The Directors welcomed HM King Charles to the Auctionmart on Monday to a very special occasion attended by over 200 regular customers, shareholders, sheep breed societies, young farmers, agricultural shows and our field nurses. As he unveiled a plaque in the auction ring to mark the visit, King Charles told those gathered:
"I promise you I know only too well how vital the rural sector and the farming sector is to this country. Having started the Countryside Fund nearly 20 years ago, I hope that is at least contributing to some degree to the welfare and I hope also the adaptability of farmers to the endless complications and challenges you have to meet.
"Thank God is all I can say for marts like this and all the people associated with it like the field nurses and everybody else. So I can only hope you have as successful a coming season as possible, weather permitting, climate change permitting and anything else. It is remarkable how you manage."
The King thanked everyone around the ring for their efforts and received a rapturous round of applause.