Stepping up to auctioneer at Tuam Mart at 23 years old
While she has worked in marts most of her life, stepping up to auctioneer at the most recent sheep sale at Tuam Co-operative Mart, Co. Galway was a first for Saoirse Loftus.
Having just obtained her auctioneering license at 23 years old, Loftus is no newcomer to the sight of a busy livestock sale.
Loftus told Agriland she first started working in marts when she was 16, but since starting in Tuam in 2020 she has since gained experience in admin in the office and the accounts.
This work was no doubt aided by Loftus' qualifications, which include a degree in agricultural science, and a post-graduate in accounting.
Hailing from Menlough, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, Loftus' father Alfie is also a livestock auctioneer in Mountbellew Mart.
After completing her qualifications, Loftus then decided to pursue the auctioneering license and completed the course in January, but has just received her license from the Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA).
Yesterday (Tuesday, July 23) at the sheep sale, Loftus took on the challenge of auctioneering, with the aid of Pat Burke, the auctioneer at the mart.
Explaining she was "under his wing for the evening", Loftus received "a bit of tutoring" right before from Burke.
Asked if she was nervous prior to the sale, Loftus said "a small bit, which is only normal, but I wasn't overly nervous".
For the first lot that would be sold under her hammer, Loftus stepped up to the plank to sell the cull ewes which she said are "selling hot".
With bids coming in online as well as on the floor, Loftus kept up with the pace of the sale, and having worked in the mart for several years, she is used to handling bids coming from outside the ring.
When asked about managing online sales, Loftus said "they come flying in" and that while the tablet is "lighting up there in front of you", she must not let it distract her.
"You have to keep an eye everywhere because they would be bidding from all different sides on the ground as well, you have to make sure you miss no one."
While she is sheep farming at home, Loftus is familiar to the sight of sheep sales every Tuesday at Tuam.
She said that the buyers for sheep at yesterday's sale were "well able to throw some money because the sheep are dear at the minute".
Sheep will be the focus of the sales Loftus will auctioneer at in order to get used to it, but she is familiar with a lot of the buyers in the mart and told Agriland she "got on well" at the first one.
