THE hammer has finally fallen on Ken McCaffrey's last bull and horse auction at Ag-Grow Emerald.
After more years than he recounts immediately of selling horses at auction at the annual Ag-Grow Field Day, Mr McCaffrey, Australian Livestock Marketing, has called it a day.
Stepping away from the mic, he confides, won't be quite as easy as the patter that rolls off his tongue.
"But it's time," Mr McCaffrey said.
"There are other things I need to do. I won't be walking away completely from the industry. I will maintain the agency and we will continue with the cattle sales.
"But I am not getting any younger and something had to give. My years at Ag-Grow have been wonderful and I have had a great association with the people here. However, time and tide waits for no-one and I am in the latter part of my career and the time is right to hand over to someone else.
"I have been fortunate to work with some good fellow agents here, great bunches of vendors with both the bulls and the horses and good buyers.
"Sales come and go but I am particularly pleased to see how this horse sale has developed over the years, servicing the local industry and I trust it will go on with the younger generations running the show."
Ag-Grow managing director and owner Geoff Dein said Mr McCaffrey's departure would be met with mixed emotions and may also fuel change.
"Ken has been a great friend and advisor who has helped steer this horse auction in the right direction," Mr Dein said.
"We wish him well in his future endeavours.
"Having said that, this might lead us to some other changes. I would be interested to hear from people within the industry how they would like to see the auctions grow, what new initiatives could be undertaken and and what new opportunities might present themselves.
"I am looking for industry-relevant initiatives that are important to the people in the industry."