Feilding Hogget Fair a chance for farmers to donate to Whanganui Cancer Society

The donation of hoggets could potentially raise thousands of dollars for the Whanganui Cancer Society. Photo / Bevan Conley

Farmers from Whanganui and Rangitīkei are donating livestock at the Hogget Fair in Feilding to raise money for the Whanganui Cancer Society.

Cancer Society Service Support Manager Sandy Carter said farmers were "a pretty generous bunch".

"The Hogget Fair was established four years ago and covers every farmer that sells hoggets on that particular day," Carter said.

"If a Rangitīkei farmer sells sheep and donates one to the Cancer Society, that money goes through to Whanganui," Carter said.

"I think we do around about $14,000 a year from the fair but it all depends on the farmers themselves and who donates.

The fair was run by PGG Wrightson and Carrfields, Carter said, who "did all the work" for the Cancer Society.

"It all revolves around the office ladies from PGG Wrightson and Carrfields, who are just magnificently fantastic.

"If a farmer has 100 sheep to sell and donates one to the Cancer Society they separate it all out and write us a cheque at the end of the day.

"It'll actually be my first Hogget Fair next Wednesday, so I'll have to dust off my gumboots."

Harvey Falloon, from PGG Wrightson Whanganui, said a hogget was a lamb aged between one and two years, and "a good fat one" could sell for around $150.

"The real top-end ones are about $200, and the lighter ones can go for $120," Falloon said.

Carter said The Cancer Society, like all charities, had been hit "pretty hard" by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"People might take a little bit longer to get back on their own feet before they can start to give to a charity again.

"This is totally understandable, and for us, there'll be a long last effect."

• The Hogget Fair is at the Fielding Sale Yards on Wednesday, August 12.