I had a great deal of fun at Blanchard for having arrived so late. Didn't get to chit chat so much mostly because I couldn't hear anyone at the end of the table (half deef after all, so I mostly watched people's lips move), but picked a lot of good turkey and auction pointers from Carla and got a chance to sit and learn at the feet of The Master (aka Michael D.) when he wasn't buying or selling something.
Which wasn't often.
One great pointer... he watches people closely at the beginning of the auction to see what they are bidding on and how high they are going on them. Then when that critter is in one of the choice cages with other critters and he doesn't particularly want one of those, he bows out of the bidding and lets the other buyer get their foofoo bird or whatever they were after for a ridiculous amount of money, then jumps in second time around and buys the rest for a song. Made me think of good poker players reading other players "tells". Something that hadn't even occurred to me. Next auction I'm just going to shadow Mike and watch him more closely. I'll bet he has lots of tricks like that.
Think I convinced a guy to take one of the free puppies by the entrance door. I was lamenting how much I wanted one (they were half Akbash, something I would love to have mixed with my dogs) and talking up all their qualities and how I haven't had a single predator problem since I got my LGDs, but I already have 4 so the boss nixed the idea. Well, she said it was up to me, but when she says that, it might as well be an emphatic "NO!" You pick things like that up after being married for 25 years.
Oh and I walked away with three very nice Bourbon Reds for $35 (two of them Carla's). I probably could have gotten the third one for maybe $5 cheaper if I would have bid smarter, but I wanted him pretty bad and still feel like it was a good price.
All in all a very fine time at Blanchard auction, which is turning into THE place to be for BYC Okies and other chicken lovers.
