REDVERS - If anyone was in the market for small animals such as chicks, ducks, rabbits, goats or even a donkey, among others, the Redvers Small Animal and Bird sale was the place to be on May 18 at the Redvers rink.
Rob McCulloch, president and co-founder of the sale, used to go to Indian Head for a similar sale, but the event ceased.
As McCulloch sat around a campfire with friends, they talked about the sales and how they missed them.
One friend, auctioneer Dennis Seymourp, asked, “Why don’t we just run our own sale?”
McCulloch laughed and thought that Seymourp was crazy. One thing led to another, and they started looking into places that might allow the sale to be held.
Selling some chicks to Tammy Buisse, they began to talk about the ideas that McCulloch and Seymourp had. Buisse offered to help and recommended the Redvers rink for a location.
McCulloch said this adventure began over ten years ago, and it took some time to get it going. There were many things to factor in, but they were ready to start.
Their first sale was finally held, and they were all scared that the sale was not going to go well as the rink was next to empty, and only a few bid numbers were handed out.
To their surprise, at the last minute the rink began to fill with people, and it turned out to be a remarkably successful sale.
Having missed only a few sales over the past years due to COVID-19 and Asian flu, each sale has brought them success.
They have gone full force in recent years and the extra funds are donated to a worthy cause. One year it went to the hospital. In another, new tables were purchased for the rink and this year it went to the STARS Air Ambulance.
All of the seats were taken and there was barely any standing room. Along both walls were vendors and a place to grab something to eat or drink.
In the middle of the floor was the auction stand, and the back half held all the critters that people could walk through and view.
Many of the animals came from well-known people that had purebred stock, which ranged from week-old chicks to laying hens. The selection was vast.
Seymourp was the auctioneer along with Dellan Mohrbutter from Key M Auction Services.
To bring an animal to the sale, it must be healthy, in good shape, and farm or pet related.
The largest animal there was a two-year-old mini jenny donkey that McCulloch had brought. He was pleased that a friend bought her, as he said the donkey was a sweet creature. The donkey had neighbours at the sale that were pygmy goats.
Once again, they were pleased with the outcome of the sale, and McCulloch feels it was phenomenally successful. They were able to donate $5,000 to STARS.
