The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

"AUCTION SALES POY CR oy 43, Le Cl dvd Lod Pe Sd ha AK PVE RE AOA It's the time of year that Auction Sales begin and for the bidder Nu it's a heart thumpingand wallet emptying experience. Springtime marks the resumption of auction sales in the area, and last week - the Star visited the Malmont Sales Arena in Blackstock to catch a glimpse of the age-old phenomenon. A hundred or so wooden stacking chairs cover the cement floor of the sales area, and other than a few early arrivers who were standing around drinking hot coffee and 'chatting, there was little activity. But this was half an hour before the sale began. On this particular day about 65 head of cattle would be auctioned, and as the 1:30 starting time drew closer, more and more farmers and buyers arrived and wandered throughout the herd, checking the cattle against the listings in their programs. At precisely the advertised time, the auctioneers wooden hammer hit the block and the sale was underway. By this time better than two-thirds of the seats were filled and bidders from every area of the floor indicated their bids by way of a wave of thelr program, nod of the head or a slight hand movement. The cattle are herded in one at a time and are kept in the sawdust covered ring as the auctioneer rambles through song-like appeal to the buyers for bids. Even If you were not there to buy any cattle, and there is no doubt than many are not, it is an entertaining afternoon. Buyers check their programs as the cattle are brought into the ring. / Auctioneer Ed McMorrow urges a "bidder to increase his bid. Sales manager Neil Malcolm and auctioneer Ed McMorrow scan the crowd for buyers. ym TT Ro a BRA oy fr Te nnn, EAS