buna talk over coffee during the Southeast Texas Independent Cattleman's Association 11th annual commercial bull and heifer sale at the Fair Park Coliseum.

Real cattle auctions (as opposed to show auctions) are similar to a poker game. Each bidder doesn't want anyone to know how much s/he is willing to pay for a particular animal. Otherwise, other bidders or the animal's owner might counter bid and drive up the price.

Consequently, all bids are extremely subtle. Simply looking at the ring staff or flicking a program up and down constitutes a bid. Through it all, the auctioneer issues a machine gun play by play of numbers.

1 comment:

Marie said...

Sweet photo (2nd to the top)... Most folks just don't understand the strength of the concept of'depth of field'. You do. Plus, that dude means business!