Luck money

[JP1]

The three new breeders I've sold to, I've paid their cattle ownership transfer fees and paid for their first Society annual membership. I think that counts more than money in this instance

 

[Netherfield]

As a youngster I quite enjoyed going to Hull market with dad, after he'd paid up the sellers would always come and give him some luck money, one in particular would give me something too, just a few coins,which when we got home I'd to give to mum,she'd put it in my Post office savings account. Mind you the money dad got was passed on in part to the drovers to look after what you'd just bought,and wagon driver who was bringing the beasts back home, the man who gave a good tip got the best treatment,and was guaranteed to get their animals home before midnight and not left in the market until the following day because the wagon was full up.

 

[An Gof]

Always thought it’s a ridiculous concept as your paying someone to buy your stock which doesn’t say much does it. I think you have an honourable system @Electricfencer. If the bloke had come to me like that I’d of told him that what he was doing was harassment and I’d be calling the police if he didn’t bugger off, of also inform the mart of the vendors behaviour. I dread to think of the amounts of luck money paid on big money animals like £100,000 tups.

Why do you think the tips make £100k

The payback is massive just to get the headline price. It’s all bent

 

[Red Fred]

Reminds me of "lucky heather" from the gypsies-" buy some or terrible disaster will befall 'ee before the year is out!" I don't believe it but I'd better do it "just in case" and everyone else does it.

 

[Still Farming]

Cash for buyers /dealers off buyers and sellers sometimes too seen maybe!
HMRC love this one .
Often if £50 on bunch of steers back for instance they go dearer but need to be to cover it .
Some buyers can pick up hundreds alledgedly in one day ?
Middlemen?
Like some people's animals always fetch top price ?
We don't or never know who gives what to who behind the scenes for this to happen?
Funny old world .

 

[MattR]

Never heard of this. Is it widespread or just traditional in certain areas?

 

[D.S.S18]

the big sheep men round here give upto 10% luck back on a pen of gimmers, we only found it out as at one sale, the chap never showed up and we got deducted 10% off our bill - we soon put that right, the price in the paper looks good, but its deflated by the luck.
when we see big money sheep flying about, doing the industry more harm than good, we often say 'wonder what the luck on that is' as its probably 90% of what is paid!
this year, ill be selling 20 gimmers with 50p luck per head - some people might say I'm a tight fisted so n so, but we all have to cover our costs so £5 a pen is reasonable, this will be done via the auctioneer in the office to avoid any embarrassment to both parties

 

[CopperBeech]

Funny how it’s common place in wales, Scotland, Ireland and the north of England but the southern English are usually dead against it. . . Does that say something?

Always given luck and received luck on my own stock, but only sell breeding stock off farm, same with collies. All lambs go dead weight so that stops that issue.

It’s only really meant as a token tradition a few quid here or there and if the person buying has a kid with them then it’s the kid that gets the luck, same as I got with my old man.

Taking aside the mega luck to inflate mega prices and get famous, it’s a nice tradition and in many cases a practical buisness cost.

Ultimately a lot of stock is sold between those who don’t own the stock. Ie we sell culls to a dealer off farm, could use many dealers and could sell live ourselves but it suits our needs. The client gets the price negotiated for the sheep, the dealer gets the sheep and quite often I get handed a few quid as a thank you for using them again and giving them their trade. Same when we buy hundreds of sheep for estates, I negotiate the best price I can and often if coming out of wales and the north an envelope with some cash comes down. I would never buy inferior stock or over pay to get luck but it’s a nice gesture as ultimately running about, organising things etc is being appreciated by the seller.

I went and bought 18 pedigree ewes off farm the other day, one was thrown in as a bit of luck.

Sad when folk get so up in arms about this stuff. But equally as sad when it becomes expected.

 

[Red Fred]

I tend to bribe people with a few packs of home made sausages. it just keeps business and gifts seperate

 

[Hilly]

Ive bought stock and the seller has handed the luck to my kids, nice gesture that goes a long way and never gets forgotten.

 

[JP1]

Ive bought stock and the seller has handed the luck to my kids, nice gesture that goes a long way and never gets forgotten.

I bought a Lleyn ram and he gave me luck for the kids. When I sold him again I did the same gesture

I'm sure there's a few who live off it and it becomes business, from my side I've always seen it as a token gesture of appreciation

 

[Wilddog]

I flashed some notes in the ring back in the spring as biding nearly stopped. The dealers started again I swear i made £30 ahead on my Steer’s! I was only giving £5 ahead!

 

[Whitepeak]

We tend to give some luck with stores and breeding stock, amount depends on the stock and the price they are likely to make. Some of the pedigree sales don’t like it being given out from the ring though.
I am annoyed when people ask for it though. We sold a bull at spring and after we’d shaken on the price (which was slightly lower than the asking price) the buyer asked is there any luck. The luck money had been put ready with the passport in the house. Felt like not giving any after I’d been asked but did do.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

£5 luck to a dealer could be worth £20 on a calf
Upset a dealer it could be worth £50 other way

 

[JP1]

£5 luck to a dealer could be worth £20 on a calf
Upset a dealer it could be worth £50 other way

Well that needs sorting then. Same with all the little arrangements about who will hold off on bids for lots before they come through

 

[Estate fencing.]

I’m not against giving luck or tipping people for a good job. I sold a load of sheep last week and there was a slightly small one that I kept back, he asked what I was doing with that one and said he could have it for luck. Iv never seen anyone so happy!! If one died in the near future at least he has a spare one for luck.

 

[hally]

Many years ago I use to travel north to Fort William buying store lambs from the Highlands and Islands. The practice was to send them all in the ring and sell it cut, so I bought all 400 in the ring and alleys as I needed to fill a McTaggart wagon. The guy come over and said you’ll be wanting a bit of luck and I had to smile when he produced £1 for all 400.
The best place was buying swale ewes atMiddleton in Teasdale, 25% luck back was not uncommon.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Well that needs sorting then. Same with all the little arrangements about who will hold off on bids for lots before they come through

How can you sort it .I don't want to be one who has started a revolt .I thought it's been going on for centuries . I could be wrong I often am .I was told by father from an early age .never leave your cattle until they are sold and make sure you have some cash in your pocket

 

[Wilddog]

Well that needs sorting then. Same with all the little arrangements about who will hold off on bids for lots before they come through

You will never be able stop it while cash is still about!

 

[JP1]

You will never be able stop it while cash is still about!

I'm sure you may be right