Blog Archives
a job to do
This horse and rider had a job to do – to show the horse to its best advantage in front of a bunch of bidders – and they both seemed to be real clear on what they were doing.
Random (to me) auctioneer comment: Not enough horse for him to go Denver.*
Mallet Event Center
Levelland, Texas
photographed 2.10.2024
*He may not have been referring to this horse. The combination of photos/notes/memory aren’t real clear.
the action moved quickly
Oooh, look! An action shot at the auction. A little bit of auction action, if you will.
And another random (to me) comment from the auctioneer: There ain’t nothin’ wrong in drivin’ around with a new pickup, a purty woman, and a nice gray horse.
Mallet Event Center
Levelland, Texas
photographed 2.10.2024
the spotter
This auction spotter was entertaining to watch as he coaxed higher and higher bids from the audience. His job involved shouting, a variety of gestures, and once – when he couldn’t get the bidder to go up another $500 or $1,000 to secure the bid – he tossed his program into the air in exasperation.
Pro tip: if you keep your camera up to your eye and keep shooting (or acting like you are), it’s hard to accidentally bid on something.
Random (to me) comment from the auctioneer (referring to a horse, not the spotter)(I think): He knows how to drink water in a strange place.
Mallet Event Center
Levelland, Texas
photographed 2.10.2024
roping (to boost bids)
The same young man from yesterday, putting a horse through the things horses are supposed to do in order to boost bids at the auction.
See how much I’ve already learned about how these things work? I’m practically an expert.
Random (to me) comment from the auctioneer: This one ain’t slobbering his face all over.
Mallet Event Center
Levelland, Texas
photographed 2.10.2024
young horse trainer
This kid right here showed several horses during the horse sale. He’s also – according to the auctioneer – “fixin’ to move to Muleshoe.” That’s not a weird cowboy euphemism, but an actual town name. In case you thought there was something weird going on.
Mallet Event Center
Levelland, Texas
photographed 2.10.2024
One Day | One Image 