The Farmers Mart Oct/Nov 2014 - Issue 36 | Page 52

RUSWARP MART

Teamwork brings
results at Ruswarp
Chris Berry talks with livestock auctioneer Robert Smith
Bingley, Penistone, Otley
Bridge End, Wetherby,
Stokesley, Driffield, Ripon,
Masham, Doncaster,
Seamer and Pannal – all
these have sadly quit the
county’s livestock auction
market scene in the past
few decades; but close
to Yorkshire’s north-east
coast, Ruswarp Mart
continues proudly to fly the
flag for its sheep and cattle
farmers on the banks of
the River Esk.
Although perhaps regarded
by some as an outpost of the
livestock auctioneering world,
Ruswarp has always played an
important role in looking after

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Dec/Jan 2014 FarmersMart

the needs of farmers based
in the North York Moors area
and around the coast. And
they’re certainly not resting on
any laurels as evidenced by
their newly-reorganised and
well-attended sheep sales in
September and October.
At the helm are two men
who have not only grown
up together, they’ve worked
alongside each other for many
years, are the sons of the
two men who ran the mart
previously – and were very
nearly born on the same day!
Robert Smith and Ian Halley
live and breathe the livestock
mart at Ruswarp - as well as
running the Whitby-based
business of Richardson &
Smith.
It was Robert’s greatgreat grandfather, Thomas
who began the dynasty that
continues today.
“He was a blacksmith,”
Robert explained. “As he
moved around the area
with his horse and cart he
ended up trading or hawking
merchandise and eventually
started an auctioneering
business around the 1880s.

My grandfather, Charles Smith,
and another local auctioneer,
Alan Richardson, went into
partnership in the 1930s.
Charles was by then operating
out of Ruswarp Mart while
Alan was just up the road at
Lythe Cattle Market.
“Charles Smith had two sons,
Richard and John. Robert is
Richard’s son and came into
the business in 1989. Alan
Richardson’s protégé was Ken
Halley, Ian’s father.
“My father sadly passed
away and I miss him greatly,”
said Robert, “but Ken is still
doing well. Ian and I have
grown up together and have
always been close friends
just as our mothers, Sheila
and June, have too. It’s been
quite a family affair both in our
office in Whitby where we are
general practice surveyors,
residential property agents and
have a sale room, and here
at Ruswarp. We are also very
fortunate to have a wonderful
team including Daphne
Jackson, who has been with us
for more than 30 years, Ian’s
wife, Odeyne and our latest
recruit, a young lady graduate,
Alex Warriner who is a farmer’s
daughter from Lockton.
“In the past few years Ian
and I have worked even more
closely with the farmers whom
we serve to ensure that we are
offering the best opportunity
for them to move forward
with their own businesses.
We called a meeting in May
this year and had a very good
response from the sheep
producers. The overhaul
of our autumn sheep sales
programme is a direct result
of everyone’s efforts and has
been a tremendous success

increasing throughput and
prize money; bringing in
extra sponsorship and more
buyers.
“At one time we held outdoor
sheep sales at Glaisdale and
in Danby/Castleton but those
dissipated after foot and mouth
restrictions in 2001. We felt
that it was best to bring that
sale over to the mart. The
Glaisdale sale was held on the
first Thursday in September
but since foot and mouth there
was a feeling that the date was
a little too early in the calendar
for many. Discussions between
those who would bring stock
and buyers who would come
saw us move the breeding
sale to the third week in
September. You have to be so
careful when altering regular
dates in the calendar because
you could find yourself
clashing with other markets’
sales and we try hard not to
cross paths or tread on the
toes of others,” he added.
“More presence of buyers
around the ring is what
everybody wants because that
is what a market is all about. If
you produce a healthy number
of quality entries you will
always entice more people to
come. The sale that you have
come to today attracted 15

To read more, visit www.farmers-mart.co.uk