The Ashburton Fanciers Society was wowed by a large turnout at its Spring Auction.

Society President John Taylor said hundreds made their way to the Ashburton Sports Hall to bid on birds of all feathers.

Taylor said he’s not sure why the events draw such big crowds.

“We’ve been doing these [auctions] for about 30 years, and still, the same amount of people turn up.”

The event is mainly for those with surplus end-of-year chickens to sell them to a better home.

“It’s a good opportunity for people to get rid of birds, and for other people to buy them.”

He said purchasers “come from all walks of life”.

“Some of the buyers are breeders, like ourselves, buying a specific bird.

“But 99% of the birds that are sold are not for showing, they’re just people who want a couple of chooks running around the yard.”

He said there were more than just fowl on display amongst the 170 lots.

“I think we had about four or five guinea pigs, and we had a couple of partridges, some ducks and some geese, and a whole selection of chooks.”

“Nothing really surprises me with these auctions any more.”

In his 12 years as president, Taylor said he’s seen people travel from across the South Island to jump in on the bidding.

“A couple came up from Dunedin, we usually have a couple people come up from Southland, some from Blenheim… they come from everywhere.”

“It’s just ‘cause it’s a bit of a rarity.”

The society takes a 20% commission from auctioned animals which gets put towards operational costs. They’ve established a second fund that goes towards putting together the National Poultry Show next year.

The final amount raised is being tallied this week, Taylor said.

Between now and then, the society will strut its stuff at the Ashburton Show in November, and will hold its next poultry auction in April next year.

The Ashburton Fanciers Society has existed for over 130 years, having held its first show in 1892.

By Anisha Sataya