Fierce competition for quality stock, coupled with generosity of local farmers results in excellent fund-raiser for Cancer Society.

On 11 August the annual Marton Hogget Fair took place at Feilding Saleyards. As well as providing local farmers with quality stock pre-spring, the fair serves as a fundraiser for the Manawatu and Whanganui branches of the Cancer Society.

This year the sale yarded more than 15,000 hoggets. Regular vendors provided the bulk of these, targeting the event with well-presented forward lines of hoggets.

In partnership with PGG Wrightson farmer clients donate at least one hogget from each pen to the Cancer Society. We invite purchasers to donate in a similar fashion, with donations staying local: passed through to either the Cancer Society’s Manawatu or Whanganui branch, depending on vendor location.

Responding enthusiastically to a particularly good line up, with stock averaging above 44.5 kilograms across the sale, purchasers maintained the season’s trends with fierce competition for quality hoggets ensuring prices met or exceeded vendor expectations. Top price for males was $259, while the top price for ewe hoggets was $240.

Many vendors went beyond the invited donation, with a number giving the Cancer Society three or more hoggets from their sale entries.

Marton Hogget Fair stalwart John Turkington, a 25-year event regular, topped the sale with the $259 pen of male hoggets. As well as donating a hogget from each pen to the Cancer Society, John also offers an extra $1000 per pen donation if his sheep sell above expectations. In all the years he has come to the fair, farmers buying John’s sheep have always exceeded his price expectations. His generosity is typical of the fair’s local spirit, which this year benefited the Cancer Society by $11,400.

Matt Langtry, PGG Wrightson North Island Livestock Manager