Horse Auction at the Ontario Livestock Exchange
Photo by Ruth Kinzie
On the last Saturday of each month the Waterloo County Horse Sale takes place at the Ontario Livestock Exchange in Waterloo, Ontario. The St. Jacob’s Farmers Market is adjacent to the Livestock Exchange building and is in full swing at the same time. When our children were young, we visited the market each Thursday and would often walk the catwalk above the animal pens where cows and other livestock were ready for auction. We would sit at the back of the auction ring and listen to the auctioneer rattle off prices at an impossibly fast speed. Much of the livestock area is now closed to the public but it is possible to attend the horse auction and watch the buyers, mostly Old Order Mennonites, as they inspect and bid on the animals. Their knowledge and admiration of a good horse is comparable to other men who know the power and design of a sports car. A ring is set up on the parking lot behind the building and the horses are harnessed to a cart or buggy for a test drive. I particularly like watching the young boys who ride the circuit standing in a pony cart. There are other buyers as well and perhaps you would like to bid on a new horse yourself. If not, there is plenty more to see and and do in the area.
Cost: Free
Nearby Attractions: St. Jacobs Farmers Market and Outlet Mall, the village of St. Jacobs
Address: 878 Weber St N, RR 1 Waterloo, ON N2J 4G8 (directions)
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Follow this link to a more recent post about the Waterloo County Horse Sale.
Perfect!
flash
July 7, 2009 at 10:31 am
Will this horse pony auction still be going Aug. 29? Please let me know Thanks.
Fred Rivest
July 29, 2009 at 8:36 pm
The horse auction is ongoing each month. Aug 29th will be when the next one is held.
http://www.waterloocountysales.com/about.htm
waterlooinsider
July 29, 2009 at 8:57 pm
What about a yearling pony colt only halter broke?
Fred Rivest
July 29, 2009 at 9:27 pm
Sorry Fred, I know nothing about horses. I wrote the post as a tourist item. Perhaps you can get the information you need by contacting the stockyards directly.
waterlooinsider
July 30, 2009 at 9:03 pm
How do I contact the stockyards directly?
Thanks
Danny
February 19, 2011 at 8:26 am
Try this link..
http://www.olex.on.ca/Olex/Default.asp
Ontario Livestock Exchange
Box 443 Waterloo, ON, Canada N2J 4A9 Telephone: (519) 884-2082
Toll Free: (800) 265-8818
Fax: (519) 884-0509
Ruth
February 19, 2011 at 8:36 am
[...] featured the Waterloo County Horse Sale in a post on June 27, 2009 and it is one of the most searched and viewed subjects on this blog. This horse auction is held on [...]
Waterloo County Horse Sale « An Insider's Guide to Waterloo Region
April 30, 2011 at 11:23 pm
most of those horses are sold for meat. how is this a nice attraction?
field
September 10, 2011 at 9:22 am
Many of these horses are sold to pull buggies and as hobby horses. No doubt some end up at the slaughterhouse too as there is worldwide demand for horse meat. IMO, there is no difference between killing a cow, rabbit, chicken, pig, goat, sheep, horse etc for consumption. ( I am vegetarian but do use leather)
Ruth
September 12, 2011 at 6:56 am