A NEW auctioneer and market manager has been appointed to the Tavistock Livestock Centre — which was last week granted collection centre status.

Chris Clapham has much experience working on livestock markets, and has lived and worked in the south west for the past nine years.

Tavistock Livestock Centre held its first collection of over thirty-month cattle this Monday, (December 10), and tomorrow, (Friday) Ward and Chowen will be holding its first Dartmoor pony auction of the year.

Chris says he is looking forward to building on the excellent reputation Tavistock has gained for selling store stock over the years.

'Markets will hopefully be allowed to begin auctioning livestock in the spring of next year when Tavistock Livestock Centre will be in prime position to begin trading,' he said.

Until then, Chris will be trading livestock privately from Ward and Chowen's large register of both potential purchasers and vendors or by video auctions.

After graduating from Seale-Hayne with an honours degree in rural estate management, Chris then worked in Newton Abbot and Exeter markets and most recently managed Liskeard market.

He comes from a farming family in Gloucester, and had his first experience of the atmosphere of a busy market at a young age.

Chris also enjoys playing cricket and following national hunt horse racing.

Chris says he is looking forward to renewing contacts and meeting farmers from the community. He can be contacted at the market office on 01822 610080 or on his mobile 07968 122198.