Auction legacy

Times Contributor

 

Thomas Edison said that ‘Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work’. Cody Hayes of Wheatland Auction is trying hard not to miss the opportunity he sees to establish the auction business in Strathmore.

“Considering who we are and where we come from, I think it is a good fit for us,” said Hayes.

Hayes is the son of Mike Hayes, who ran Wildrose Auction service near Cheadle. Cody attended auctioneer school in Billings, Montana and graduated in 1998.

Hayes and his partners were raised in the area. Hayes and Mike Janes are from Strathmore and Adam McLean is from Hussar. 

“I wanted to get back to where I was raised and raise my children here.” Hayes is married to wife Kelly. He has two children under three. 

He and his partners want to keep the business linked to the rural community. Many farm families can remember passing a Saturday at farm auctions, when the weather kept them out of the field, or when they retired from the farm.

“The reason we came back here was we wanted to support the community,” said Hayes. 

He says the auction wants to contribute by setting up some programs to work with youth and present fundraising opportunities for local groups.

At the Auction in August, Irricana firefighters raised $680 from sales of 50/50 tickets. Hayes said he and his partners want to carry on contributing.

Hayes is temporarily set up in the Strathmore Agricultural grounds and hopes to establish a reciprocal long-term relationship with the society. 

Wheatland held an antique auction in September and had to turn away 500 items, due to the size of the sale. It was held in the curling rink and the venue required the premises vacant by the following morning. Hayes would have liked to have held some items for a second sale or had sales in two rings. He is looking forward to the future, when they will have an established facility.

Sometimes it is hard to put items up for auction because the price is not set, although Hayes does offer a bid reserve process.

“We try to prepare them before they consign. It’s hard. We try to get the best price for them that we can. Unfortunately, for some people the definition of an auction is a place to get a good deal,” said Hayes.

The last sale of the season is an equipment and vehicle consignment set for October 20, with consignment deadline October 13. It will be held at the Strathmore Ag grounds starting at 9am. For more info call Cody Hayes 403-669-1109 or check out the website www.wheatlandauctions.com.