IT is a privilege to be travelling the country in the early months of each year meeting breeders and producers to see the stock that they have to offer for the Tattersalls Ireland store sales. It is invaluable in my role representing Tattersalls Ireland to spend time with our clients in their home environment and, most importantly, it gives them a one-on-one opportunity to discuss their thoughts, be they positive or negative, on all aspects of the industry with me.

Each year there is enormous demand for places in the Derby Sale and I imagine the same can be said for the other select store sales that are run by competing sales companies. With this demand there will always be disappointment for vendors who are unsuccessful in securing places in these sales and from my point of view this is without question the most difficult aspect of the job.