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Calling for stock or blocking is the bane of many sellers in marts around the country. Any mart you walk into has signs up alerting buyers as to the rules around bidding for stock and that no calling or blocking will be tolerated. However, much of this falls on deaf ears and the long finger or hand comes in to “call” the animal on the scales or a shout of “she’s mine" is heard and it generally stops other people bidding. In a funny twist of fate, COVID-19 has put an end to it in the marts that have been operating online sales. With no one allowed in the mart, there’s no more physical calling.
In Manorhamilton on Monday after viewing, buyers congregated around jeeps and trailers but not for long as local guards rolled up to disperse the crowd. Everybody retreated to their jeep and lorry cabs, social distancing was resumed and no calling took place. Gardaí to the rescue again. I can see another WhatsApp group being formed as an alternative to the long finger and shouting “she’s mine”.
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