The Hometown Treasure March 2012 | Page 19

Horse uctions A Other LaGrange Co. Auction Cont. September 3 Kauffman Labor Day Consignment Auction, Horses & Ponies US 20 & 1100W, Shipshewana October ?? Yoder’s Consignment Auction 400S & 1000W, Honeyville Other Neighboring Horse Auctions: from Versailles, Missouri, brought his replica of a Wells Fargo stagecoach. Dallas couldn’t remember the exact selling price but it was between $25,000 and $27,000. Residents of Topeka know that during the Draft Horse and Carriage Sale the town is packed. Years ago the Topeka Livestock Auction provided free shuttle services to those attending the auction. Church parking lots around town had to be used to accommodate the large number of vehicles. While the attendance numbers have gone down over the past few years, Bob Bale estimates that they will have 9,000 to 10,000 people in attendance over the course of the three day sale coming up in March. Average attendance is about 5,000 people a day. Increased traffic has also meant increased demands for local law enforcement. For the most part, traffic control and crime has not been a major issue. The impact on the local economy is difficult to measure. Local merchants have seen some benefit from the auctions. All these visitors need to eat, and a place to stay, and a place to put fuel in their vehicles. That means they are spending money in the community and contributing to the local economy. However, grocery and hardware stores, as well as pharmacies have not seen a noticeable increase in business. Dealing with foreign currency has presented challenges in the past. US banks, especially in rural areas, are not set up to either know or work with the currency exchange rates. Fortunately the increased use of credit cards has made it easier for local merchants. The one thing we know for sure is that draft horse and antique carriage lovers from around the world know where Topeka, Indiana, is located. March 1 Goshen Driving Horse Sale, Farbig Farms, SR 4 & CR 35, Goshen April 20 Midwest Saddle Horse Sale, Farbig Farms, SR 4 & CR 35, Goshen May 5 Nappanee Horse Auction Borkholder Dutch Village July 28 Miller’s Annual Consignment Auction Grabill September 29 Nappanee Horse Auction Borkholder Dutch Village Other Locally Popular Horse Auctions: February 10 Great Lakes Draft Horse Auction East Lansing, MI Horse uctions A Other Popular Auctions Cont. April 13-14 Dutch Harness Horse Auction, Ashland, OH April 28 Yoder Brothers Driving & Draft Horse Auction Mt. Pleasant, MI May 12 Central Illinois Standardbred Auction Arthur, IL February 23-24 Mid-America Draft Horse Auction Rantoul, IL August 4-5 Dutch Harness Horse Auction Ashland, OH March 8-9 Southern IN Draft Horse & Carriage Auction September 1 Central Illinois Standardbred Auction Montgomery, IN March 17 Yoder Brothers Horse & Carriage Consignment Sale Mt. Pleasant, MI April 7 Standardbred Auction Arthur, IL Arthur, IL September 8 Mt. Hope Auctions Mt. Hope, OH October ?? Yoder Brothers Horse & Carriage Consignment Sale Mt. Pleasant, MI The Hometown Treasure · Mar. ‘12 · pg 17 The Hometown Treasure · Mar. ‘12 · pg 17